Depending on the way your home is laid out — maximizing mudroom storage is vastly different + varies between households. Maybe your mudroom is a full on room that’s designated to coats, shoes, backpack + it’s completely decked out with custom built-ins + cabinetry. If not, go on and dream a little boo. 

Maybe you’ve carved out a small area of a much larger room (like a section of your laundry room) to become your mudroom + so you’re dealing with some space constraints. 

Or perhaps, your “mudroom” is simply a tiny transitional space in the middle of a hallway between your garage + the rest of your home. Whatever the case may be, maximizing mudroom storage, in the most functional ways possible, is important to you.

But I’m guessing you’re here for another reason too. 

Despite what size area in your home you have for a mudroom, your current mudroom looks something like a pile of shoes scattered all over the place + enough jackets or bags hanging on hooks that you could outfit an entire bus full of kids. Am I right? No shame, you’re not alone — in fact, I can paint a very vivid picture of that because from time to time my own mudroom can get a bit crazy.

Lucky for you though, you’ve not only landed on THE place to be for all things home, but there are some basic fundamentals to have in your mudroom (despite its size) that once you’ve learned can help you reign in that messy mudroom clutter + prevent it from getting out of hand.

Let’s dive in. Shall we?

WHY MUDROOMS ARE IMPORTANT TO HAVE

Honestly, a mudroom is kind of like a drop zone for everything that comes in or out of your home. 

Think about it — it’s where you kick off your shoes, hang your bags + drop your keys. But maybe, your family also uses it as a command center for things that need to stay front of mind, be organized + orchestrated in your day to day lives. Layer on top of that the fact that some mudrooms also function as craft or hobby spaces or even a place to do your laundry. 

Yikes, that's a tall order! But fortunately –– it’s not impossible.

In any case, if our goal is to minimize clutter + to ease the overwhelming amount of stuff that makes its way into other areas of your home — it’s clear as day sweetheart, that having a functional space dedicated to corralling is important + should be at the top of your must have list. 

WHAT MAKES A GOOD MUDROOM vs AN INEFFECTIVE ONE

So how do you differentiate a good mudroom from an ineffective one? 

First, let me start by clearing the air because regardless of how big or how small it is, the size of your mudroom is irrelevant in terms of how it functions. A mudroom that is good is set up in a way that simply works, for your family. It maximizes what you + your family need + helps to eliminate the clutter that would otherwise spill into all of the other areas of your home. 

Here are a few basic questions to ask yourself about your mudroom that will help to fully maximize the storage space you have.

1. How is your family currently using the mudroom?

2. How are you NOT using the mudroom –– but could be?

3. What’s currently working with how you’re using the mudroom?

4. What isn’t working?

TIPS TO MAXIMIZE FUNCTIONALITY

As interior designers, we’re extremely focused on ensuring that every area in your home is not only beautiful, but as professional organizers, we’re just as crazy about maximizing functional spaces. The way we see it — they’re like yin and yang which is why you always hear us talking about how much we love to create beautifully organized spaces.

USE CLOSED STORAGE WHEN POSSIBLE

When possible, and when it comes to your mudroom, closed storage is the way to go. The more we conceal behind a cabinet door, under a bench or stowed away in a bin the better. 

It’s true, Fido is a man’s best friend + our kids are our hearts physically beating outside our bodies. But… (yep, there’s a but) despite all the joy they bring into our lives, there’s also a lot of stuff that comes with them — from leashes, harnesses + collars to shoes, jackets + backpacks to name a few.

All things considered +  important as all mudroom storage is we recommend (whenever possible) it be hidden because, boo, the effects of clutter on our lives is overwhelming. 

So, instead of holding onto those anxious feelings –– every time you walk by that ‘certain someone’ who’s testing the strength of your wall hooks by seeing just how many jackets + bags they can hang on it –– you’re pleasantly reminded that the mudroom always looks clutter-free because everything is concealed behind closed storage.

What’s even better about closed mudroom storage like custom cabinetry is you can adjust the shelves, moving them up or down, depending on what you’re stowing away. Which means, as life changes, your mudroom storage will remain functional + it can change with you.

COMPLIMENT THE SPACE WITH OPEN STORAGE

We have yet to hear anyone complain about having too much storage *wink* 

One huge benefit of having a mudroom that incorporates elements of open storage is that you’re not confined to the spatial limits of a cabinet or bench. In the same way that closed cabinetry hides clutter, open storage has the benefit of helping you maintain an organized mudroom. 

Think about it. Since there are things in open cubbies, hanging visibly on wall hooks or floating shelves, you’re less likely to allow it to get too far out of hand before it begins to drive you crazy. Consider ways that you can maximize vertical height as a way to layer in some additional storage with open cubbies or even some shelves hung above a bench seat.

Not to mention, adding open storage not only helps us maximize mudroom storage but it can also be the perfect way to introduce a little personality like frames, decor, or artwork to an otherwise utilitarian space. 

PERSONALIZE ZONES FOR EVERYONE 

It’s no secret that around here, we believe in creating organizing systems that are tailored to anticipate your every whim. To align with your needs + the needs of those in your home. Likewise, if you want to maximize the functionality of your mudroom then you’re going to want to create personalized spaces. 

In other words, try to create spaces for everyone in your home to toss their shoes, their jackets, their keys + their bags. You may even consider carving out a space for Fido’s leash + harness. And if space permits, leaving enough room for overflow –– if guests are staying with you, this is a great way to make them feel comfortable + at home.

Now for those of you who are limited on space, you’re probably rolling your eyes, but don’t.  Stick with me because just about everyone would love an oversized mudroom; however, that’s not the reality for everyone. So, for those of you who are trying to squeeze every last ounce of functionality out of a small space, consider the most important things for everyone to have + make room for at least one of those things in this particular space. Sure, you might have to think creatively + you may even need to reinvent how you currently use the space all together but what you’ll realize when you take a step back, prioritize your needs + organize your mudroom so that it maximizes storage space –– is that maximizing mudroom storage is all about getting personal.

And for what it’s worth, if you fall in the camp with no mudroom but a small patch of blank floor space instead, I’ve got great news. A mudroom can be as simple as a cute bench with a couple of fun wall hooks or a small functional shelf hung above it. 

ESSENTIAL ITEMS FOR HAVING AN ORGANIZED MUDROOM

Realizing the actual size of your mudroom is largely dependent on the amount of space you can dedicate in your home + to what your needs are, we’ve created a list of things that we consider essential in terms of helping you maintain that beautifully organized mudroom:

• SEATING: certainly this could be anything from a fun little bench, as we’ve mentioned earlier, to a cute + simple little stool or chair. Both rank high on the style scorecard!

• WALL HOOKS: whether they’re enclosed in a cabinet, hung in an open cubby or simply mounted on a wall, the name of the game is functionality.

• CUBBIES: consider ways that small cubbies overhead, or below a bench might help to personalize the space for your family.

• SHELVES: like cubbies, maybe floating wall shelves are a great way to introduce personality to the mudroom by displaying a few decorative accessories.

• BASKETS/BINS: are a fantastic way to corral shoes or bags in one spot.

• RUGS: a doormat or runner is an excellent way to help cut down on the dirt that comes in from outside before it makes its way into the rest of your home

Organizing your mudroom + consequently even making design-related decisions to your home takes time, energy + of course money but the reality is it’s an investment in improving the flow of your day-to-day life. Plus, when you finally cross the finish line, not only will you have an amazing sense of pride in your home but you’ll also be overwhelmed (in a good way of course) with confidence because you’ve got created an organized mudroom that’s brimming with livable luxuries + personalized systems that actually work. 

If you’ve given it a while + your like “Sherri, this is all just too much… I need help decluttering, getting organized or designing my home ” –– we’ve got your back :) In fact, you can get started with a FREE Clarity Call (a 30-minute consultation that’s all about you!)

Until next time, happy organizing + #LotsOf(virtual)HiFives!

— Sherri