Mudrooms
Today’s topic is all about Mudrooms. We all need a place to dump our gear as we walk in the door. If you have kids you know the pain of tripping over an overflowing backpack or a shoe that is stepped over in attempts to get to that overflowing backpack! Gosh, it seems I spent an inordinate amount of time bellowing at the kids to hang up their coats and move their shoes INTO the basket.
We had a mudroom in our home in Vancouver, but it was at the back of the house and we came in through the front so it didn’t work out as well as I’d hoped. We had a front closet that held all our in-season coats etc but we kept all out-of-season wear in the back mudroom-still easy access but not in the smaller front entrance where space was tight. This did help keep the front entrance from becoming a dumping ground but, I will admit, I always did kind of envy the home that boasted a well-functioning mudroom in the appropriate place. My home in Victoria doesn’t have a designated mudroom but we do have an organized hall closet that holds the typical drop zone.
A practical mudroom like this offers lots of storage options, such as baskets, hooks and hidden storage. Image: Villa Styling for Donna Guyler
So, if you are lucky enough to have space for a mudroom, how is it best to use the space? Let’s have a look.
First of all function has to be the key piece. It can pretty as a picture but if it doesn’t function well then all is for naught. Start with how many people you have to provide space for. Can each person have their own cubby or locker or even their own basket or drawer if space is tight?
Having designated spaces for children is a fun way to keep the family organised. Source: Craftcuts
You could put infrequently used items in a cupboard up top. Underused items or out-of-season items can be stored in airtight bins in a garage or another storage area. Having room for each member of the household can cut down on a lot of grief as it makes each person responsible for their own gear and it is so much easier to find an item.
Baskets are a great way for each person to have their own space for items and keep the area looking less cluttered.
And now I just have some eye candy for you…
With this mudroom design, each family member has their own hanging space, shoe locker and hidden storage. Source: Tamara Flanagan
And now it’s your turn. Tell me what works for you!