When is the last time you gave any thought to your laundry room? And yet, with the average American family doing more than 400 loads of laundry a year, it’s a good bet you spend more time in that room than many others in the house.

Utility rooms are notoriously uninviting and overcrowded. But it doesn’t take much work to make them more livable.

Here are some tips from Home Edition on how to liven things up:

Decorate: A touch of art on the walls can make all the difference. Survey the open wall space and add pictures or mirrors to make things feel more cozy.

Resurface: If your laundry room floor is plagued with cracking linoleum or the walls burdened by ugly, dark cabinets, replace them (or paint them, in the case of cabinets). In a small area, the cost will be minimal and you will take years off the room overnight.

Add a folding station: Buy a simple piece of laminated fiberboard to set across the top of the washer and dryer when folding clothes. This will prevent socks and underwear from falling between the two appliances and make the task more pleasant.

Open up the cabinets. If you have enough storage space, consider removing the doors from the upper cabinets. You can then use the cubicles for storing baskets labeled for every member of the family, simplifying the task of sorting laundry.

Update the inside of cabinets: To add a bright touch, consider painting the insides of the cabinets a fun color. You can also attach cork panels to the insides of the doors, creating a spot to pin helpful articles on stain removal tips and other related topics.

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Looking for more DIY home project ideas? 

Get more tips at RE/Max of Cherry Creek’s blog.