How to Organize a Mudroom
Mudrooms serve as transitional spaces, that often become the catchall areas for a variety of different items. They are the perfect areas to lay down whatever burdens you as you walk through the door into your humble abode. Because a mudroom can contain a variety of things, it is important to keep it neatly organized.
Make your mudroom wonderfully efficient by utilizing these 6 helpful tips:
- Provide an Abundance of Cubbies
- Use Baskets and Bins
- Hang Plenty of Hooks
- Provide a Bench
- Fasten a Hat Rack
- Hang a Mirror
Read on to learn how to make your mudroom look smart and visually appealing!
Provide an Abundance of Cubbies
If there is one element that an organized mudroom needs, it's an appropriate number of cubbies. The sizes of cubbies you choose depend largely on what you intend to use them for, and how much space you have within that area. How many cubbies you need logically also depends upon how many items you need to store, which is often a reflection of how large your family is.
For example, say you have three children. If your intention is to separate each child’s belongings, a locker-style cubby system might be in order for your mudroom. Within each locker, you can hang hooks, provide a shelf or two, a cubby for them to store their shoes, and a bench, all-in-one.
On the other hand, perhaps you have one child or it's just you and your husband. Maybe you're working with a very small area. You can still utilize the wall space that you have and hang cubbies to hold all of your mudroom necessities.
Use Baskets and Bins
Now that you have plenty of open space to store your shoes, bags, jackets, and other items that find their way into your mudroom area, you need a way to neatly store them in cubbies. Decorative baskets and bins are the perfect choices. Be sure to select colors of baskets that complement the décor of your mudroom to really complete the look.
Since proper organization is your main goal, be sure to label each of your baskets and bins so that everyone knows where each item belongs and there is no excuse for things being thrown in the wrong place.
Hang Plenty of Hooks
What is a mudroom without a place to hang coats and jackets? However, hooks have many more uses than those in this area of your home. Your children's backpacks need a home, as do random items such as umbrellas and sports equipment. Better Homes and Gardens suggest that having an abundance of hooks will help your mudroom stay organized, particularly when guests come over.
When it comes to choosing hooks for your mudroom, you can really get creative. Hooks are available in a myriad of different designs such as flowers, leaves, and other creative shapes. You can also choose hooks that are made out of letters, which designate your children’s names so that they know which hook(s) belong to them.
Provide a Bench
Having a comfortable and aesthetically appealing bench in your mudroom is something that you definitely need. It is almost a necessity to have somewhere to sit down and take your shoes on and off. This is particularly true if you expect your guests to remove their shoes when they enter your home.
Plus, starting out your day on a relaxed note is much more appealing than hopping on one foot or bending over, trying to put your shoes on standing up.
Fasten a Hat Rack
Your mudroom needs to have a space for your hats to call home, whether your family has a lot of hats or just a few. Family Handyman.com recommends hanging a vertical hat organizer as a great way to neatly and efficiently keep them contained in one area while using just a minimum amount of wall space.
Hang a Mirror
Before heading out the door, don’t you want to make sure that you look as fabulous as can be? For this reason, hanging a mirror in your mudroom just makes sense. You can utilize the space on the back of the door to hang a full-length mirror if you want to check yourself out from head to toe.
Otherwise, you could always place a mirror horizontally above your bench. It will help spread light throughout the area and make the space appear larger as well.
Final Thoughts
Mudrooms are the perfect areas where residents can shrug off purses and backpacks, and remove their dirty shoes. They often collect items like pet leashes, sports equipment, and even the family mail. If your mudroom ever begins to overflow with clutter, then it's time to clean out the cubbies and relocate anything that doesn’t need to be there. Keep in mind that you can always choose to conceal the contents of your overstuffed cubbies by adding cabinet doors.