PLUS: Tips On How to Decorate & Organize Your Mudroom
Mudroom- “A small room or entryway where footwear and outerwear can be removed before entering a house. A proper mudroom would be far more useful; somewhere to take off wet coats, to air clothes, for dogs to sleep in."- Merriam Webster’s Dictionary
The mudroom is the unacknowledged hero of the home. This high-traffic area is the place that deals with the household’s mess. For an organized home to run efficiently, having a well stocked and planned out mudroom is paramount. This is usually a small but high-functioning space, much like the foyer, for everything you need for your home to run smoothly. To make the most of your mudroom, the following outline of items and organization tips will help you plan your space accordingly. Storing everything from coats and shoes, to sporting equipment, and pet supplies, mudrooms take careful design to make them as efficient as possible. The following inspiring mudroom storage ideas will help keep your space functional and organized year round, during all climates, holidays, and general household use.
ITEMS & IDEAS FOR ORGANIZING AN EFFICIENT MUDROOM
Beach Basket
If you live close to water features, having a beach-ready basket is ideal for all those weekend and summer evening spontaneous trips to the shore. Stock a basket with towels, sunscreen, refillable water bottles, some packaged snacks, and a couple of good books so you're ready to go at a moment's notice.
Bench
This may seem like a no-brainer, but you absolutely need a place to sit in your mudroom, for putting on and taking off shoes, sporting equipment, etc.
This is a nice accessory to keep in the mudroom as you are usually in here on your way out the door, thus being able to easily keep track of time is a nice feature to have handy.
Closet
Open or closed, closets are probably the absolute must for a mudroom to keep your family’s items organized, off the floor, and out of sight when desired. Use open storage cabinets with cubbies and hooks for ready-to-go backpacks, purses, reusable grocery bags, and briefcases, as well as jackets, sweaters, and coats.
Cork Board
The message board helps you remember things on the way out the door. Designate some wall space in your mudroom for a small dry erase board, cork board, or chalkboard so you can leave notes and messages about appointments, reminders, or chores for everyone.
Hooks & Racks
One significant purpose of a mudroom is to be able to hold a lot of jackets and bags. Having at least one to two hooks per family member (plus guests) should be part of your planning design. Hooks outside of a closet are great as a rainy day station that won’t warp cabinet wood with water. Use this space for raincoats, umbrellas, and boots.
Key Rack
Hang a key rack close to the door, so it becomes an automatic habit to always store your keys in the same place. Stylish options also include adding a small side table with a decorative bowl as a catch-all for keys, sunglasses, and other small accessories.
Laundry
Many times a mudroom will also double as the laundry room. This is practical and efficient so take advantage of the space and make it comfortable and inviting as well with an organized layout.
Mail Station
A mini wall-mounted mail station in the mudroom is an ideal way to hold outgoing or incoming mail, letters, and other important papers you don’t want to forget on the way in or out.
Mirror
When heading out the door, we usually want to look our best, so having a mirror in your mudroom is a nice decor accent as well as a practical piece of furniture.
Organization Station
Make the mudroom a central hub to keep your family going with a calendar, message board, and a place to sort mail. This is a must-have for busy families. Make sure everything has its place, even the little things and you can guarantee your life will run quite a bit smoother. Creating a place for everything is key, such as baskets and cubbies, that way everything feels orderly and livable as well.
Place For Pets
A mudroom is a great place for a bed or crate for your pets. They get to monitor the door while allowing them to shed in a room that’s meant to get messy. You can keep all of their accessories here as well. Add an extra cubby space for doggie bags, leashes, and toys.
Rug
An indoor/outdoor style durable rug is a great addition to a mudroom as it catches moisture and debris when people walk in and out. Plus it adds a bit of charm and decor to a room that might be more of an afterthought.
Shoe Storage
A good shoe storage system is important to include as you may have several house member’s footwear to organize on a daily basis. A double-duty option is a bench with sections for shoe storage built in underneath. If you’re low on space for your mudroom, cabinets or shelving can also be built for optimal shoe-level storage.
Sink
A sink is great to have in your mudroom to keep things clean. This is also a must-have for gardeners and helpful to pet owners as well.
Storage
The mudroom needs to store your jackets, hoodies, shoes, laundry items, and accessories. You can get really creative and have separate cubbies or lockers for each family member. Closets and cabinets will do wonders for your storage while adding some tidiness to the room. And don’t forget all the kids (and adults!) sports equipment. If this gets overwhelming the garage is another good option for sports equipment storage.
Tile Floor
A tile floor is a practical way to control the mess that comes with a mudroom.
Vacuum Cleaner
BONUS: One tip you might not have considered is keeping a smaller-sized vacuum cleaner handy for this area to make clean-up easy.
Wallpaper
A way to decorate and an easily changeable, and hardy material as well, is some graphic patterned wallpaper. With a world of designs available to you, adding a touch of flair to your mudroom is easy and visually rewarding.
SUMMARY
Organizing your mudroom is a simple way to streamline your life moving in and out of the house, saving valuable time simply because everything is in its right place. Have fun with the decor and design and make it individually your own for your specific home’s and family's needs.
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