Quick Project: Brighten the Space Under Your Kitchen Sink

Around this time every year, I seem to go through a mega must clean everything NOW stage. From top to bottom, the house is emptied of anything that doesn’t matter to me anymore, but it never fails that I eventually find myself running out of steam. That is usually when I change gears and locate small projects that will jive with my recent ambition behind”make everything look pretty.”

Once we purchased our house, the place under the kitchen sink bothered me to no end. It was just like sand in my eyes. Ugh, it was so ugly and could never in a million years pass for feeling clean, and it had a number of those last owners’ stuff within it. So one day when I didn’t have anything going on, I finally made my way into the hardware shop, grabbed a stack of cheap, clean-looking tile and got to work. It is a fantastic little job for a rainy day and will help even a space that retains four times of garbage feel refreshing.

Erin Lang Norris

That is what the place looked like before I began. A dark, darkened area with gross peeling tile that had probably been living there since the’80s. Yeah, like I said, this portion of the house really, really bugged me.

Erin Lang Norris

So with two hours on my hands, I ripped out the yucky tile, scrubbed the entire area and proceeded to chuck almost everything in sight. I used a utility knife to cut the new laminate tile, put everything in and painted the interior walls. I like any place that can feel filthy to be white, because it always appears to be much cleaner than dark colors would allow for. I put things that I enjoy using inside, closed the doors and called it a day. As time passes, I’ve added some cleanup products that are nice to look at, which seems to be the secret in getting through almost any cleaning task that disturbs me.

Being able to pull out fairly supplies makes it much easier to make it through the day’s chores. Continue reading for a couple suggestions I came up with should you choose to try out this simple project.

The Contemporary Home

Short Broom – GBP 9.99

I maintain a small straw broom beneath my sink alongside a dust pan, which makes for a fast reach after prepping dinner. I like the fun colors that these arrive in.

Erin Lang Norris

Melded Poppies Double Hook – Anthropologie.com – $22

And, clearly, you will need a hook to hang your broom on. I added a hook into the inside of my cabinet, which appears to be a sensible use of an area that’s not generally cared for.

Overstock.com

Le Chef French White Ceramic Square 1.5-gallon Compost Pail – $36.99

This adorable compost bin takes up a minimal amount of space, which is perfect for housing it under the kitchen sink. I like this particular design a great deal more than those that imitate a steel garbage can, because really, who would like to look at a garbage can on their counter tops while they’re cooking?

Erin Lang Norris

JR Watkins Natural All-Purpose Cleaner – $5.49

J.R. Watkins All Purpose Cleaner is my go-to product whenever I’m wiping the counters, and honestly, it makes me eager to wash! I’ve been using this stuff for many years and it gives me a little pep in my step every time I pull it out. I’m a sucker for pretty product layout and particularly delight in the lemon-scented one.

Erin Lang Norris

French Pop-up Sponges from Caldrea – $10

I discovered these sponges a few weeks back and I really like the fact that they arrive in a flattened state, consuming just a small amount of space before they are used. My favorite part is that they visually attractive, particularly when in comparison to those ugly blue ones we are used to.

J.R. Watkins

JR Watkins Natural Room Spray – $6.99

Another J.R. Watkins product, this room spray is great to use once you’re finished cooking. With over 600 spritzes per jar, you will have this around for quite awhile.

Caldrea

Dishwashing Brush – $5

Dishes are among the things that I truly don’t feel like doing after cooking an entire meal, but pretty scrub brushes like this one consistently lead me to believe I’m actually doing something pleasurable.

Strategy

Method Dish Soap – $3.99

I really like Method’s lineup of dish soap. The interesting bottles are a nice change from the more common brands, and the scents are fantastic, too.

Amazon

Murphy’s Oil Soap – $3.99

Though there has been some controversy over this item, I’ve never had a issue with it myself and it ranks fairly high on my list of favorites. It makes tired wood flooring glow in the morning sun and lasts for quite some time, too.

Goal

Target:Michael Graves 4 Gallon Rolling Bucket – $29.99

So, I’m not positive if you are going to have the ability to match this rolling bucket under the sink, but in the event that you can, you should try it out. It is a Michael Graves design for Target, and I’ve been eyeing it for a few months now. It is perfect for those of use who usually need to lug a mop bucket around to wash an entire floor of the house.

So, what do you believe? Can you benefit from this easy weekend job? What fast spruce-up do you feel like doing now?

Next: More rapid home repairs

See related

Comments are closed.