Laundry Is No Longer A Load of Trouble

Project:
Operation Functional Utility Room

Goals:
To establish a work area on top of the washer and dryer, and to free up space for a standing drying rack for my cloth diapering/clothing needs.

Problems:

1. I don’t want to spend the money to build a custom piece because I am military and it most likely won’t move well or fit in the next house.
2. I don’t have the capability of woodworking to this detail here.
3. If I buy another basket, my husband may lose his mind. “Hi, I’m Kate and I’m a basket/bin-a-holic. I have been sober for 4 months now.”
4. Buying the expensive Whirlpool table top option to put above them ($250!?), or the platforms to put below them ($199?!) was out of the question both ethically and budget wise. $650? I don’t think so.

The Solution/Result:

We have this huge table that has many identities in our relationship. It’s been a craft table, a desk, and most recently, a folding table placed in our utility room beside our washer and dryer. While this served a great purpose, and seemed genius at first, we put our litter box underneath it. That was when it became a place where I didn’t want to put my feet, which negated its intelligence. Then, when we got the Cat Genie (best cat related purchase EVER barring the cats themselves), I whacked my head on it each week as I vacuumed up all of the pellets that were tracked out around it to return them to the basin.  Today, I was standing there looking into the room when I said, “You idiot! The table is just slightly deeper than the wash/dryer! Move the top over and you’ll solve all your issues!”. I got in there, and removed the table from its legs. The top weighs about 50 lbs, so there may have been some cussing. I moved the legs into storage, and leaned the top against the w/d units. Then I put some ShamWows I had lying around on top of my w/d units to rescue them from being scratched by the leg-slides that this industrial table that we stole from the AFB graveyard has underneath it.  I heaved the goliath up on there and wha’la! She was done! I moved the Genie over to be beside the w/d, and then I moved the stools that we were storing in the garage into the room.  I love it!  Just enough room to move around, easier to clean, and  room to use my racks without incident! The table is heavy enough that it won’t fall off, so I don’t have to worry about that. It’s wedged under the shelf struts too, so it won’t move if tugged on. I tried and it held my hippo body when I pushed down on it. Woo hoo! My house is more user-friendly, I saved $650, and I made more clear space in my house. Take that Whirlpool and Pinterest! 🙂