Life is often chaotic, and you need a zone to contain clutter and mess, especially within the home. A well-designed mudroom has functional features that help you minimize clutter with smart storage solutions. Upgrade your space with these organization essentials for the perfect mudroom.

What Is a Mudroom?

A mudroom is a dedicated space in the home, usually near the rear or front entrance. It’s a place where you remove muddy boots and other outerwear before entering other living spaces like the living room or kitchen.

A major benefit of mudrooms is they help keep your home clean. They give you the space to take off dirty shoes and outerwear before entering the rest of your home. This lets you avoid tracking mud and dirt throughout your living areas. 

The room also helps you stay organized by preventing clutter in other areas of your home. Things like backpacks, coats, boots, and umbrellas tend to scatter across homes. However, the mudroom is a central spot for excess things.

Keep reading for a breakdown of the key elements of a functional mudroom.

Bench or Storage Ottoman

A running theme in mudrooms is convenience. Therefore, multi-purpose furniture is ideal for the room because it serves a purpose without overcrowding the space. A bench or storage ottoman gives people a place to sit while they remove footwear. It’s also a surface to set bags down while taking off coats and other outerwear.

Plus, a storage ottoman lets you store items inside itself. Just be intentional about what you store— otherwise, the furniture piece will become a hot spot for random items. For instance, store light jackets or crewneck sweaters in the ottoman. Don’t put shoes, umbrellas, and other things inside the unit.

Message Board

Even the most detailed notetakers can use physical reminders. Place a message board in the mudroom and use it to jot down reminders like doctor appointments, meetings, and family events. Select a chalkboard or dry-erase surface for the message board. You can also find ones with calendars for added convenience and organization.

Since mudrooms are at the rear or front entrances of homes, they’re the last place you see before heading out. With a message board, you’ll get quick reminders of plans or tasks you need to complete. Also, families with children can have multiple message boards inside the mudroom. Assign each member a board and use it to write down individualized information and tasks.

Laundry Basket

Even if you don’t have a washer and dryer in the mudroom, you need a laundry basket there. Smelly outwear, soaked socks, mud-splattered T-shirts, and dirty jerseys can go straight in the basket without bringing mess or foul smells to the rest of the house.

Along with a laundry basket, use another hamper for outdoor items like sports gear or balls. This way, bulky items won’t enter your living space. Be sure to label each basket to avoid misplacing items.

Wall Hooks

Wall hooks are an organization essential for the perfect mudroom because they keep items off the floor. Even though most homes have coat closets, wall hooks make handy spots for everyone to hang coats, keys, and bags.

The best thing about wall hooks is that they utilize often-forgotten wall space. They’re also neater and more visually appealing than coat racks.

Families with children should mount wall hooks at different lengths to help shorter kids hang their outerwear. Ultimately, wall hooks encourage everyone to hang items instead of throwing them on benches or leaving them on the floor.

Shoe Rack or Boot Tray

Whether it’s for sneakers, boots, flip-flops, or football cleats, you’ll need something to contain the dirt and puddles people track in the house with footwear. Luckily, a shoe rack or boot tray is the perfect solution. With a shoe rack or boot tray, you don’t worry about a trail of mud prints in your living spaces. After all, the goal of a mudroom is to contain mess and protect other areas of your home.

Besides the rack or tray for dirty footwear, consider including a shoe rack for indoor shoes. For example, store slippers on shoe racks and put them on after removing boots. This way, you don’t have to walk through your home barefoot.

Open Baskets

Shoes and outwear have a place in the mudroom, but what about everything else? Gloves, hats, and scarves need a designated spot too. Without enough baskets and bins to store them, they will land on the floor. This will clutter the mudroom and make it likely you’ll trip over apparel.

You need open baskets to hold excess items. Place them on shelves or the floor and add labels to them. Color-code the bins or choose baskets that match the room’s aesthetic. This will help you and your family easily locate things.

Drawer Organizer

Most people have junk drawers where they throw random items inside. However, this isn’t the best way to hold your things. If you have a drawer in the mudroom, you should consider getting a drawer organizer. The plastic insert creates compartments inside the drawer, letting you separate supplies.

Store keys in one area, pens in another, and notepads in yet another. It’s all about organizing your supplies to prevent misplacements. After all, the last thing you want on a busy day is to misplace your car keys. Keep track of things inside the drawers with drawer organizers.

Shelves

Sometimes, the mudroom becomes the home’s dumping ground for random things. If you can’t fight it, embrace it! But make sure you have shelves to contain the clutter. Built-in organization and storage are helpful for everyone. Invest in high-quality shelves for a long-lasting storage solution. Put open bins on shelves for extra organization. Alternatives to traditional shelves are lockers and cubbies. In the end, the goal is to keep things off the ground and in the right spot.

Umbrella Stand

When the rainy season hits, everyone brings out their umbrellas. However, you don’t want splattered rainwater all over your house, so get an umbrella stand. Store wet umbrellas on the stand to keep drips off the floor and walls. When the rainy season is over, you can use the umbrella stand for sports gear storage. Store baseball bats, canes, or even ski poles inside your umbrella stand.

Lighting

Mudrooms are small compared to other rooms in your home. Good lighting makes the room feel bigger and brighter. It also helps you locate things. Illuminate the space with natural or artificial lighting. It’s best to incorporate overhead lights instead of lamps or poles because they brighten the room better.

Create a functional mudroom for your home. At Wood Closet Designs, we offer custom closet designs with our layout tool. Let us make your dreams a reality! If you have any questions, call us today.