13 Genius Mudroom Ideas to Stop Dirt at the Door

Caroline Gilbert
Written by Caroline Gilbert
Updated March 30, 2022
mudroom with rug and dog
Samantha Hochman / transFORM

Entryway storage and organization has never looked so good

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After a long day, it’s easy to get in the habit of dropping everything at the door. Before you know it, your family has created a messy hodge-podge of jackets, dirty shoes, keys, phone chargers, and backpacks. 

A chaotic space like this often brings an unwanted stressful energy to your family’s day-to-day life. The solution? A mudroom so trendy, everyone will get excited about organizing their things at the end of the day.  

With these creative and functional mudroom ideas, you can incorporate some style to your home and ease the chaos. 

1. Built-In Cabinets

A laundry room with herringbone tile and built-in cabinets
Jason - stock.adobe.com

Built-in cabinets in a mudroom are great for hiding smaller items that can make a room look cluttered if not purposefully stored away. 

If you plan on adding built-in cabinets to your mudroom design, consider making them tall and wide enough to store household items such as vacuum cleaners, brooms, mops, and laundry baskets.

2. Custom Shelving

A bright entryway mudroom with a built-in bench and storage
Douglas Shepard - Unsplash.com

Maximize storage and decor space with a custom shelving unit or floating shelves. Use them to store cleaning supplies, or to display photos and nick-knacks. 

Hire a professional carpenter near you to design and build custom built-in shelving perfect for your space.

3. Closets

A mudroom with laundry units and a walk-in closet
Michael - stock.adobe.com

You can never have enough storage, especially in a mudroom. Hang your coats, organize your shoes, and store out-of-season clothes in your mudroom closet. 

If your space doesn’t already have a built-in closet, you can build or buy a wardrobe or clothing rack to keep coats and other outerwear organized.

4. Cubbies

A luxury mudroom with a sink, countertops, shelving, and cubbies
Neil - stock.adobe.com

Get your kids excited about organizing their things by installing their own personal cubby in your mudroom. 

Mudroom cubbies can be as simple or elaborate as you’d like. All you really need are hooks for coats and backpacks, a bench to sit on while putting on shoes, and a shelf with storage baskets to store loose items that need a home.

5. Basket Storage

A mudroom with a built-in bench and storage baskets underneath
Ursula Page - stock.adobe.com

Storage baskets are just as functional as they are trendy. Place them in your built-in cubbies, closet shelves, underneath benches, or on countertops to keep small odds and ends organized in one spot.

6. Laundry Units

A bright mudroom with a washer and dryer unit
Iriana Shiyan - stock.adobe.com

Many homeowners merge their laundry and mudroom to save space. If your mudroom will be doubling as a laundry room, consider also adding countertops, cabinets, and a sink (with needed plumming) to the area as well for easy cleaning, folding, and organizing.

7. Handy Counter Space

A mudroom with mint green cabinets and marble countertops
AdrieDee - stock.adobe.com

How much counter space is enough counter space? If you ask most homeowners, the limit does not exist. Additional counter space in your mudroom can come in handy, especially if you’ll also be adding a sink or laundry unit to the room. 

Customize your countertops with the material of your choice, including marble, granite, butcher block, or concrete. Keep in mind that mudrooms have a tendency to get dirty, so opt for something that’s easy to clean.

8. Coat and Backpack Hooks

A white mud room with backpack hooks and a built in bench
Jason - stock.adobe.com

Keeping a tidy home with school-aged kids can be a challenge. Install wall hooks in your mudroom to easily organize coats, backpacks, and purses. Take it one step further and add a wooden bench underneath for a trendy yet functional space to organize your things at the end of a school or workday.

9. Utility Sink

A mudroom with laundry units, counter space, shelving, and a sink
Coralimages - stock.adobe.com

Instead of tracking the outdoors through the house, a mudroom is designed to take the brunt of the elements. So, let’s face it—this room can get pretty dirty. 

Having a sink nearby is a huge help when it comes to washing away stains and dirt after playing or working outside.

10. Tile Backsplash

A mudroom with a washer, dryer, and tile backsplash
Jason - stock.adobe.com

A tile backsplash not only adds style and personality to this space but also has a functional purpose. Install a tile backsplash to protect your walls from dirt and mud that might fling around when taking off shoes or cleaning pets.

Lay the backsplash up half of the wall around the entire room, or keep it isolated to the wall behind your utility sink and countertops.

11. Shiplap Accent Wall

A white mudroom with shiplap accent wall, black hooks, and built-in shelving
Jason - stock.adobe.com

From farmhouse to mid-century, a shiplap accent wall matches well with almost any design style. 

There are four ways you can add a shiplap wall to your mudroom:

  • Around the entire room

  • On one accent wall

  • Behind built-in cabinets

  • Across the ceiling

12. Bench Seating

A simple mudroom with a wooden bench
Samiam2007 - stock.adobe.com

Bench seating is a must when designing your custom mudroom. Take a seat while putting on your shoes and even store things underneath in baskets. 

There are several options for bench seating, so get creative! Build your own custom bench, thrift one from an antique shop, or buy new. 

13. Dog Wash

A Yellow Lab dog sitting in a bathtub
Chalabala - stock.adobe.com

Keep your pup and your family bathtub clean by installing a separate dog wash area in your mudroom. This is a great option for families who have pets who love to play outside and need frequent baths.

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