A mudroom serves as the house’s dirt containment center.
It keeps the rest of your dwelling clean, tidy, and, of course, mud-free.
This is where family members or house guests can remove mud-coated footwear, dirty clothes,
and wet raincoats.
Usually located at the back of the house, this room is the diligent supporting actor
who serves the household behind-the-scenes to maintain the spotless reputation of your
home.
Welcome to Jansen’s DIY.
Here are 18 Must-Have Items You Need in Your Mudroom.
#1.
An Outdoor Mat or Rug.
Mats and rugs help wipe the mud off of footwear.
It is useful in keeping dirt from entering the house.
You don’t want all of the dirt to get onto the mudroom floor because that would mean
more scrubbing and more work for you!
The best part is… you can just throw the rug into the washer once it gets too dirty.
#2.
First Aid Kit.
First aid kits are a necessity, but most people keep one in their basement or in an isolated
area where it’s not easily accessible, which could be dangerous in an emergency.
Since the mudroom is often at the entrance to the house, you can keep one in there for
emergencies, especially during wet and cold seasons.
#3.
Lockers Install lockers in your mudroom so family
members and house guests can put personal items inside that might be too dirty or wet
to be put in the house.
This is also useful for locking away objects that are flammable or should be kept away
from children.
Whatever you use it for, a locker adds storage space for anything you want to keep locked
away.
#4.
Beach Supplies.
It is advised that you keep a stash of towels, flip flops, beach toys, and the like in your
mudroom as this saves you time so you don’t have to gather them individually.
When you get back from a beach trip, you can stash them right in the mudroom so you won’t
have sand-filled toys and flip flops or wet towels in the house.
You can just hang the towels there until you’re ready to wash them.
#5.
Extra Bags.
It’s also useful to keep a set of back-up grocery bags in your mudroom.
You can quickly grab them on your way out, and you won’t have any trouble finding them
even if you have a big house and a large family.
At times, life can just be chaotically cluttered.
You don’t need extra grocery bags lying around and adding to the mess.
#6.
Message Board.
Message boards are great for family functions.
You can post schedules, reminders, chores, assignments, instructions, and even just encouraging
words or quotes to make your family members smile.
Regardless of how you want to use it, it’s an excellent item to keep in the mudroom.
#7.
Pet Bed.
Don’t forget the essentials for your pet too!
Since the mudroom serves as an entryway for your family, you might like to set aside a
place for your cat or dog there as well.
A pet bed is the perfect place for your pet to hang out or curl up on while waiting for
you or your family to come home after a long day at work.
#8.
Wall Pockets.
You might think that these wall pockets look pretty basic.
However, wall pockets in your mudroom can be used to remind your family of things they
should carry with them for the day upon heading out of the house.
Label each of the pockets specifically for each family member and even for your pets,
so you won’t forget to reward them with treats.
#9.
Mirror Before going out to start the day, it is customary
for many people to do one last check of their outfit or makeup.
Hence, we recommend installing a full-length mirror in the mudroom.
But regardless of the size you choose, mirrors are useful both when entering and heading
out of the house.
They give you a chance to check your appearance one more time before going out or to see how
you looked while you were out as you come back in.
#10.
Sports Gear.
As the entrance to your dwelling, the mudroom is a convenient place to easily retrieve your
sports equipment whenever the family wants to do some outdoor activities.
It is also practical and hassle-free to be able to simply dump your sports gear at the
entryway once you get back from your event.
Keeping sports equipment in the mudroom makes it handy and accessible both for you and your
kids to accommodate your active lifestyle.
#11.
Shoe-changing Bench.
It’s not convenient to sit on the floor to change your footwear, or to do it while
you’re standing.
Not all shoes allow you to just slip your feet into them, either.
[tying shoes: man tying shoelaces on expensive] It’s especially uncomfortable when your
footwear is caked with mud and you have to find a place on the floor to get them off.
A bench is, without a doubt, a handy item to have in the mudroom.
#12.
Sink.
Having a sink in the mudroom allows family members to wash up for dinner easily or just
to clean themselves up before going inside the house.
Especially with the current situation, it is necessary to have an accessible place to
sanitize easily before entering the house.
Whether you just got back from playing outside or from terrible wet weather, this is a pretty
convenient addition for the family.
#13.
Drying Rack.
It’s not enough to just have a wall hanger for coats or towels and then expect them to
dry overnight without getting the room wet.
Wet objects can drip on the floor of the mudroom and might make the floor slippery and wet.
Luckily, it’s pretty easy to install drying racks where you can place those wet towels,
rain-soaked coats and even umbrellas.
You can isolate these racks in one corner so they don’t get the floor wet.
#14.
Potted Plants.
You might think that you don’t need plants to decorate the mudroom since it is at the
back of the house.
However, potted plants have great benefits for your family.
If you had a horrible day, being greeted by plants can instantly improve your mood and
minimize school or work stress.
Upon going out, seeing these plants can also encourage productivity.
Plus, it helps you get fresh air inside since plants release oxygen.
#15.
Clock.
Whether you’ve just come back from a jog or an errand or you’re about to head out
for an appointment, having a clock in your entryway will help you keep track of time.
Time flies, but putting a clock in the mudroom will ensure you don’t have to spend an extra
second to pull out your phone and check the time – the time is right in front of you!
It’s convenient and very helpful when you’re running late too.
#16.
Laundry Basket.
Mudrooms are often relatively close to laundry rooms.
Sometimes the mudroom and the laundry room even share the same space.
However, if you have separate rooms for each, you might want to place a laundry basket in
the entryway so that your family can easily chuck dirty or wet clothing inside before
going inside the house.
#17.
Umbrella Stand Some people overlook umbrella stands due to
the fact that you can just place your umbrella in the corner of the room after using it.
However, it is a bit disruptive to the flow of traffic and can look really cluttered when
you just leave your umbrella like that.
Umbrella stands catch dripping rainwater and are quite helpful for keeping umbrellas organized
– and after all, organization is one of the purposes of a mudroom.
#18.
Pre-Wrapped Gifts It might sound strange, but can be super convenient
to store pre-wrapped gifts as a backup for future parties or gatherings.
You can wrap a bunch of gifts and keep them in the storage closet in your mudroom.
It saves you time and you can rest assured knowing that you have these gifts well-organized
and ready to go for times when you forget to buy a gift
for someone.