You walk in the door, drop your keys on a table, fling your coat over a chair, kick off your shoes, and immediately tackle your next task. Meanwhile, the kids drop their backpacks by the door and toss their coats, hats, gloves, etc. in a spot that will be hard to locate in the morning. The next question? What’s for dinner?
Stop.
Let’s rewind a bit and figure out ways to make the process of leaving the home and entering the home more efficient and simplified. Instead of frantically running around in the morning trying to get your kids and yourself ready to leave the house, let’s talk about ways to streamline the process. Instead of tossing items here and there when you get home, let’s figure out ways to organize the process. That way, your mornings are more organized, you and your kids will easily be able to locate items, and your home will look cleaner as a result.
10 Simple Tips for Mudroom Organization
Where should we start? In your mudroom (or entryway if you don’t have a mudroom). Here are 10 simple tips for mudroom organization.
1.) Build Cubbies or Lockers
If you have the space, build cubbies or lockers for each member of the family. That way, coats, shoes, backpacks, lunch packs, etc. will go into each cubby or locker for every member of the family. Be sure to hold each member of the family responsible for placing items in his or her own cubby at the end of the day.
2.) Create a Command Center
In our mudroom room, we have a command center that includes a dry erase board filled with notes, bill payments, to do lists, and reminders. We also have a cork board that has photos and additional reminders. A mirror with key hooks attached can also be found on the command center’s wall. Additionally, we have a monthly calendar, menu plan, and notepad (for additional notes and checklists, of course). This command center in our home helps keep us organized and in-the-know about what is and what will be taking place.
3.) Offer Seating
If you have the space, it would be great to offer a seating area in your mudroom so that kids and adults can easily put on their shoes, etc. Unfortunately, we don’t have the space in our mudroom for a bench like the one pictured above. So, we often seat our son on top of the dryer (with supervision, of course) in order to put on his shoes. I’ve been thinking about placing a stool in the mudroom so that he can sit on the stool and put on his own shoes now that he’s getting older and more independent.
4.) Assign Areas
A mudroom has a tendency to be a catchall for many household and personal items. Instead of throwing everything everywhere in the room, assign specific areas of the mudroom to family members and items. As you can see in the photo above, the balls have an assigned basket, the shoes have an assigned area, and the family members have assigned hooks. Follow the assignments to keep items easy to find and family members organized.
5.) Use Baskets
Baskets are a great way to keep items organized, as well as keep belongings hidden. If you assign specific baskets to items, you’ll know where to find them even if they are hidden inside the baskets. In our mudroom, I have baskets for shoes, socks, mittens, etc. These baskets help keep items hidden (making the mudroom look aesthetically pleasing) but the baskets also help keep items organized.
6.) Install Hooks
Purchase decorative hooks at your local home improvement store and install them in your mudroom. You can hang coats, scarves, and bags from the hooks. The good news? There are so many different types of hooks available. You are bound to find an option that matches your home’s decor.
7.) Use Doors
I love keeping items out in the open to make them easy to find. But, there comes a point in time when items can make an area look a bit cluttered, even if items are completely organized. By placing coats and unsightly items behind doors, you can keep the space looking fresh and clean, all while having the items behind the doors remain organized.
8.) Have an Umbrella Holder
When we lived in the city and I had to walk to the metro, take the metro to work, and then walk from the metro to my office, I often found myself scrambling to find an umbrella on rainy days. By having an umbrella stand in the mudroom, you can easily find an umbrella and grab it on the way out the door.
9.) Have a Spot for Shoes
When it comes to shoes, you can use bins, baskets, or even a mat. There are many options when it comes to shoe storage. However, one thing remains the same. Be sure you have a spot where you can easily store and find shoes. In our home, we have baskets in our mudroom closet where we store our everyday shoes. For shoes that we wear not so often, we keep those shoes in our bedroom closet. Whenever we need our everyday shoes, we know where to easily find them.
10.) Design With Kids in Mind
If you want to keep you mudroom fully functional and organized, be sure to keep your kiddos in mind. You don’t want items to be too far out of reach or too difficult to find. Have a few hooks placed at lower heights so that kids can easily hang up coats. Assign kids their own spots in the mudroom to help teach them responsibility. Keep shoe storage solutions in a place where kids can easily grab their shoes in the morning. The easier the mudroom is on the kids, the easier your routine will be.
What are your favorite tips for mudroom organization?
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