Just because it’s a mudroom does not mean it has to be a disaster! As homeowners, we understand how tricky it can be to keep your mudroom neat and tidy. After all, mess seems to be a part of this space’s DNA.
Got mail? Just throw it on the table. Dirty shoes and boots? They go on the mat. Coats? Toss ‘em in the closet. Keys? …Oh god, where are the keys?
No matter how clean and well-organized your mudroom is at the beginning of the day, things sure do go south quickly. Dogs, kids, husband, wife, teenagers, we’re all to blame. Through no fault of your own, a mudroom can quickly turn into a mess room. It might seem as though your entryway is the Bermuda Triangle.
Keeping it Together: The Mudroom Edition
We know that keeping a neat mudroom can be a major pain. Fortunately, we have a few ways to help make it easier. Check out our list of mudroom organizational storage tips below. We can’t clean up after the dog and kids for you, but at least we can help you keep the clutter from taking over your life! Read on to find out more.
Closet Clear-Out
For smaller mudrooms and foyers, it’s not always practical or even possible to keep a closet full of coats. Maybe you have limited space, and that overstuffed closet is taking up valuable real estate.
Sort your coats by season, and only hang the ones that are appropriate for the current moment. Take your out-of-season coats and store them in flat Tupperware containers under a bed, in the garage, or in the basement, then switch them out as the temperature cools off. To make the most out of your “brand new” closet space, use hanging closet organizers to store shoes, hats, scarves, and mittens in their own individual sleeves. When summer comes around, you can clear the evidence of winter away and bring out the warm-weather must-haves, like caps, sunglasses, sunscreen, and flip-flops.
Across the bottom of the closet, try installing a stacked shoe rack so you can stow away twice the footwear. A low set of shelves with cubbies also does the trick. Be sure to cycle in your seasonally appropriate gear as necessary, and you have yourself a well-organized mudroom closet.
Upcycled Space
Here’s another mudroom closet hack. But this time, instead of reorganizing the closet’s contents, we’re changing the concept of the space altogether. Taking the doors off your mudroom closet helps open up smaller spaces and makes them appear bigger and airier. Instead of a tension rod and hangers, install cubby shelving up top, coat hooks under that, and a bench storage unit below. This effectively disguises anything you want to hide while also providing a place to sit down while you’re getting their boots on or off.
This works best if you have a limited amount of stuff that you keep in your mudroom. It does offer a nice amount of storage both above and below, but be warned – if you’re not careful, the bench-top can easily become a catch-all drop zone. Then you’re back at square one!
Got Mail?
If you’ve gotten into the habit of coming home and tossing your mail on the hall table, we might have a solution for you. Hang a cute little mail organizer just inside the door. It can be made of anything—printed fabric, metal wire, recycled wood slats, or anything else you can think of. Just be sure to take a moment when you get home to separate your bills, letters, and junk mail and toss them in the designated slot. It’s an easy way to stay organized and get ahead of the mail pile. Keep a small recycling bin underneath to toss the junk mail.
You Hold the Key
Ah yes, the elusive ring of keys. If you tend to throw the keys down on the table next to the piles of mail, try investing in a unique landing pad for your keys. This can be an ordinary wall-mounted unit with hooks or even something a little cooler and more modern, like a magnetic board. You can find a two-pack of cloud-shaped key magnets on Amazon for under $15. Cute and practical! You’ll never lose your keys again. Or at least, maybe not as often.
Need some fresh ideas for your mudroom? We’re here to help. For an amazing result and an easy-breezy process, call J.T. McDermott Remodeling today.
