First of all, where is your mudroom? If you don’t have space designed as a mudroom, where can you carve out some space to create one? There are as a many mudroom designs as there are families. The goal is to create a mudroom that works for you.
Ideally, your mudroom should be your entryway to your home – the door you use most often. That could be from the garage, back door or front door. What’s important is that it’s the entryway most often used by the family.
Keep in mind – your goal is to have a mudroom that makes it easy for you to come home – and easy to leave again.
Key to a successful mudroom is having the space it takes to store your outerwear efficiently when everyone is home.
1. Mudroom closet or custom mudroom cabinets. If you space can accommodate a mudroom closet or custom mudroom cabinets, great. Mudroom closets or cabinets create opportunities for your family to help keep the mudroom neat. Other mudroom organizers include:
2. Hooks on the wall. Simple, powerful and functional! You can put mudroom hooks across the wall in multiple rows to accommodate lots of coats, parkas and snow pants. If you’ve got drywall, put your mudroom hooks on a horizontal “band board” so it’s anchored to studs to carry the weight. Hooks spaced from 6”- 8” apart work fine. Put some up higher for the adults and some lower for younger members of the family. Allot some space to kids to hang up their backpacks.
3. Mudroom Lockers. If you’ve got the space, use mudroom lockers. No, they don’t have to be the metal lockers of your school days. Mudroom lockers can be wall space divided into “slots” using vertical dividers or you can use tall cabinets. Typically mudroom locker depth is one to two feet. The width can vary. Put hooks on the back and sidewalls of the lockers to make more hanging space. Use the upper spaces for hats, mittens and gloves and lower shelves for shoes and boots. If you like the industrial look, then check resale shops to find old metal lockers that have been rescued from schools or gyms. Some things to think about:
· Does every family member get a mudroom locker? If not, who shares?
· Do you need extra lockers for baskets of hats, mitts or out of season shoes?
· Do you want doors or no doors? Open lockers are easier to use but don’t look as neat.
4. A Bench or Other Seating Area. To be a high octane mudroom you need seating. Benches, especially storage benches, are perfect. Be sure your seating accommodates at minimum one person.
