“THE LAUNCH PAD“
This week, Laurie from Handy Man, Crafty Woman is my guest host for the challenge. She is sharing her “Launch Pad” with us. I will show you the “beginning” of my launch pad… since I am doing the challenge right along with you all, mine is not complete yet. I don’t have a designated space so I’m super excited that Laurie contacted me about hosting this challenge. It will be a great project for me. I hope you join in and create yourself a launch pad too! I will share my finished launch pad later in the week.
~ToniMy “new” Launch pad (Before)
and after…
More detailed photos of my launch pad can be found {here}… Now on to Laurie’s challenge.
WEEK #2 CHALLENGE {THE LAUNCH PAD}
Hello, I’m Laurie from Handy Man, Crafty Woman.
Thanks so much to Toni for having me guest post on her blog. I have loved all of Toni’s Organizing Challenges. Plus, I’ve been looking at a lot of the blogs that have linked up their before and after photos. Lots of great organizing inspiration!
Have you read in magazines or blogs about launch pads? A launch pad is a place you can set up near a doorway, to help “launch” you out the door for the day; or to help you “land” when you come home.
I’ve seen so many photos of pretty entry ways, foyers, and mud rooms. I’ve drooled over all the organization that one can fit into these areas. I’ve wished that we had a mud room, since we live in the land of snow, mud and dirt (New England).
However, we don’t have a mud room or a foyer. You walk in a door, and bam, you are in a room. You and all the mud and dirt; and all your keys, shoes and bags! I decided to create my own launch pads, or series of areas, in our home to keep things neat.
I love this mail and key holder that sits just inside our side door. As you can see, there are three slots and three hooks for keys. We also place outgoing mail into a slot. I can’t remember where we found this, but I think we found it in a catalog. I remember that it only cost around $20.
I’m not very fond of this shoe rack, but it’s our compromise for where to put shoes when we come in the side door. We thought about buying a nicer shoe rack, but I can’t find anything for just the right size, or the right price.
We also thought about having Handy Man build a rack…but the problem with a wood rack is that all the water, dirt and mud from our boots would probably warp it. So for now, shoes go here. I also hang my purse on the side of the rack.
So you’ve come in, put your keys on the hook; taken your snowy boots off, but you still have a coat to deal with. Now that you have shed the heavy stuff, come over to the living room, and hang up your coat.
We bought this simple coat rack for under $12 at an unfinished furniture store and painted it white. We use the basket for hats, gloves, scarves, etc. I’d love to find a second basket for more storage; but I’m having trouble finding one narrow enough to fit on the shelf.
If we have company over, they always come bearing lots of extra coats, hats and gloves. We move our coats to this coat rack in the family room, and leave the rack in the living room empty for guest coats.
Here is your challenge:
Do you have a built-in launch pad or landing pad in your home? Or, do you struggle to find a place to put coats and shoes? Try to find a way to organize your shoes, coats, etc. You don’t have to have a mud room. Inexpensive coat hooks, racks, or bins can help, even if you have to use more than one location. Show us your launch pads! If you are joining in on the challenge this week, grab a button & link up your blog. I am very excited to see what your launch pads look like in your homes.
