Do you ever feel that there are days when this blog is about a whole lot of after?
Without any before?
Way too much….where we are…instead of….where we’ve been?
Well…if “before’s” are your thing……today is your lucky day 🙂
Look what I found.
Here’s a beautiful yellow picture of the laundry room….before.
Here’s another gem from the vault.
And here’s the after.
*sigh*
The “before” picture really wasn’t even that bad. It just needed a little cleaning and fresh paint.
Maybe I never show the “before’s” because I wish I had a really, really great before picture. One with peeling paint and a shower that was falling out of the wall and ripped wallpaper and a wasp’s nest and maybe a rodent or two. That would have been awesome.
But I don’t have a “before” like that.
So in addition to my weak “before”s”……I thought I would show you a really great “during” picture.
Because really…..when it all shakes out….there’s a whole lot of “during” around here.
A lot of muddy “during” from the all-day mud volleyball tournament.
Muddy t-shirts.
Muddy bathing suits.
Squished and squashed and plopped.
All over that beautiful, clean “after” of a laundry room.
But I wouldn’t trade it for a second.
This muddy life I lead.
All the squishing and squashing and plopping are what makes the world go round.
Because while before and afters are wonderful…..life is truly…..
…all about the during 🙂
PS May your day be bright and wonderful and filled with non-muddy laundry loads 🙂
PPSÂ What’s on your laundry room floor right now?
Hi Carie Ann, Girl, have you got some guts? I don't think Jane and I would show the "during" of our laundry area.. It's not a pretty site. I work in the garden almost every day and a lot of days there are two or three changes of dirty, sweaty, stained, ugly clothes to be washed. Believe me, nobody wants to see these stinky clothes. We're sill fans and really enjoy your posts.
KariAnne--I wish I had a laundry room floor! I have one of those silly laundry closets--so all the laundry stuff spills out to the kitchen. So the only thing on my floor of that laundry "room" is the washer and dryer! Now the kitchen floor in front of it...that's another matter! Thanks for sharing.
I think that's a really good before and after...I'd love to see more!!! {and yeah, you're brave to show your laundry room. Currently mine is in our dungeon of a basement and closely resembles that one in "Silence of the Lambs."}
Our laundry room is a little alcove off the kitchen, so it's always clean. However the pile seems to find its way to the floor at the end of our bed, which is probably worse! I've had a "before" laundry room for a year now and I never show it either. You just "during" and "after" to your heart's content! I don't mind one bit.
You're right. Life is about the "during" and I looked at my laundry shoot this morning and my during is going to be filled with about 8 loads today. My laundry room has towels, a chandelier that I am redoing, dog dishes and some picture frames on the floor right now. It's definitely a "before" picture. :)
Well, if you had asked me that question years ago...I would have said, stinky, dirty soccer uniforms and baseball uniforms.....oh the glory days.. But today, just a cute laundry basket..filled with neatly folded clothes...for you see, my hubby folds his clothes before putting them in the laundry basket...yes, I know...he needs therapy! Your laundry room looks beautiful...and real!!
Great laundry room! Love the transformation! I'd love for you to share this at my Twirl & Take a Bow linky party at www.houseontheway.com. Hope you can stop by! Thanks, Leslie
Great Before and After and I agree, it's the during part that makes it all worthwhile! Great Post!
it's so beautiful! ruffles make it all better. :)
Fun post! Five minutes "after" my photos I think my place starts to become a before and during again!
I think it is a great improvement over the before, Karianne! Yes, the blinds were closed, but I think the paint color {while still light} made the room look darker. I'm sure the dark wood didn't help either. Your new laundry room is just so bright and cheery. I really wouldn't mind being in there and taking care of laundry {and whatever falls on the floor!}.
At least you have a house full to create laundry. Only two of us and my floor is covered like yours. Can't figure out how we make such a mess.
Life is all about the durings....what a great concept and quote. My durings are so dull as to not be believed, but that's a part of the whole, too, isn't it? Your laundry room would have to go on my list of favs and my laundry room, in the dungeon, would go on a list of horrors! On the floor? A basket or two of sorted laundry waiting its turn.
So I'm pretty sure your old laundry room is the same as my old kitchen... exact same yellow with the dark wood trim everywhere. The after is amazing!
"Because while before and afters are wonderful…..life is truly….. …all about the during" I needed something to write on my kitchen chalkboard today since the countdown to my birthday is over and ^ that will be what I write! Thank you! As always, a great way to start each day...
... and somehow you make muddy clothes look appealing ... :) me
*During* the reading of this it occurred to me that Halloween is coming. You can still use a rodent in a display (preferable fake) and get away with it. And you know how I feel about your laundry room, maybe not the before as much as the after and the during. ~Bliss~
Karianne, Thanks for showing the before and during photos. And for telling us about the muddy things that end up on the laundry room floor. Otherwise I would think you are too perfect and that perhaps there is a "Flowers In The Attic" situation going on in that old farm house and in years to come a "Mommy Dearest" style book would shed light on your perfection. Enjoy your little mud makers now, Linda
What a fantastic job. I love the laundry room We made over ours and now I love doing laundry. Well not really, but it makes the chore a little more enjoyable. Cynthia
I f I only had a laundry room! None here - just a closet in the bathroom with stacking washer/dryer. My dream is to add on one little room to this house that is a laundry/mudroom.
The muddy piles are not limited to my laundry room alone! There's a trail leading from the mudroom, through the kitchen, up the stairs, into my girls room (and maybe a pile or two in my own room too)! Kelly
There are no dirty piles of laundry in my laundry room. Three reasons: One, I have a laundry shoot on each floor, Two, no more kids in the house, Three, my laundry room floor is in the basement and it's cement. It's a very ugly scene. It's currently one of those befores you wishing you had. Cinder block walls, pipes and wires everywhere, an old huge farm sink (not in a good way). Some day we'll have the money to fix it up and turn it into two rooms...a nice bathroom and a nice laundry room. Until then, no thing touches the floor!
I couldn't have said it better..I need to write that one down.."Life is all about the durings"
Brilliant sentiment...life is truly all about the during. Indeed.
Love that thought, of life being about the "during". Enjoying having our children with us is priceless. Hope you have a great week!
I love your before, after and during's! Would it be too nosy to ask if that is a shower behind the shower curtain? I have admired that curtain every time I see your laundry room and I did not know it was a shower curtain till you wrote about the great deal you got on it. Now I'm just curious if you used it to close up shelves, as a curtained door or if it is a shower inside?
Your laundry room is just dreamy! Even with the muddy laundry. My laundry room floor probably has spiders on it. It's in the basement.
I tell my girls... "if you're not getting dirty, you're not having that much fun." Our lives are all about the "during" also. Love the post.
Oh boy do I have some good before's too- haven't shared before's in awhile... might have to do that soon. I sure love your laundry room and have big time laundry room envy! :)
OH how true! Life is definitely about the durings.... do you mind if I quote you? In my laundry room? Because our laundry room, or rather utila-corridor, is definitely a in the realm of before's and during's. builder's beige, hodge podge shelving, water heater, water softener, muddy towels, stinky sweat clothes from 4 boys (yep sweet hubby makes the count) but that's life and I'm loving it right now. Life, not builder's beige, ha ha! So my dear ENJOY the durings because we both know that all too quickly they are gone! p.s. love your laundry room!! in fact it is in my pins of inspiration. :) Toodles!
Your transformations have been amazing! You have such good vision! I love your laundry room and the muddy laundry too; that means there has been lots of fun! This room is lovely too!
I can't see my laundry room floor... During is eternal state of being over here at the Bold Abode...
Moving boxes!
I shared my Before, During and Afters of my laundry room. Talk about feeling barren and ashamed! I will say that since the updates it has stayed cleaner than every before! But never will it be 100% spotless because that's not how I roll.
Are you going to speak bad about me if I say there is nothing on my laundry room floor? Well, it isn't anything to be too excited about. It is just because I don't have any sweet children around to put anything on the floor. One day your laundry room floor will be missing those messy clothes, and you experience another one of the sweet stages of life.
I love this post ! Life really IS about the "during" Currently, I have about 2 weeks of dirty clothes and an overflowing garbage can on my bathroom floor. I probably should fix that. ;)
I was just telling the Mr. that I have no before pictures to enhance my Blog with. :-/ My home was built by us when we sold our other 24 hrs after putting it on the market 7 years ago. So this was a quick build. Found one already being laid out on lot and bought it. Not the house we thought we would be getting but hey... we had to move FAST! So the befores are all construction pics. On my laundry room floor... sigh. You really wanna know?? For real? Ok, Master Vic's pup pillow. He decided to chew on the corner and it's all gross and in need of a wash badly! Plus his towels from last night's just before bed walk in the remains of Issac's rain storm. He was a wet soggy mess... a 2 towel wet soggy mess!!! See, you asked.... Cheers, Gee
I am coming to your house to my laundry. Muddy or not, it looks far better than mine. Hmmm, what is on the floor of my laundry room. Probably a lot of dust bunnies in the corners. I am certain mismatched socks that my son threw in there. Actually placing them in the dirty clothes bin is too taxing, throwing them from the doorway is a far better solution, hence, they are on the floor. And probably a half of a bounce sheet that didn't make it into the garbage. Too glamorous!
Do you know how amazing your laundry room is? Do you? Do you know that if I had your laundry room there would never be a dirty item of clothing in my house ever? Do you know that if I had your laundry room, I'd put a chair in it - right where you stood with your camera, and just look at it for hours on end?
Sigh,.....you create such beautiful rooms! ....and yes, 5 little kids over here...3 of them boys (which seem to bring many more dirt-covered clothes in my laundry room), and there is also a pile of stinky-dirtiness in here! --Katie
What a great reminder. As beautiful as all of your "afters" are... the during is pretty darn good too. :)
You may have mud, but I have poop. Babies=poo. How do those little critters create so darn much laundry. so much poopy laundry =) Don't they realize that they are supposed to contain aforementioned substance to the diaper and not up thier sleepers to their neck? Like you, however, I wouldn't trade it for the world.
your laundry room is gorgeous! i so wish i had a cute laundry room and not one in the dungeon...i.e. my basement utility room :(
I loved seeing the before, Karianne! Makes seeing what you created even more special! It's truly a wonderful space! You don't want to know what's in my basement laundry room...be afraid...be very afraid. lol
:) You are so right, life is really about the 'during'! And my laundry room floor is usually littered with dirty clothes. today there are 2 large baskets of clean laundry waiting on my girls to get done with school and fold them!
The "during" is where life is lived, including piles of laundry on the floor. There's none on mine today, but only because I have roofers coming in and out to use the small bathroom there. There's a lot of tramping and clattering going on above me today - that's my "during."
Wow what a makeover! Now please, please, pllllleeeeeeasssse tell me what camera settings you used in that beautiful after shot! The light, the color! I'll give you a big hug if you tell me... :-)
Oh yes the "During" I have lots of that LOL.I am always doing projects.Not because of my blog.But because my home is my canvas and I have to release my creative side! But I do have laundry to do.Beds to make yadda yadda yadda.It never ends does it? Your home is gorgeous! You had a vision and you made it happen! ~~~~~~Beautiful~~~~~~ xx Anne
I have mountains of laundry on my laundry room floor, all the clothes that our daughter DIDN'T take to college! The hamper in her bedroom is like that tent in Harry Potter. It looks like a normal hamper from the outside, but it must turn into a 12 x 12 room when you get inside it. Sigh. I just have to know, what's behind that pretty ruffled curtain? Something awesome that you're hiding from us? :)) Have a great day Karianne! xo, Andrea
I have a no shoes on the floor right now, of course that will change when the kids get home this afternoon. I love your laundry room I could picture myself hanging out in there watching the spin cycle and drinking some coffee. It's just too cute in there! Okay, now I need to make over my laundry. Have a great day! Susan
I know you didn't just ask ME what my laundry room floor looked like right now!? rofl. Let's not go there right now. ;oP love ya. Heather
the room is just beautiful....is there a shower in there? wondering about the beautiful white & ruffled shower curtain. :)
That is a funny post! I often think about staging great "before" pictures to make the item look really trashed, but that would take time and effort, and I am usually running too far behind in my blogging to actually carry it out. I, too, love the white ruffly curtain, and the black and white rug--it's a lovely room redo. My laundry room floors are nothing to write about, but my long "craft" table has become a complete catch-all--that needs to change and soon. Take care, KariAnne, and thank you for the kind words over at my blog today--I appreciate them!
I love seeing before and afters and your after is beautiful KariAnne!!
love your after, but it is the during that is so real....my laundry room,baskets painted with labels...whites, denim,knits,colored, towels...yeap 5 they fit inside each other when laundry is done...but it never is so the baskets are always lined up....real is the plastic tote with a lid, for my hub's good clothes...because what else is in the laundry area, either Cleo or Rocky one of them is always in a basket. So with their rolling around stuff falls out of the baskets and onto the floor...OCD yes but something always gets in the way of perfect...perfect is not living,living is messy
Oh my gracious! I can't believe the transformation from before to after! Incredible! It even makes the muddy shorts from the "during" look more glamorous!
Well...since my washing machine is outside, I guess weeds. LOL And so so true, it's all about the during!! For sure.
You had me at ruffles. . . so loving this room KariAnne. Thank you for sharing the 'before' photo. It's hard to believe it is the same room. Today my laundry is free of washing and ironing.... a rare day indeed :)
I love your laundry room makeover! I have a question, is the white ruffle a shower curtain and where can I get one? I am looking for one just like that Thanks so much, Laura.
Your after is completely amazing. I could pull up a mattress and stay the night. I don't mind sharing the floor with muddy balls of clothes if it's in that room.
Love Love Love the white ruffles! And your laundry room definitely rocks. I have a laundry closet in AZ and no laundry room, closet or anything at the condo in GS. I'm a little green about your washer and dryer right now.
Love it, KariAnne! I'd actually get some laundry done if my laundry room looked like yours. And you don't want to know about all the stuff that is on our laundry room floor right now. But I've learned that having dirty towels on the laundry room floor isn't always bad-- especially when your drain backs up. Soaking wet towels is better than a flooded laundry room.
Dirt. Dog food. A cork bulletin board purchased at a yard sale -- yet another "before" project. Shoes. More dirt! Love you for sharing the messiness of life. Easy to forget that real life isn't a shelter magazine or a beautiful blog!
Really, life is made of during, isn't it? =) Love your laundry room - so feminine. =)
How fun to see a "before" glimpse! We LIVE in a state of "during" around here... and on the laundry room floor? A whole lotta crap tracked in, smelly workout clothes and I'm quite sure there's a dust bunny or two since I can't seem to keep up. :-) Enjoy your day, friend! xo Heidi
Yes - it's all about the during! Great post!
Your laundry room is gorgeous and yes, I love before and afters. A couple of dirty dish cloths are on my laundry room floor, because my muddy days, sadly, are long past. i would love to have them back again, though. Hugs, Cindy
Loving the during here, too! :) Right now in the laundry room: a pile of clean. a pile of dirty. mixed in the middle because the two piles have stayed there too long. Now we don't know what's clean and what's dirty. ha!
I love this post Kari Anne! So fun to see where it all started. You guys have done such an amazing job. And it's nice to know that muddy children run free everywhere. Such a happy thing to play in the mud. And then leave the clothes for your mother to deal with.
Well, our laundry room is in the basement, and it's not finished, so really a whole lot of yuck:) But, I have to say, it's super-inspiring to see the before pictures and the amazing things you have done to update your home! Glad you're not sweating the mud--those are some of the best memories:)
Can you tell me the color of the paint in your laundrry room? I really love it. Thanks!!!!
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