Updating a Utility Hallway~from Cluttered to Clean

The area between our laundry/utility room and kitchen, is also an access path to the 3-car garage. As you can imagine, it is a dumping ground for just about everything. When no one knows where to put something, it typically gets placed here. Because we are spending much more time at our cabin, I am noticing the inefficiency of many of our spaces. Slowly, I am trying to tackle each one. Come and see what I did this week to clean up this messy and unorganized space.

The Before

There are many things I do not like about this “hallway”. Not a fan of the tile floor, however, it is easy to clean when coming into the house with muddy or snowy shoes. The blank white walls are boring, yet I am not ready to make a change there as it requires more thinking.

Underneath the plethora of hats, there is an attractive hat/coat rack. The sweet little red table is a gift from a neighbor. However, it doesn’t provide much in the way of storage. The top gets cluttered with old egg cartons and miscellaneous junk. Larger items that don’t have a place to go, get set on the floor and stacked up. Notice my bulk stash of Vital Proteins (always buying it on sale!)

To the right of this clutter, are steps down to the man door to the garage. Also to the right and around the corner is the small laundry room. If you head to the left is a bathroom with a shower. The Dhurrie rug could use a good cleaning.

The During

Naturally, the first course of business is moving all the clutter out. Just doing that is a huge improvement and I have the help of our furry feline, Donovan.

How we got so many hats is a mystery to me. But I assume over the years, everyone placed a hat or two there at one time. In dismantling the hats, we find many that fit on children’s heads and will end up in the donation pile.

It has been years since I laid eyes on this coat/hat rack and I forgot how attractive it is. Fortunately it is only attached with two screws and can be easily removed.

A Storage Solution

After quick perusal of the internet, I find the perfect solution. A cabinet that is narrow enough for the space and long enough to capitalize on the space. Needing a place for extra kitchen items, pet supplies and taller containers, I find this on Wayfair, the Korsica Accent Cabinet. With a 4.6 star rating, the reviews are very positive and it’s an affordable price of $279.99.

The dimensions are 11.75″ wide, 36.75″ tall and 63″ long, with 3 separate storage areas and shuttered doors. Yes, you do have to assemble and it states it takes 2 people approximately 45 minutes. I feel like it took us a bit longer though.

It came in one large box with several pieces. Fortunately my husband pulls out his trusty tools and we start assembling. Since we are busy putting this together, I don’t capture many photos. It is not an easy project but after building tons of Ikea furniture, once you get the hang of it, the process is quicker.

The After

In order to keep the entry to the bathroom wide enough, we need to move the piece to the right. As a result the rack is off center so it is an easy fix to move it a few more inches.

The small vintage wooden lamp is perfect as a night light. I love the idea of a picture but not sure this is the right one, so I am experimenting with it.

The neon pothos in the handmade Ute Indian pottery creates a nice contrast to the light wood top.

A great location for dropping off sunglasses and keys, is a carved wooden shallow bowl.

Additional Storage

Since my cabin kitchen does not have adequate storage, I am looking forward to reorganizing and getting our backup supplies tucked away.

With 3 cupboards and shelves, I am happy with the additional storage space.

Gotta love those Costco runs! We always buy Vital Proteins when they go on sale!

All in all, I am pleased with the transformation. The hall feels more spacious and brighter. Hopefully we all will learn not to just dump things here. The cost is approximately $300 and some of our time.

What do you think?