Do you have a utility room that is nothing more than utility? A room you hate going into, but have to spend a few minutes there because that’s where the washing machine and dryer, maybe the pantry and second refrigerator are? Your utility room doesn’t have to be the most dreaded room in the house. It can be better.
Let’s start with a clean out because organization is relaxation. Go through the utility room, removing everything you don’t need in there. When everything is out, choose what you want to put back in. Do you want this in the right cabinet, or in the left cabinet? Do you want that to be stored high or low? Is there something that you have to add so that you can have more storage? Let’s get the utility room organized and see how much room you now have.
Now let’s see what we can do to make the rest of the relaxation kick in. Start with the five senses: sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste. We may leave taste out (after all, who wants to taste the towels?), so let’s focus on the rest of the senses.
Sight: A calm, ocean color on the walls or cabinets will make the room a calming place to go. Do you have a seashell wall plaque that you can put in the utility room? If not, try this one from Hobby Lobby, or these Etsy framed seashells on the wall. Don’t have room to put seashells on the walls? Use these Scallop Sea Shell cabinet knobs on your utility room cabinets and you’ll cover function and relaxation with the same item.
Smell: Use a wax melter to create the scent of the beach. You’ll be looking at the color of the ocean, smelling the ocean and working in an organized room. Is that relaxation I see creeping into your life, maybe a smile starting at the corners of your mouth?
Touch: Let’s make things easier if we can. We’ve already reorganized and painted, but if there isn’t a place to work, then it’s still going to be an in-and-out room. Do you have an area under the cabinets that you can put in a drop down, or swing-out folding space? Paint it a clean white, distress it a little, then seal it. When you empty the dryer, you now have a place to fold clothes right there in the room. When your clothes are folded, put the folding table away and you don’t have to worry about the space it takes up while in use. We’re not finished with touch, though. Have you ever gone to the beach and enjoyed walking on hard-packed sand? No? Everyone wants the soft sand feel at the beach, so let’s get a soft floor mat for you to stand on while you fold laundry. It will mimic that soft sand feel and your feet won’t hurt when you’re finished!
That leaves us with hearing. Do you have a CD player you can put in the utility room, or do you want to download a soundtrack of the ocean’s soothing waves? This CD of ocean sounds will foot the bill nicely, or you can download ocean sounds to play on your cell phone while you are folding clothes.
Go from hating the utility room and folding clothes, to using that time as a quiet, relaxing time to be away from the hustle and bustle and do an easy, almost mindless task. Who knew folding clothes could be so wonderful?
At Sea Life Cabinet Knobs, our products can help you design the beach-themed home of your dreams.
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Since pewter doesn’t rust, but can become dull over time (especially near saltwater environments), Costello Coastal Knobs recommends an annual cleaning:
