Creating a COVID-Friendly Functional Mudroom

Organization for When the Whole Family is Home!

The term “mudroom” doesn’t in and of itself sound very glamorous but make no mistake about it, the mudroom is one of the hardest working rooms in any home, and it can also be one of the most beautiful. Today, I am going to share with you some creative ways to make the most of your mudroom. Even if you don’t have one today, I will show you how to add a fully functioning mudroom to your home just by redesigning space you already have.

Having an organized mudroom/entryway area is vital especially right now during COVID-19. With everyone in your household being home at once, that means all of your footwear and outerwear accumulating like never before. Instead of items being taken from the house and returned at different times, everything is likely all in one place, all at one time. This presents the perfect opportunity to do a full mudroom overhaul with all of your family’s items!

First, let’s talk about small spaces and how to create a functional mudroom:

SMALL SPACES

Many older homes do not have functional, designated mudrooms. In fact, they may not have functional laundry rooms either. So how does one create a mudroom where none exists? Creative spacing is the key.

If you have a hall closet near your garage or rear entrance, you most likely have the potential to create a mudroom. If you have an existing laundry room, you can re-purpose the space and create a mudroom.

• In the closet's original space, add cubbies with metal baskets to provide extra storage space.
• On adjacent walls, add a hanging key/mail organizer that will function as a drop zone for wallets, keys, sunglasses and other small items.
• On the wall across from the cubbies, add a built-in or free-standing entryway bench with additional mudroom storage below that can be used for winter hats, gloves, and scarves.
• Then, for additional coat and bag storage, add two or three shelves with hooks for book bags and purses. The top can also be used for sweaters and light jackets.

Another great use of space to create additional storage are corners. Corners are seldom considered useful areas but for mudrooms, they work perfectly. If you have an unused corner in the same area, try using a tiered corner shelf. These corner shelves are great for keys, umbrellas, lunch boxes, etc. They don’t take up much room and they can increase your functional storage space tremendously.

EXISTING MUDROOM SPACES

When it comes to creating spaces, I consider myself a minimalist. I subscribe to the theory that less is more. When visualizing working spaces, it is important to see yourself in the environment so that you can determine its use.

Ask yourself:

• What do you do there?
• What do you need there?
• What is not used and should be removed from the space?

If you have an existing mudroom that just isn’t functioning the way you like for your family, or maybe you just want a new look, consider the options below.

Like small spaces, every fully functional mudroom needs cubbies. If you have more space available, or if you have a bigger family, adding more cubbies will significantly decrease clutter. Again, sometimes less is more, so if you don’t have a gaggle of kids in toe, then keep to only a few cubbies at your back entrance.

Mudrooms should act as drop zones for all necessary items that come and go with you throughout the day. Also, many people prefer their laundry room to be included within the mudroom, which is a great idea if you have the space.

Something else to consider, is to create a pet spa for your furry friends. Designing a specific area to clean your pets is a fantastic bonus! Now that our kids are out of the house, our mudroom needs have changed. Our pets have currently been elevated to most important “people” in our home. To help alleviate a sprained back, we built a smaller version of this pet spa. It is a great addition to our home, increasing functional space that our little Maltipoo loves!

If you are designing mudroom spaces in conjunction with your laundry room, you will need to work around the washer and dryer. Once they are in place, create your mudroom space around them by determining how much space you have available and what walls you can use for the conversion.

Front-load washer and dryers work best for this space because you can cover them with a counter, which increases the functionality of the room.

• Above the washer and dryer add open shelving for easy access to laundry detergents
• Utilize plenty of baskets to corral laundry supplies and mudroom storage.
• Install a utility sink to keep messes at bay.
• Lastly, make sure you put in flooring that is not only attractive but can withstand wet environments.

If you or those in your household are essential and needing to go out frequently, fighting the good fight, having a hand sanitizing station in your mudroom area is a great idea. A quick, convenience reminder to sanitize before you leave the house and as soon as you get home before you get to any other areas of your house. Use a bathroom storage tray or divided bamboo bin to place your hand sanitizer on in a stylish display that guests can also use when you’re ready to enjoy some socially distanced entertaining!

With all members of your household being present in the home, now is as good of a time as ever to get your mudroom area in check. That way, when you’re ready to venture out into the world again, all of your items will be organized and easy to find, creating one less headache. Less headaches are something we can all use in these uncertain times!

For more inspiration during COVID-19, check out our full blog series.

Shaylee Dillen is a SEO Content Writer at mDesign
and considers herself a caffeine and cosmetics fanatic!

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