Remember in January when I participated in my first $100 One Room One Month Challenge hosted by Erin from Lemons, Lavender and Laundry? Well, I remember because I’m still exhausted! And yet, here I am announcing my Craft Room Makeover: Week 1! Hahaha!
In January, we made over our kids’ bathroom/laundry closet and it turned out fabulously! We made so many changes from paint to shiplap to building shelves to building more shelves and on and on. It was a BIG endeavor (while we were in the middle of finishing our basement!), but we love the end result!
When I mentioned to my husband that there was another challenge coming up, I didn’t exactly get the most loving look! Haha! But, no worries for him… the room I had in mind is going to be all on me!
I’m a bit mortified, actually, to show pictures of this room. I’m trying to convince myself that we all have one room like this, right?? Please tell me you all have a room like this! It’s supposed to be my office/craft room but it has turned into the dumping ground of our house.
When we first moved in, it looked like this:
Right in the middle of a mad dash to get the kids’ bedrooms painted before furniture arrived, I decided that I NEEDED to paint over this blue.
With blue.
My husband thought I was nuts. With a major renovation about to start, trying to move in the middle of snowstorms… I was deadset on painting a blue room a different shade of blue!
But I just couldn’t handle the country blue, and I knew this was one of those rooms that if I didn’t paint it while it was empty, I would never get to it! I already had a gallon of mis-tinted paint that I had picked up for $5, so I got to work painting. I also painted all of the trim white while the room was empty. I’m SO glad I did! It might not seem like it, but the room really is brighter and fresher!
And for a very short period of time, I had a nice, orderly office to use!
Then the renovations started on the entire 1st floor, and this room became our living room/kitchen. It’s off the master bedroom and over the garage. It already had a sink in it, because the previous owners had a hot tub in this room. So I set us up with a crockpot, toaster and other kitchen goodies, and this was where I made dinner most nights!
The middle of the room had a couch, coffee table and TV where we ate our dinner and hung out when we weren’t downstairs covered in drywall dust and pulling staples out of the floors. The far side had my desk where I worked during the day while the contractor was doing his thing downstairs.
3 months, friends. The 4 of us lived in this room for 3 months.
And then finally the glorious day came when we could live in our entire house… and I think none of us wanted to see this room for a long time! So it became the official dumping ground! As we were FINALLY unpacking boxes for the 1st floor, if there was something that didn’t have a spot, I would just tell the kids to take the box up to the office. Bad move.
And it’s just gotten worse over the last 9 months. I was still using it as an office over the summer and the beginning of fall, so it stayed relatively clean. I mean there would be piles here and there, but it wasn’t a huge deal. Then it started getting a little too cold to be in there, and that’s when it all flew out the window.
Things were just thrown in here willy nilly and no one seemed to care.
Well, I take that back. My husband cared. Sometimes he would go to get something out of the printer and say, “Sooo, that room is kind of beyond a disaster…”
No worries. I would quickly say, “Do you want a warm chocolate chip cookie??”, and all would be forgotten.
But it’s time I deal with it. So for my $100 One Room, One Month Challenge, I’m going to tackle my office.
Basically, I’m going to clean.
There will be some painting (I’m looking at you sink cabinet), and some decorating to help me feel inspired… but, basically cleaning! 😉
It has to happen. Our puppy wants his sun patch back. Who knew a skylight would be a dog’s best friend?!
So follow along as I dive into this embarrassment, and please don’t feel the need to point out that this room is messy. I see it and I’m on it.
And what would a challenge be if I didn’t have some friends joining in on the fun? Follow along with the rest of the $100 One Month One Room participants as they make over various rooms in their homes!
Jillian
Wednesday 8th of March 2017
My favorite part of week one is that everyone has shown their dumping ground!!!! I love it. It makes me laugh because we all truly have that spot where we throw everything and turn a blind eye. What will we all do once those spots are gone :) Hello Organization!!!!
Natalie
Wednesday 8th of March 2017
Hey Natalie, Now I understand why my shelves lying next to the bathtub made you laugh!!! You should see my craft room! I can sooo relate. I have a picture on my post about my craft table if you want to comfort yourself that you're not alone! You'll probably inspire me for the next challenge! Go for it Natalie!
Erin @ Lemons, Lavender, & Laundry
Monday 6th of March 2017
I'm pretty sure we all have spaces like this in our house... (my basement). And I'm totally trying the chocolate chip cookie idea on my husband next time he asks about it :) So happy to have you joining in for another round!
Natalie
Tuesday 7th of March 2017
Ha! The offer of warmed baked goods gets him every time!
Sarah
Saturday 4th of March 2017
HAHAHA I love that I'm not the only person in this challenge with a CRAZY untidy "BEFORE". :-) I can't wait to see how it turns out.
Natalie
Tuesday 7th of March 2017
Right?! I was thrilled to see yours too! I can't even believe I let it get like this!!
Christina
Friday 3rd of March 2017
That's exactly what happened to my office when we moved in the fall (except the eating and spending all our time in there) and it still looks like that! It has become the dumping ground for "where do I put this" items.
Natalie
Tuesday 7th of March 2017
Ugh, it's such a vicious cycle with this room, but I'm determined to break it!