It’s time for this week’s installment of my strange little self-imposed “Dude Get On That Already” challenge (where I’m attempting to use or donate/craigslist all the random items that we’ve been hoarding in our full-of-stuff playroom). When I laid eyes on this old bar o’ coat hooks that used to hang in our first house’s den, I thought it might be just the thing for our laundry room. Clara’s coats & hats & gloves + Burger’s leash = lots of small things that might be easier to grab/find if we actually had somewhere to hang them. So first we made sure it would fit by holding it up where we thought we could hang it. It fit perfectly, but felt a little heavy due to the dark finish, so…
… you know I spray painted that sucker glossy white, right? A few thin and even coats later (I used the Rustoleum Universal stuff with built-in primer) I was left with this guy. I don’t know why I’m holding him up sideways in front of the other wall. I blame book craziness (how long can I blame normal weirdness on book craziness? Two weeks? A month? Three years?).
Then it was hanging time:
And then came Clara’s coats and hats and Burger’s leash:
Ta-dahhhhhhh.
Why didn’t we do this months ago? Now there’s no more running around to try to locate one of Clara’s coats (which used to end up in any number of odd places since it didn’t have a designated drop spot like this).
I can even picture her little lunch box and backpack hanging up here someday. Sniffle.
And there’s still plenty of space for tucking our laundry basket in there. This tiny 3.5′ wide room (not exaggerating, that’s literally the width) is definitely a lesson in figuring out how to get the most organizational bang for our buck. Between the baskets and bins on the shelves that we built next to the washer and dryer to our low-profile shoe caddies made from recycle bins from Ikea by the door, we definitely have squeezed lots of function into this sliver of space.
So that’s another little project that I can officially check off the list, and one more item out of the playroom! Holla. What are you guys spray painting, hanging, organizing lately? Anyone else have random “Dude Get On That Already” challenge coups to share? Isn’t it funny how sometimes it’s the littlest projects that make the biggest difference? We’ve been using these hooks so much for the past few days that we have already wondered aloud several times how we ever lived without them. It’s the little things.
Psst- Sometimes you just need your mom, right? More on that over here on Young House Life.
Jenny says
Wow, you guys are really short. Haha j/k! It’s amazing what a little paint can do. Looks great!
Charlotte | Living Well on the Cheap says
We use our front door as the main entry (which dumps right into the living room), but I used a bench, shelf, and hooks to create a little dumping ground right next to the door and let me just tell you, it is a life changer. I love your little Clara-height hooks!
Dean says
Would have loved it if you left the hangers that original black color. It would have grabbed your eye as you walk in the room. Black on white always makes my eye drift towards it for some reason :)
Very handy for the kiddies though!!!
Kim says
Love the DGOTA goal. I finally hung up my kitchen curtains after living in my apatment 8 months. Totally stole your idea of fabric (from IKEA) and hooks.
http://instagr.am/p/l_cul/
YoungHouseLove says
Love it!!
xo
s
Kim W Rily says
Does Clara put up her own coat? I’m thinking I’ll need to tuck some hooks inside our coat closet at Max-height (he’s 2 1/2.) My 5 year old *can* reach the hangers, but it requires the use of a chair to do so.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, she likes to put her coat there and grab her hats and wear them inside. Haha.
xo,
s
Maggie Rose says
I seriously have SO many “Dude, get on it already” projects. Lurking in every corner. While I haven’t completed this one yet, I finally ordered the fabric to skirt our hall table. I’ve had a swatch hanging from it for weeks (months?). Now it’s on its way! Boo yah.
Ellen says
I love your “Dude, Get on That Already” posts. I already declared 2012 the “year of the house” and have done a few minor things myself with more (both big and small) projects to tackle. Breaking it down to 1 easy fix a week and/or one big project a month definitely helps me from feeling overwhelmed. Thanks for the motivation!
RLR says
I’ve been thinking about a similar project for our house. We have a shelf/coat rack just inside the door, but it’s at adult height. So… the kids always need help to hang up their coats. A few lower hooks would keep their jackets and backpacks under control. But – we have wainscoting on that same wall, so I’m wondering how it would look to put up (more) hooks at kid-level, which would be just above that. Or do I just not worry, be thankful for some added function, and know that I can patch any holes when the the kids are tall enough to reach the adult-height hooks?
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, maybe try those removable 3M hooks (they come in metal or white) so you don’t have to patch holes but get the added function?
xo,
s
Lisa says
Love the little coat rack! Such a great idea that I will probably steal.
Our most recent spray painting project was a big wicker basket with lid that we had been using for toys for our son. My Mom picked it up for us at Pier 1 some time ago. It was too deep and he couldn’t reach everything himself, so I had the idea that maybe it would work as a hamper under the counter in our bathroom instead. It fit perfectly. We spray painted it matte gray to match the room and are now happy to have a convenient location to toss dirty laundry!
YoungHouseLove says
I love that!
xo,
s
janie says
I wish we had a mudroom! We have a coat closet by the front door, but we always come in through the garage which leads straight into the lounge.
I’m sure someone has already mentioned this, but the leash needs to be out of Clara’s reach because she can get it around her neck and strangle (Mike Tyson’s four year old died like this last year).
YoungHouseLove says
Yikes! Thanks for the tip! We have a bowl up on the shoe racks where we can put it! Safety first!
xo,
s
Wom Mom Ethne says
We have little 3M hooks hanging under our grown-up size coat hook hanger. Just right for the girls to grab their own coats and backpacks. Sniffle is right. Mine were 1-1/2 like yesterday it seems.
Carley says
We literally just did the same thing this weekend, but higher up for all of our use. We have a coat closet, but with how often we come and go, we found ourselves just tossing our coats on our banister going to our second story. So, off to Home Goods and Ikea we went, and found the cutest coat hook and then a shelf to go above it, making it look more like one piece. Love it already!
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds awesome!
xo,
s
Kim says
You have motivated me to get our set of hooks out of the shed and hang by our back door. I don’t know why they have sat there so long when it is this easy!
Stephanie says
Great job and so cute. I’ve been toying with this idea myself. Question: Did you cover up the screw holes (there’s a joke in there somewhere, I know) with something? If so, what?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
I actually just sprayed them white too (kept the screws in the holes and laid it all down and misted it with thin and even coats of spray paint).
xo,
s
Sophie says
So sweet! I love how it’s below the window so when she’s a little older she’ll be able to hang her own coat up when she gets home from school (:
Amanda G. says
Ok so this post finally made me dgota, I listed an old tv stand on craigslist that me and my roommate have had sitting in our entry way for over a month! Thanks for the inspiration, (even though I’m inspired by just about every post!)
BHK says
So cute – and a good way to be organized and encourage Clara’s independence.
Relatedly, I have been searching your blog for ideas about baby-proofing without turning a house into a daycare. We are about to move into a gorgeous, but 3-story home, butwe have a toddler and I’m pregnant so I’m very concerned about how to baby-proof the stairs without making our house look terrible. I think it means we’ll need 4 sets of gates!! (One for bottom and one for top of the two sets of stairs – yikes!) I know you live in a ranch, but have you seen ingenious and lovely ways to keep kiddos from tumlbing down pretty old wood stairs?
YoungHouseLove says
Hmmm, can’t say we have much experience in that department – though we’ve heard gate designs are getting better (i.e. less ugly) but don’t know of anything specific right now. But my sister has some very simple, clean white gates that swing open that are very sturdy and not bad looking at all. Wish we had more to offer though!
-John
Lisa says
I highly recommend Retract-A-Gates! We have one at the top of the steps (and it is rated for that use). We have very wide steps at the top and hard to find a gate for that use. You can just buy one or two and get extra holders and use the same gate in different spots as you move to different levels with the kids. We have it attached to two different banisters that are slightly angled….a regular wooden or plastic gate would never work there. Plus, at night, we can retract it completely and not have to deal with opening and closing a gate all the time to go up and down the stairs. We have had ours for over 3 years now and it is still going strong!
http://www.retract-a-gate.com/
We get compliments on it all the time! :)
BHK says
The retract-a-gate is interesting; good suggestion.
I have seen some people that make custom wood gates to match your banisters but it looks prohibitively $$, and unfortunately we aren’t handy enough to DIY (though my dad is… hmmm, granpa!)
The best I’ve seen are these: http://www.amazon.com/Dreambaby-Dark-Wood-Expandable-Chocolate/dp/B003TXN2XM/ref=sr_1_12?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1328648688&sr=1-12
Lisa says
I looked at the custom gates too and it was just too much money and too much trouble. Our banister at the top is not exactly straight across…one side is leading into the hall and the other side is the dining room…so the wood options just wouldn’t work for us. We have been beyond happy with these and the kids cannot climb them because they can’t get a foothold anywhere. They are great for wide distances and like I said, you can just put the brackets up and use the same gate…it is easy for an adult to pop off and take to the next set of brackets. That is what our friends do that have a 4 story townhouse. When the gate is open, it is really out of the way and most people don’t notice it much. We have the tan one and a medium oak color on the banister. We also used the banister converter so there are no holes in our banister, so when we are done with it, we just take it all off and it is back to normal. Good luck finding something!
Sabrina says
Cute! We tried hanging a coat hooks at our kids level. Ended up with a boo boo on our daughters face. Just be careful!
kristy says
Okay, so you answered my question about where you hang your coats, but doesn’t it drive you nuts to walk through the house to hang your coat up? Or do you just not wear them often? And what about Clara’s diaper bag? That is another one of our issues. With such a small entryway we just need a place to plop all that stuff down.
YoungHouseLove says
We leave the diaper bag in the car whenever we remember (just makes sense to keep it with us) and for some reason we don’t mind hanging our coats in the dining room closet (it’s just through the kitchen so maybe it’s twenty steps away?).
xo,
s
kelly taylor says
Looks so cute there!
Cathy says
We had our own mini “Dude get on that already” when we decided to hang all the art we received or gave as Christmas presents. And it was my first time playing with white glossy spray paint! (Yes, I’m the one with the spray painting after party!)
http://www.fiscallychic.com/2012/01/p-art-y-time.html
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo! Congrats, girl!
xo,
s
Amanda says
Cuteness! Clara’s little coats are super-adorable.
We’ve been focusing on making little changes that don’t involve spending any money. This weekend, I moved a picture in our bedroom, and ever-so-slightly adjusted our furniture set-up in there.
I also used mirror spray paint on the glass of a few empty picture frames and hung them up — so now, they look like antique mirrors instead of empty picture frames.
YoungHouseLove says
So cool!
xo,
s
Amanda @ The Scacchi House says
Love the hooks! We need some in our entry in the worst way.
Meg says
Hey, Sorry if you’ve already answered this somewhere else but I was wondering where you got those wicker baskets on the shelves from? :)
YoungHouseLove says
Those are from HomeGoods a few years back. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lesley says
As I was reading your post and saw the picture, I was saying ‘why didn’t they do that months ago’ when you wrote teh same thing. Looks great!
Lori says
When is it ok to use spray paint instead of using paint and primer with a brush? I know nothing about DIY but y’all have inspired me, so I want to take a changing table that is dark wood and make it a nice bright white – could I spray paint this or is it too big and better to use actual paint and primer? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
I like using a brush/roller with primer + paint when painting most pieces of furniture (especially wood stuff, sometimes metal side tables are better with spray). Smaller accessories with lots of curves and nooks and crannies (frames, ceramic animals, coat hooks, etc) usually work best with a good high-quality spray paint with primer built in (my fave is Rustoleum Universal).
xo,
s
Paige says
I bought some coat hooks similar to those at GoodWill over the summer. They’re painted… but I never figured out where to hang them. Whoops! We don’t have a laundry room, but maybe I can find a spot in the office/studio.
Sarah says
Roses are red!!
Roses are red
Violets are blue
I LOVE my Hubby
If you knew him, you would too!
Melissa says
I did the same thing in our mudroom. I love having the hookslow so that the kids use it. They love being independent.
http://normington.blogspot.com/2011/11/welcome-home.html
PS I made a little photo art work for the mudroom inspired by the white photo cards that you photoshoped and added words to in previous posts.
YoungHouseLove says
So sweet!
xo
s
Jessica says
NEED to do this in my entry. Will help with our two little Thomas back packs for school too!!
MamaJ @TheSecretLifeOfAScientist'sWife says
I’ve been thinking about putting some hooks up in the front hall as well, but hubby thinks it’ll look too messy.
Plus, kids’ stuff never seems to stay where you put it!
Lindsay says
Thanks for the reminder of the “dude get on that already challenge”. I remember reading it awhile back and thought, hey, that is a great idea. My personal “dude challenge” is just to complete one project a month….I just decided this. As a teacher with a one year old I have learned this year that balancing time isn’t easy. It is aggravating to see all those things around that I want to finish, just don’t make the time for. My first challenge for February is to finish my son’s baby quilt (started WAY before he was born). Thanks for the motivation….I’ll enjoy hearing about future projects!
Kristi says
Ohh, Ohh not to be nosy but the very first pic in this post I spot a little girls scottie dog sweater from target. My little one has it too lol! I am so weird. I look at ALL details in photos. Does that freak you out? I really like this lower coat rack/dog leash idea. I’m trying to think how I might incorporate this into my mudroom design.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha – I love that thing! Got it on clearance and can’t wait to wash it so Clara can wear it!
xo,
s
mp says
When my hubby, The Banshe, was alive, he put a coat rack on our entry closet to keep his hats and jackets at hand. Now it holds my three favorite hats from his collection and the assorted leashes of the posse.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, so sweet. So sorry for your loss MP.
xo,
s
Heather W says
Just a question. I have the same type of shelf from Target and how did you remove the plugs to take it down. I have been debating moving it and painting but I didn’t want to scratch it or mess those plugs up. Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
We were able to pop ours out with our finger nail. But if that hadn’t worked I probably would’ve gently pried with a flat head screwdriver.
-John
Heather W says
THANKS!
Amanda E says
Woman, I seriously can NOT believe you are posting not once, but MULTIPLE times per day, given everything that is going on in your house!
I will keep it short so you can run back to book stuff/blog stuff/Clara stuff/hopefully sleep and food in there somewhere, too! Just wanted to say kudos!!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Amanda! It’s not that bad! We love chaos I guess. Haha. We work best under pressure.
xo,
s
Courtney C says
Oh my gosh her fancy little jackets look so cute! It looks like when people make miniature displays of full size objects! So cute I need a little girlllll!!!
Michele says
Don’t you just love glossy white spray paint? Dreamy stuff. I have a thing for it myself!!!
http://cheletopia.wordpress.com/2012/02/11/lamptacular/
YoungHouseLove says
Pretty!
xo,
s
Lis says
Can’t believe I missed this post, and I visit every day. If it weren’t for the February Superlatives…
We did the same a couple years back for our son, right beneath our homemade coat hanger. Leftover wood scrap and paint and some bought-but-never-used knobs and we got him his own rack. But with the new baby we’ll have to extend it next year, as it only has three “hooks”. He loves the independence and feeling like a big boy, can imagine Clara does too.
Mariah says
What a great idea! I would like to do something like this in my son’s room since we dont have an area by our door that would work. Love it!