What is a mud room?
Originating in the US, the mud room is creeping into Australian homes via The Hamptons style we've all come to love so much. Used as a stop-gap between the back door and the interior rooms of a home, it is designed to collect the dirt and snow from outdoors and store all of the belongings householders need to gear up for the outdoors - coats, scarves, umbrellas, boots and gloves - with the odd dog lead thrown in!
Many new homes are now being built with the inclusion of a mud room at the rear. Alternatively laundries are being designed to include a mud room and take the load off the home's front entrance in terms of wear and tear - with storage and finishes designed to be hard-wearing and easily washed down.
If you're renovating or have space in your current layout, adding a mudroom can be as simple as a repurposed wardrobe or bookshelf and can make a world of difference to your home organisation – by fixing hooks to the inside walls at the back and furnishing the cavities with baskets fitted inside to collect shoes and scarves, you'll be clutter-free in no time!
What makes mudrooms work so well is that the items housed here really don’t need to go further into the house – jackets and gumboots, hats and scarves are all needed as you come and go from the house, but not beyond.
If space allows, make a hidey hole for each member of the family and label a basket with their name – this will help everyone keep things tidy and take responsibility for their own belongings. It’s also a great place to pop things left lying around the house - “have you checked the mudroom?” will become your standard answer to “Mum, where’s my ….?”
Style it up with attractive baskets and a set of matching hooks that go with your interior décor – particularly if your mudroom will be situated at the front entrance of your home.
“This isn’t really sexy, but we leave chargers so everyone charges their laptop and phone here. Everything lives here.”
Therese
What you need in your mudroom
- Clock – for coming and going on time
- Hooks – for raincoats, jackets, hats and dog leads
- Storage baskets – for catching discarded shoes
- Doormat – for dirty shoes and boots
- Closed storage – for hiding daily mess
- Bench seat – for a comfy place to put on shoes
- Rug – for cold mornings and evenings
- Power points – for phone chargers
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