Mudroom Renovations that Transform Your Space
Mudrooms can be quite convenient, especially during wet weather when people enter the house to take off their boots. However, it’s likely your original vision for the mudroom, usually located off the garage or front/side door, has stood the test of time. Now, you may see more of a jumbled mess of coats, boots, backpacks and other miscellaneous items that just don’t seem to have a home. Here are some unique ways to transform your mudroom in an effort to add storage and keep it clean.
Roomy Storage Options
Even if you have a shoe rack or bins for shoes, chances are they don’t hold enough. Plus, it can be hard to find matching pairs when things are in a jumble. Instead, add large enough storage cubbies along the wall to fit two pairs of shoes together, and don’t be afraid to hang cabinetry higher up for larger items. Real Simple says door-free cabinets provide the perfect nook for bulky ski boots, while color-coded bins hide and unite by category awkwardly-shaped contents, such as flip-flops, sunscreen, and bug spray that you don’t need all year round. Shelves, while they may seem like an open-concept idea, actually encourage messes, as there’s no structure to them. You can still keep the shelving, but place brightly colored fabric bins with handles that are placed strategically so as to avoid dumping anything and everything in there. Incorporate wide wooden cubbies for each person’s stuff, such as hats and gloves, and label each one.
Colors
While you have more discretion with the mudroom than in other areas of the home and may feel more comfortable incorporating a bright cheery color, it may be best to go with a relaxing tone. Neutrals like beiges, pale grays, and light blues instantly put you at ease as you rush in the house from work, school or play. Just like you would do with a living or bedroom, go neutral on the walls and add splashes of color and patterns through photo collages on the wall and throw pillows on the benches.
Keeping Pathways Clear
Forget messy mats! To solve the shoe debate once and for all, install easy-access cabinets with drop-down doors to make it easy to place shoes in, then hide them so that traveling through the mudroom doesn’t become an obstacle course. This way, you can assign each family member his or her own cabinet and no one will lose another pair again. Hooks can also keep things off the floor and up where they need to be. There are some things that just need a hook for storage, such as jackets and backpacks, to be sure; but you also need a way to hang tiny items that tend to easily get lost, such as ear buds, and swim goggles.
Keeping it All Up
Once you get the mudroom makeover you’ve always wanted, it’s imperative you maintain it and keep it clean. That can be half the battle! Those messes will inevitably crop up again, which is why every member of the family has to be on board with keeping it neat. Display seasonal items down low in easily-accessible bins and cubbies so your kids can easily grab their snow pants and boots in the winter. However, once summer hits, place the winter stuff in bins up high and display all the flip flops and sun hats down below.
Mudroom makeovers can be as simple or complex as you want them, whether you’re looking to blow out a wall and increase the space, or maximize what you have.
If you would like to talk about ideas for remodeling or renovating your home in Fairfax, Mclean, Springfield, Woodbridge, Alexandria, Arlington, and Falls Church VA, reach out to us at Foster Remodeling. Call now for a free consultation!
