If you're tired of tripping over jackets and shoes when you enter and leave the house, make a makeshift mudroom.
If you or your family make a habit of dumping jackets, bags and shoes near the door, you need a mudroom.
To create a more organized space for these items, you don't require a lot of space. In fact, all you really need is a wall near a main entrance, garage or laundry area that's long enough to hang a few coats and handbags and house an entryway bench or stool. Here’s how to get started:
Plan your mudroom around the things you use regularly
Since the purpose of a mudroom is to help you enter and exit your home quickly, plan your design around the things you usually wear or take when you leave your home.
During winter, those items tend to include coats, gloves, scarves, bags, boots and keys. You can switch out your winter gear during the summer with things like pool towels, swimming goggles, flip flops or skates.
The best mudrooms include a designated spot for each familly member. That includes your pets, so reserve a spot for a leash and water bowl.
Must-have mudroom accessories
Regardless of the size of your mudroom, you’ll need a place to hang coats, jackets and bags. If you want an open area, hang coat hooks or pegs on the wall. If you like a more polished, self-contained look, use a freestanding coat tree or hall tree coat rack.
If you choose a hall tree with an attached bench, you can use the area to put on or remove your shoes. Store shoes and boots inside the foyer bench or entryway furniture to keep the area neat.
If you choose a bench with an open space beneath it, store the shoes there on a shoe tray or in baskets so you won't track water and dirt into the house.
Finally, if you have the space, give each family member their own coat hook, basket or cubby. Apply name labels to get them in the habit of putting their things in a designated space. Remember, it’ll be easier for kids to put away their belongings if you place their coat hook and storage cubby within their reach.
Do you have other ideas for creating a mudroom? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
