Make A Mud Room An Invaluable Space In Your Home
Posted on: 21 March 2019
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A mudroom can help keep your home cleaner and safer, but few homeowners give much thought to this underutilized idea when planning their designs and renovations. How can you create a mudroom space that will maximize its use while minimizing clutter and space? Here are five key ideas.
Incorporate Storage
A good mudroom will become an entry and exit point for many activities and many people. It should, therefore, have plenty of storage to take on all kinds of tasks. Be sure to include storage for outerwear, boots, shoes, and winter gear. Every member of the family should also have designated storage for their own outside wear as well as shoes and bags. Don't stop there, though. Build in cabinets for additional storage even before you know what you might need. Contact a company that provides home cabinet installation services to learn about the available options.
Add Hanging Options
Along with dedicated storage, such as drawers, cabinets, cubbies, and locker-style cutouts, add temporary storage for gear. Hooks on the wall, doors, and cabinets provide plenty of spots for people to hang coats, gloves, scarves, and hats. If you have kids, place some hooks at a lower level so everyone can reach them.
Add Pet Belongings
Do you have indoor and outdoor pets? Then make the mudroom into "pet central" for their gear as well. This is a great place to store leashes, pet sweaters and coats, toys, and even a kennel for pets who need to be occasionally corralled. If you have the space, consider a pet washing station with a small faucet and sprayer, a drain, and rags for keeping animals clean.
Install Seating
Make sure that people have a place to sit down as they gather themselves before going out or after coming inside. A bench is a convenient way to do this, and you can incorporate storage underneath and above it. You may also want to include separate seating for multiple people, depending on how many people you usually have coming and going.
Include Laundry
A mudroom is an ideal setting for the laundry area. If you don't have a lot of space, combine the two into one area by installing a stackable washer and dryer alongside cubbies for storage and a bench that can double for folding laundry. If you have more space, place the laundry area inside the mud room area so everyone can remove dirty clothes and place them in the laundry before entering the home properly.
With the proper design and built-in decor, your mudroom will become one of the most useful spaces in the home. If you're unsure how to accommodate a mudroom into your home design or renovation plans, work with an experienced remodeling contractor today.