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Seasonal Cleaning

Mudroom Ideas For Organization

Your mudroom is a busy place year-round, but it can really start working overtime once the winter hits. There are layers of heavy coats and jackets that need a place to be stowed, along with hats, mittens and boots.

All of these items can quickly pile up, resulting in some major madness. However, with some proper mudroom organization, you can keep your entryway free of chaos.

1. Start at the Door

Even the best mudroom organization won’t keep you from tracking grimy gray snow and wet leaves throughout your house. Doormats can help you nip dirt in the bud. Additionally, keep a small laundry basket or hamper inside your door so that you can shed damp socks and mittens as soon as you come in. That way, you further reduce the chances of tracking dirt across clean carpets and down hallways.

2. Get Hooked

Hooks may be small, but they can have a major impact on your mudroom storage. You can use them to hang purses and book bags, organize coats, sweaters, scarves and hats, and keep keys from getting lost. Maximize your mudroom storage by using kitchen racks on which you can hang hooks and even shelves. This way, you’ll be able to slide hooks from side to side if you need to accommodate a really bulky coat or scarf. In addition, the shelf can be used to hold sunglasses, watches or wallets. (And no one has to know the rack was originally intended for the kitchen.)

3. Make Your Bench Pull Double-Duty

It’s a great idea to have a bench in your mudroom so that there’s a place to sit down and remove snowy boots or shoes. It’s an even better idea to have a bench that offers more than a seat. An entryway storage bench gives you a place to untie those tough knots, as well as cubbies or a chest to stow shoes and snow boot trays in. This way, footwear doesn’t clutter up your mudroom, and any rogue dirt or wet leaves will be contained in one area.

4. Take a Stand…

An umbrella stand that is. Use it to corral some of the items in your entryway. Naturally, you can keep your umbrellas in check, but you can also get creative with your mudroom storage. Consider using a stand or a decorative wastebasket to keep oddly shaped items orderly, like yoga mats or hockey sticks, for example. Take your mudroom ideas to the next level by keeping a small whisk broom and dustpan at the bottom of your umbrella stand for quick cleanups.

5. Embrace the Shelf Life

Shelves can work wonders when it comes to mudroom organization. Shelving units can be installed so that they create lockers or cubbies to hold backpacks, sporting equipment and boots. Add some hooks inside the units, and you can hang scarves and coats in the back. Alternatively, you could invest in a cube-shaped shelving unit in which you can stow shoes and baskets for holding keys, mobile phones and purses. You could even designate a basket with clean, dry socks or slippers for each family member so they have something to change into when they shed their dirty outdoor footwear.

The winter months can take a toll on the cleanliness of your entryway, but they don’t have to. Spend some time perfecting your mudroom storage and organization game now, and you could spare yourself a lot of time cleaning and tidying.