It’s time for this week’s installment of my ongoing little self-imposed “Dude Get On That Already” challenge, where I’m trying to use, donate, or sell the random items we’ve been hoarding in our overstuffed playroom. When I dug out this old bar of coat hooks that used to live in our first house’s den, I thought it would be perfect for the laundry room. Clara’s coats, hats, gloves and Burger’s leash were always scattered around, and a simple row of hooks would make those small items easy to grab and find. First we held the hook bar up to the wall to make sure it would fit. It did, but the original dark finish made it look heavy, so…
…of course I spray painted it glossy white. I used Rust-Oleum Universal with built-in primer and applied several thin, even coats for a smooth finish. After it dried I had a fresh, bright hook bar that felt much lighter and more appropriate for the small laundry room.
Next came the hanging. We mounted it at a convenient height near the door so coats and leashes can be grabbed on the way in or out.
Then we filled it with Clara’s coats and hats alongside Burger’s leash—an instant organizational win.
Ta-dah.
Why didn’t we do this months ago? Having a dedicated drop spot for Clara’s jacket means we no longer have to race around the house looking for one of her coats that used to end up in odd places. It’s amazing how much calmer a morning feels when small things have a place.
I can already picture her little lunch box and backpack hanging there someday. Tiny moments like that make me a little sentimental.
There’s still room to tuck our laundry basket underneath. This narrow 3.5-foot-wide room is all about maximizing storage and function. Between the baskets and bins on the shelves we built next to the washer and dryer and the low-profile shoe caddies made from recycled Ikea bins by the door, we’ve managed to squeeze a lot of organization into a very small footprint.
So that’s another small project checked off the list and one more item cleared out of the playroom. What are you spray painting, hanging, or organizing lately? Anyone else have small “Dude Get On That Already” wins to share? It’s funny how the littlest projects often make the biggest difference—these hooks have already made daily life easier, and we’ve caught ourselves several times wondering how we ever managed without them. It really is the little things.
Psst—sometimes you just need your mom, right? More on that over here on Young House Life.