Mudrooms help ensure dirt from the outside world isn't tracked into homes.
Mudrooms are usually attached to the back entrance of a house, according to the website Keidel, and provide a space for those who enter to strip off dirty clothing. In the era of horse-drawn plows, these spaces were also usually accompanied by a water pump with which to wash. In 2010, the term "mudroom" can refer to a room, area or even hallway where family members usually enter and exit the home. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Evaluate, Sort and Donate
1. Remove everything in the mudroom from its shelves, drawers or current locations. This will create a clean slate with which to work.
2. Sort items based on type. For instance, place adult coats in one pile and children's coats in another, place adult shoes in one pile and children's shoes in another, etc.
3. Evaluate what you actually use. If your children have outgrown certain items, place them in a donation pile. If someone in the family hasn't worn a pair of shoes in two years, donate them. If there are duplicate items and only one will be used, donate the other. Be ruthless, advises Woman's Day, and don't be afraid to purge what you don't use.
4. Limit items in the mudroom to those centered around entering and leaving the home. For instance, sports equipment, laundry supplies and cleaning equipment should be located elsewhere, according to Keidel, unless a closet large enough to accommodate them separately is present. Shoe racks, umbrella stands and mud scrapers should be kept there.
Thoughtfully Place Items
5. Walk into the still bare mudroom from outside. Evaluate what you would like to see. Do you prefer the umbrella stand to the right or left of the door? Would you rather take your coat or shoes off first? According to Keidel, every mudroom should at least have a place to hang coats, take off shoes, and let umbrellas drip, a mirror with lighting, a shelf to drop keys and small items, and a mudscraper.
6. Place furniture in the order you would prefer those entering the home perform their cleanup tasks. For instance, if you prefer wet umbrellas be hung to dry first, place the umbrella stand closest to the door. If you prefer that, next, those entering take off their coats, place the coat rack, stand or wall hooks a step or two beyond the umbrella stand but before the area designated to take off shoes. If children are often in the home, place coat hooks and other items they will need at their level.
7. Evaluate what furniture or shelving you may need to purchase or build. If you do not have a mat in front of the door to pick up dirt, get one. If you do not have a bench seat designed for storage, consider building or purchasing one. (They are useful to store items in and the most logical place to take off shoes.) If you do not have adequate shelving, get it. Consider vertical shelving units, as they are space savers.
8. Replace large items based on where you have placed the furniture. For instance, put umbrellas in the umbrella stand, coats on the coat racks or hooks, shoes next to the seating area, a basket on the shelf (or stand) intended for keys and seasonal items on high shelves.
9. Replace small items in the most accessible places for them. For instance, pen and paper are useful in a drawer stand. Mudscrapers can be placed in a box or metal basket next to the seating area. Towels on a shelf close to the door are helpful for those coming in from a rainstorm. Gloves kept in a drawer designated specifically for them helps keep pairs together.
10. Invite each member of the household into the mudroom so they can evaluate if they have access to what they need. You may have to lower certain shelves or hooks, for instance, in order for children to reach them.
Tags: umbrella stand, Evaluate what, take shoes, from outside, items based, items most, mudroom from