When is a room not always a room?
A home’s mudroom might involve a separate smaller room near an entrance or be combined into a laundry room. Then again, it may also just be a space in the hall of a home’s entryway.
However it’s being defined or used, all mudrooms have a common purpose – to act as a functional transition space between your home’s inside and the outdoors.
There are lots of useful features a mudroom’s design can incorporate. So what mudroom ideas work best? Let’s look at nine of the most popular features available for mudrooms.
1. Mudroom ideas that keep your floor clean
Tracked-in mud and dirt can wreak havoc on your rugs, carpets, tiles, or hardwood at any time of the year.
Add slush, snow, and salt during the winter and spring into the mix of potential messes your house has to contend with and the benefits of a mudroom become even more obvious.
The “mudroom” name itself declares one of its main purposes – to keep mud and other cleanups-waiting-to-happen contained and isolated.
Some of the following mudroom ideas can save the flooring throughout the rest of your house:
- use area rugs or mats that are stain-resistant and resilient to water
- add a stylish waterproof umbrella holder/stand by the doorway
- ensure boot trays are used during the winter and rainy seasons to contain water
- use easy to clean and durable flooring, such as porcelain or vinyl tile, or Garage Living’s PVC tiles (which are more suited to a dedicated mudroom or mudroom/laundry room)
2. Keep your footwear organized
Along with using boot trays during certain times of the year, additional shoe storage solutions help keep footwear organized in your mudroom.
Shoe racks make it easier to manage footwear storage and save you from wasting time looking for a misplaced boot, running shoe, or heel.
Another of the mudroom ideas you can use to keep your mudroom tidy is by storing footwear in cubby dividers. Just remember to let your shoes and boots properly dry out before storing them there.
You’ll also want to make sure you’re only keeping footwear in your mudroom that’s relevant to the current season. This minimizes clutter and makes it easier to maintain the space.
Removing a closet‘s doors and adding a bench adds multi-purpose, open concept storage to a mudroom.
3. Get creative with your entryway closet space
Does the entryway you’re planning to use for your mudroom have a closet? If so, Organized Interiors can refresh its look and functionality by completely transforming the closet space.
We can accomplish this by removing the closet doors, adding a built-in bench with storage space, and adding hooks, cubbies, and shelving. An open concept closet makes access to your belongings that much easier and convenient.
Mudrooms are typically known to be unflashy, hard-working areas of the home, so this is one of the mudroom ideas you can use to inject a stylish touch to your space.
4. Dual-purpose mudroom ideas for comfort and storage
Even if you don’t have an entryway closet to convert, a dual-purpose bench can be added to your mudroom. In fact, most mudroom owners would say they’re almost essential. There’s a reason benches have been one of most popular mudroom ideas and features for many years!
A mudroom bench provides a convenient sitting area for putting on and taking off your footwear. It also saves your walls from the scuffs and wear that come from using walls as support when putting on shoes and boots.
The bench can also be designed with three types of storage space to help keep your mudroom organized:
- concealed storage that’s accessed by lifting the bench seat
- drawer storage below the bench seat
- open storage within cubbies underneath the bench’s sitting area
5. Storage space for jackets, coats, and more
Along with footwear, jackets and coats will be the other main occupants in your mudroom’s storage space.
You can store them on hooks or a coat rack, depending on what your space allows and your personal preference is. Be mindful of where you’re storing wet items and give them space to dry out.
Even more so than footwear, you’ll make life easier for yourself by only storing coats and jackets in your mudroom that are seasonally relevant.
Winter jackets, in particular, are longer and bulkier. They serve no purpose taking up space in a mudroom during the middle of summer.
6. Add custom cabinetry to give you more storage room
Perhaps you have a room in your home that you’re considering for a mudroom. The only problem is that it may be more space than you require for the specific “comings and goings” and outerwear storage purposes that mudrooms primarily fulfill.
Utilize that room’s extra space by adding high quality custom cabinetry to it. You’ll gain lots of valuable extra storage room for everything from cleaning supplies, to out-of-season clothing, to pet supplies, to anything else you need storage room for.
7. Mudroom ideas that accessorize and stylize
There are so many other smart mudroom ideas you can add to your space to get even more functionality out of it:
- hooks can be added virtually anywhere for hanging hats, coats, purses, backpacks, and more (Organized Interiors has a huge selection of stylish decorative hardware to choose from)
- a small table provides a handy spot to temporarily place items like mail – just be sure to declutter the top of it regularly
- wall-mounted key hooks eliminate tabletop clutter and reduce the likelihood of misplacing keys
- a full-length mirror in a mudroom’s corner or smaller wall-mounted mirror provide a handy method for a final appearance check before exiting your home
- a few baskets and small containers help contain small items like gloves, toques, and earmuffs
- add a stylish touch with photos or artwork
Browse through the hundreds of hooks and other types of decorative hardware available in our showroom.
8. Mudroom ideas that keep your walls in mind
A high traffic area located right at a doorway is going to get dirty, no matter what. By choosing sensible mudroom ideas that anticipate problems (like messy floors), you’ll minimize future headaches.
This includes choosing the right type of paint to use on your mudroom’s walls. Pick a low-maintenance wall paint that wipes down easily without rubbing away the finish. A satin, eggshell, or semi-gloss paint are generally recommended for mudroom walls.
Another option to minimize mudroom wall maintenance is to install wainscotting or beadboard. It’s also very easy to clean and the wood appearance can add a warmer, rustic look to your mudroom.
9. Use mudroom ideas that encourage your kids to stay organized
Choose mudroom ideas that both make it easy for your kids and encourage them to keep this area of your home organized.
Have personalized hooks, cubbies, or other storage spaces for each child to store their jackets, shoes, baseball caps, and other clothing items.
Backpacks and sports equipment like soccer cleats and balls, basketballs, baseball gloves, and skateboards can all have their own homes as well.
Personalized storage spaces will hopefully foster an ownership mentality and good organization habits within your children towards the space their belongings occupy in the mudroom.
Smart mudroom ideas to make your space more than just “drop zone”
A mudroom can be much more than an just an easy “drop zone” spot where items are dumped as soon as someone enters your home.
Smart design choices will transcend your mudroom beyond the “clutter magnet” space that these areas can turn into without the proper care or forethought. And your mudroom’s design can also complement your home’s décor in the process.
Discover how these mudroom ideas can improve your home by booking a free in-home design consultation with us today!