For many households, the mudroom is where everyone leaves their dirty laundry. It collects our drippy umbrellas, muddy boots, and soaked jackets on wet days. But it’s also where we keep things like sports gear and reusable grocery totes. It’s where we put our handbags, backpacks, and briefcases full of important papers.
Each home’s mudroom is unique, and most are truly multi-use spaces, so storage ideas for the mudroom should be as dynamic as those who use it. In this post, we’ll share some excellent mudroom storage ideas and tips on organizing a mudroom that best fits your home’s needs.
1. Consider Cabinetry
Not only do built-in cabinets help hide clutter, but like lockers, they’re also a fantastic way to keep everyone’s things separated in multi-person households. Each person gets their own cabinet, et voila, no one gets to complain that their stuff is mixed up with someone else’s. A beautifully painted set of cabinets can also be a fantastic contribution to your mudroom’s decor.
2. Combine Seating and Storage
One common purpose for the mudroom is to have a suitable place to put on and take off your shoes without falling over. That’s why most mudrooms feature a “boot bench,” usually with plenty of prime storage real estate underneath. Use that space with shelving, storage baskets, cabinets, or drawers to stash your boots and shoes neatly out of the way. If your bench is built into the wall, you may design it with a hinged lid for storage inside, too.
3. Hooks are Always Helpful
A wall hook’s tempting accessibility encourages even the messiest people in your house to hang up their stuff when they get home. Dedicated hooks for things like coats, backpacks, and bags make it much easier to keep everything off the floor (and the boot bench) if you’re in a hurry. When your jacket needs to change with the weather, hanging your unseasonable overwear in a nearby coat closet is easy until it’s in rotation again. You can also use your hooks for other grab-and-go items like umbrellas, hats, dog leashes, and more.
4. Integrate Office Space and Tech Support
More and more homes are putting hidden charging stations in their mudrooms for smartphones, laptops, tablets, and smartwatches for easy access. A dedicated space to hang your keys and organize your mail is handy, too, as is keeping a shelf with a catch-all tray for things like loose change and receipts.
5. Work Wisely with Small Spaces
Making space for hanging coats and removing shoes can be challenging for those living in smaller apartments or homes. (For instance, the average Seattle apartment in our neck of the woods is only around 691 sq. feet. Try fitting a mudroom into that!)
A small bench with room underneath for shoes and a storage basket will work. Hang some wall hooks and place a small table nearby for essentials, and you’ll have a convenient spot to land at the end of the day if your space is limited. With some decor touches like sconce lighting and hanging mirror, it can integrate seamlessly with your home decor.
If you have more space than that to work with, consider an all-in-one storage center with a built-in bench and shelving with a series of hooks for hanging coats and hats.
6. Pick Flexible Storage Bins
It helps to have the option to easily change your storage space with the changing needs of your family. One of the most practical ways to furnish your mudroom with this in mind is to use folding storage boxes. Unlike baskets and standard boxes, folding boxes can be easily stored out of the way or relocated to different areas of the house when not in use.
7. Use Pull Out Trays
An open-air tray/drawer hybrid is excellent for areas with deep, hard-to-reach spaces, like under a deep bench or closet. Many pull-out drawers feature adjustable dividers to accommodate different shoe sizes or organize other items.
8. Don’t Forget Vertical Space
Using unconventionally located square footage is sometimes necessary for small rooms like laundry rooms or mudrooms. Often, you’ll find unused storage space between the top of built-in cabinetry and the ceiling. That’s space that can be cleverly utilized.
If you’re in the planning stages, design shelving and cabinets that stretch to the ceiling if possible. If you’ve inherited an already-built mudroom storage center, find storage solutions that are easy to store on top of those cabinets. First, whether you use clear storage containers or employ a label system, be sure you can quickly tell what’s stored up there. Second, use lightweight storage options that will be easy to take down and put back up. Also, don’t forget to keep a folding step stool tucked away nearby.
9. Choose Easy-to-Clean Materials
Washable wall paint and easy-to-clean shelving space are must-haves in a functional mudroom. If you’d like to pad your seating bench, choose a removable cover made from stain-friendly material that you can easily wipe clean. Parquet or linoleum floors are recommended for the mud room, as are washable indoor/outdoor rugs.
10. Keep it Stylish
Just because it’s designed to hold clutter and muddy shoes doesn’t mean that your mudroom has to be frumpy! When done right, the mudroom can be one of the most stylish areas in the home.
Look for creative ways to paint your cabinetry and choose flooring to complement. Add small artistic touches like wall art to give it personality. Add attractive, practical accessories like a fashionable mirror and lighting that blend with your home’s decor. Remember, the mud room is often the last place we see on the way out and the first place we see when we get home. After a hectic day, coming home to a beautiful space can work wonders for your stress levels!
Show Your Mudroom Some Love
With some attention and great storage accessories, your tidy, organized mudroom can transform into a place of calm and serenity. It may even become your favorite room in the house. Until the kids get home, anyway.
Looking for more ideas on how to live a more organized life at home and on-the-go? Check out the full meori blog , “Organize Life” including specific ideas on how to organize your home room by room.
