Interior Fun

Stylish Mudroom Ideas and Tips For Storage and Decorating

Often, the entryway of a beautiful home turns into a cluttered mess of winter coats, snow boots and outdoor gear. Mail is tossed in a pile on the table beside the door and keys are lost because there is simply no place to put them. This results in the first impression that guests get being one that the home is disorganized and cluttered.

stylish mudroom ideas

Instead of leaving guests feeling overwhelmed as soon as they step inside, or spending hours searching for one pair of boots, use these awesome decorating tips to make your mudroom makeover a complete success.

Organize Outdoor Gear

Mudrooms are known for being messy, but that doesn’t mean that the entryway of a gorgeous home is destined to be a disaster. Instead of letting the family throw their things in a pile on the floor, utilize some DIY mudroom organizational tips to keep everything neat and orderly.

Great storage options for outdoor gear include:

Storage bench

Items that are not going to be used until next season, such as outdoor toys or snow boots, can be tucked away neatly inside of a storage bench. Storage benches are available in a variety of sizes, guaranteeing that every homeowner can find one to fit their family’s things in.

Shelves

There is only so much floor space for benches and coat racks, which is why homeowners are encouraged to utilize vertical storage options. This is particularly helpful when they need to organize a mini mudroom with limited space. Pick up some shelves and use them to store things like small boots, hats, gloves and other smaller sized items to keep them out of the way.

Baskets

Take storage options to the next level with baskets. Homeowners can use standard plastic laundry baskets or pick up aesthetically appealing canvas baskets to keep their entryway organized. Instead of tossing items on top of a shelf, label baskets for the family and then sit the basket on top of the shelf. This will make the foyer look organized in addition to making it easier to find items when they are needed.

Coat rack

A coat rack can be used for the family to hang up jackets and coats. These are available in various price ranges, finishes and with a different number of hooks available for coats. Add charm to a farmhouse with a wooden product or enjoy the elegance of a coat rack with a golden finish. Regardless of the current decor, there is a coat rack available to coordinate perfectly with it.

Organize Outdoor Gear
Photo Credit: Instagram @theflowerybranchfarmhouse

Keep Kids Clutter Off the Floor

If there is one thing that children are known for, it’s tossing their bookbag, coat and shoes all in a pile in the entryway. This can easily result in the entire area looking disorganized. The bigger a family is, the more cluttered it will look. Keep things neat through out the school year by utilizing some of these spectacular storage options.

Cubbies

Cubbies are a great way for larger families to keep their children’s things organized. Each child will have their own place to hang their bookbag and coat, eliminating the pile on the floor and making mornings less stressful. Homeowners can purchase cubbies like the ones that are seen in classrooms, or a person can take on the DIY project of making them to guarantee that they fit perfectly inside the entryway.

Lockers

Homeowners that love a vintage look will appreciate the appeal of having lockers in their entryway. These will provide the perfect storage option for everything from coats and bookbags to papers that need to go to school the next morning. Lockers are available for purchase in a variety of colors, sizes and will coordinate perfectly with a vintage themed home.

Pegs

Pegs are an easy DIY solution to reduce kids clutter. These can be used to hang up bookbags, purses, and coats. Not only are these effective, they are affordable and easy to implement. Homeowners can put up pegs on their wall in a few hours on their day off. This is a great way to utilize vertical storage in a small mudroom.

Keep Kids Clutter Off the Floor
Photo Credit: Instagram @maxm50

Manage Mail

Mail is often picked up out of the mailbox and tossed right inside of the door, often in the entryway. This leads to a massive pile of mail that needs sorted through in the mudroom. Instead, declutter with these helpful mail organization tips.

Use a basket

Instead of tossing mail in a pile, designate a basket. This might not help sort the pile of mail, but it won’t fall on the floor or get trampled on by muddy boots either. After designating a basket for mail, pick a specific time to sort through mail to ensure that it all gets addressed.

Shelf specifically for mail

There are shelfs that are designed specifically for mail. These shelves typically have a rack that homeowners can use to put their mail in. Mail organizational shelves are also available with several slots to help homeowners organize incoming mail, outgoing mail and bills that need to be paid. These are the ultimate way to organize that pile of letters.

Put it in a cabinet

This is the ideal solution for households that have a lot of mail. If the mail is in a basket or on a shelf, it will still look like additional clutter if the pile is large enough. Larger families cannot help that they get a large amount of mail, but they can put it away so that it doesn’t make a bad first impression. Instead of putting up a shelf, put up a small cabinet. Then, pick up a basket to put inside the cabinet for the mail. It will be organized and out of the way.

Designate a Place for Keys

For some people, losing their keys has become a part of their morning routine. Instead of wasting hours a year searching for keys, use one of these small and easy tips to keep track of them in the entryway.

Pick up a key hook

Key hooks are the most popular way to keep track of keys. Often, homeowners put a small hook beside the door. They can grab their keys on the way out, and then put them back on the hook when they walk through the door.

Small basket

Homeowners that do not like the look of a key hook or prefer not to put a hole in their wall to hang one up often opt for a basket on a table near the door. This works the same way that a key hook does, but it’s important not to let the basket turn into a catch all spot for other clutter, like mail.

Pick the Perfect Flooring

Picking the proper flooring for an entry way is an essential part in both decorating and maintaining a mudroom. It should coordinate with the theme of the rest of the room while remaining practical. These interior decorating tips will guarantee that every homeowner is happy with the results after they are done with their mini home makeover.

Avoid carpet

Avoiding carpet in a mudroom is not only practical, it is a necessity. This is the area of the home that people will walk on as soon as they enter a house, which means that the carpet will get dirty quickly, and often have stains from mud and dirt. It might look wonderful in the beginning, but most homeowners find that the carpet only looks great after it is first laid. Avoid a future disaster by avoiding carpet in the first place.

Tile floors

Tile floors are the most popular option for entry ways for several reasons. Tile floors are easier to clean than carpet floors. A quick swipe with a mop is all it will take to keep them clean. This flooring option is also easier to maintain than its hardwood counterparts. Instead of staining them repeatedly, etc. homeowners will enjoy having a floor that is virtually maintenance free.

Vinyl flooring

Vinyl flooring is another popular option for an entryway. This option is cost effective, and homeowners will never have to worry about stains in the grout line like they will with ceramic flooring. Instead, they will enjoy a floor that requires no maintenance, and does not stain easily. This type of flooring will not last as long as other varieties, but it is so inexpensive that most homeowners do not mind.

Stone flooring

Stone flooring offers a unique look that is guaranteed to impress guests. Stylish pieces of slate or granite will catch anyone’s eye. This decorating idea is a bit more expensive, but it is well worth it. Stone is more durable than vinyl, and, when properly cared for, will last for years. Homeowners do need to remember that specific types of stone are prone to showing scratches easier than others.

Brick flooring

Brick is a versatile flooring option that will perfectly suit any home decor, from a country themed farmhouse to an elegant mansion with marble accents. Not only does brick look wonderful, it is built to last. This type of flooring can withstand the constant wear and tear that most mudrooms are faced with without crumbling underneath of it.

Pick the Perfect Flooring
Photo Credit: Instagram @whittneyparkinson

Wall Treatments

The entryway is the first thing that visitors will see, so it is important to make sure that wall treatments give them a great impression. It should coordinate with the rest of a beautiful house while maintaining practicality.

Paint

Paint is a popular option for walls, but it can spell disaster in a mud room if homeowners do not take the time to pick the proper paint. If this wall treatment is used, it should be washable to ensure that parents can easily wipe away dirty handprints and dirt smudges from the walls without destroying their new look.

Wallpaper

Stain resistant wallpaper is an exceptional option for many people that are re-decorating. It provides them with a timeless look that is easy to clean. Decorating ideas do not get better than that!

Wall Decor

Even a mudroom will appear drab without some wall decor. Spice up the walls and give everyone an amazing impression by implementing one of these chic decorating tips.

Pick up a painting

Paintings will never go out of style. Homeowners can find affordable landscape paintings online or browse through local thrift stores to find something that will suite their home decorating scheme. After finding the perfect picture, hang it out of reach so that tiny hands will not stain it on their way inside, but guests can still appreciate the artwork.

Mirrors

Mirrors are the most versatile wall decor on the market. Add class with a large mirror in an embellished frame or maintain a modern look with several small circle mirrors. Those on a budget can pick up mirrors that are like stickers to achieve the same look while staying within their budget.

Add polish with professional photographs

Every family has photo albums full of beautiful family portraits, and a mudroom is the perfect place to put them on display. Pick up frames for old pictures or opt for a fresh family portrait to make guests feel welcome as soon as they walk through the door.

Kids artwork

Kids artwork is always the perfect idea for eye catchingly adorable wall decor. Create a collage wall to display cute pictures or tiny handprints that will everyone will love.

Photo Credit: Instagram @pictureperfecthouse

Create a Cozy Space

Mudrooms are usually seen as the catchall place in households, but they do not have to be. Utilize vertical storage options to declutter and add comfortable decor to create the perfect area for a moment of piece.

Cozy bench

Storage benches are a great idea, but they do not have to be hard and uncomfortable. Instead, test out benches by sitting on them before purchasing them to make sure that they are perfect for curling up with a good book.

After selecting the perfect seating, don’t forget to pick up some pillows. Take care to select decorative pillows that will complement the current decorating scheme to make the area visually appealing and comfortable at the same time.

Include reading material

There is nothing more relaxing than curling up with a good book. Utilize storage space to transform the mud room into a part time reading nook with a few favorite books and must have magazines. Then, when life gets hectic, anyone in the house can take a break in the cozy entryway.

Small Mudroom Ideas

It’s a very useful, much-loved, overworked space that keeps the other parts of the home organized and the family operating in a much more efficient capacity.

But what are some key components for the small mudroom?

In order to have an effective mudroom that works efficiently for you and your family, there are key elements that need to be included so that being organized comes easy for those living in the space.

Hooks/Racks

Everyone, including the little ones, need a place to hang the various different pieces of outerwear including, scarves, hats, coats, and even umbrellas. If you don’t have a specific ‘mudroom’, you can begin small by simply adding a row of hooks to an area of your house; multiple rows would maximize the existing space.

Bench

Essential to a mudroom is some type of a bench as the first thing anyone wants to do after they come home from a long day, and prior to entering the rest of the house, is to sit down and remove your shoes. A nice addition would be a boot tray or shoe rack under the bench for easy storage.

Lockers/Cubbies

An optimal mudroom consists of open lockers or a set of cubbies with one assigned to each member of the family so they have their own designated, organize space. There is ideally a lower area for the shoes, hooks for the outerwear, and a higher area for seasonals.

Closet

Occasionally, there is a mudroom complete with a closet in order to house equipment such as sports items, utility storage, cleaning goods, holiday items, and various different miscellaneous things that you want to keep organized.

Laundry

A lot of laundries and mudrooms are being combined. It’s the perfect place to throw the dirty clothes and take care of cleaning up without getting it all over the rest of the house. It’s also nice to have a sink in the room to do clothing that needs to be washed by hand or for other purposes including pet baths, gardening, or craft projects.

Tile

It is a really good idea when you have a mudroom to have a tile floor in the area for all of the dirty shoes and boots that are going to be coming in from the outside. It’s durable, super easy to clean, and makes the most sense. It’s also going to be cold when you come in and take your shoes off, so it’s smart to make sure and have a good source of heating in the mudroom to take the chill off.

Mudrooms might be notorious for being cluttered, but a mudroom makeover can easily transform all the mess into an amazing first impression. Organize the clutter, add a spice of personal touch and enjoy a more organized home from the time that a person walks through the door.

And with that, we officially end this blog post. But before you go, can you do us a solid and spread the love (or laughter) by sharing this on your social media? Who knows, maybe we might even find someone who can relate to our content and benefit from it... Wink