Since most of us spend our busy lives entering and exiting the house through the garage, it is beneficial to keep the mudroom storage area organized and functional. This high-traffic zone is usually the space between the garage door and the kitchen, consisting of a hall closet and laundry room. But, just because the mudroom storage area is the Grand Central Station of your house, doesn’t mean that it has to look that way by lacking in the aesthetic department. This is a great area to be creative with your organizing skills and decorating skills.

Because there may be muddy shoes, snow-covered boots, and wet dogs trotting through, you will want to invest in all-weather flooring. You also want to place convenient storage options within reach so your family does not need to travel far to undress from their outerwear. Observe how this mudroom storage area is currently used by your family. Then, try to accommodate their habits, in an organized matter.

Keep the 3 Mudroom Storage Areas Organized:

1.Entry Hall Closet – One of the biggest mistakes people make with their entry hall closets is jamming them so tight that there is never enough room for guests’ coats. Try to leave enough room for at least four extra guest coats. If you generally have more than four visitors over at a time, you should increase the amount of space.

Useful closet storage ideas: •Shoe or boot racks placed either inside or right outside of the closet will keep them organized and prevent them from turning into one big bottomless pile. •Plastic drawers are a clever way to store hats, gloves, keys, etc. If you have the room, giving each person their own drawer is a fun way for everyone to keep organized. •Plastic containers stored up on the shelf are an ideal way to keep out-of-season or not frequently used sports equipment out of the way. •Hooks on the inside of the door are great for hanging umbrellas, scarves, hats, or bags.

2.Laundry Room – For many homes, the laundry room has evolved into a multi-purpose room for not only doing laundry, but for ironing, kenneling the pet, storing pet supplies, keeping household cleaning supplies, etc. Spend some time organizing and gain control of your laundry room.

Useful laundry room ideas: •Shelves or cupboards are a wise investment to add above the washing machine and dryer. Being conveniently located near the laundry facilities will ease the chore by holding supplies such as detergent, bleach, dryer sheets, and spot removers. If there happens to be a window or some other item above the machines, find another wall to add the shelves or cupboard. If you have a pet, designate one cupboard for his supplies. Really, the more cupboards you can add, the better. •Wire racks placed in cupboards can maximize your space. •A drying rack that attaches to the wall will save you floor space. •A fold-out ironing board is a great option if you don’t want to bother with a big bulky board. •Dog gate or baby gate is a good item to have if you keep your pet inside the laundry room when you leave. With a gate, you can leave the door open so he can see out and get better air circulation. •A broom holder is nice to mount on the wall and keep brooms and mops off the floor. •A hand-held vacuum that mounts on the wall is an excellent item for those mudroom area messes.

3.Hallway Space Between the Closet and the Laundry Room – This space is very valuable and should not go unutilized.

Useful hallway ideas: •Lockers or cubbies have become a popular item for this area. This, of course, is only a good idea if you have a nice wide entry way. But giving each person their own locker is an easy way for everyone to keep their individual items organized. •Wall hooks on the outside wall is another convenient way to just grab a jacket and go. This is also a great option for hanging extra coats when guests are over. Additionally, this is a well-situated spot for hanging a dog leash. •Wicker baskets or plastic containers are useful items to store sports equipment or pet toys. The kinds with lids work the best (otherwise your pooch will be tempted to empty the containers himself!) •A Bench or chair is a nice addition for taking a seat when tying up the shoe laces.

Who would’ve thought that there could be so many organizing opportunities in this small space? You and your family will really appreciate this new and improved organized mudroom storage area.

Copyright 2005 by Kathleen Elias - Editors are welcome to use this article for content as long as the article and author biography are reprinted in their entirety and an active weblink remains intact.