Can you encroach into that garage space at all.?

If the bathroom were flipped so that fixtures were on the left-side wall and door on the right, you would not be able to see them from the kitchen.

If the garage door were to the left, you could add a door or pocket door to the right of it to hide the mudroom/laundry room when you have guests.

Can you move into the storage space at all? You might be able to narrow the indoors utility space, while still have ing usable storage along the garage wall. (A deep, narrow, storage space like that might make it hard to get at the things in the back. What will you be storing there, bikes and mower or just "stuff"?

I think the main issue would be that the laundry is in a walkway. My girlfriend has this and she loathes it. Sorting wash, baskets are always in the way not to mention clean clothes and kids coming in and out with dirty shoes. Not the greatest. If you can move into that storage area and move the laundry out of the walkway I think you'd be better off. Plus if you have front load then the washer doors stay ajar and they could be in the way of the entry door depending.

What about something like this? Not sure about door to hide wash but it has it's own spot this way IF you can borrow from the garage storage.

Entry door flipped

Hi autumn, thanks very much for the recommendations. It does make a lot more sense to do the room the way you have shown but I don't want the extra expense of an additional foundation wall and the finishing of the extra square footage.

Bpathome, I was thinking of doing what you recommended but I wasn't sure if that would be too many doors is such a small area but I think that is really my only option for the space and I will have to make it work. Thanks very much for your help guys!!

Oh and it completely slipped my mind to just mirror the bathroom, great suggestion!

I agree with moving the bathroom fixtures to the left side to improve sight lines.

Do you need the exterior door into the laundry room? It seems redundant since you have another back door through the covered porch and another exterior door to access the garage.

I recommend a "mudroom" area that you have to walk past/through. We have a small room to the side of our entryway and things tend to pile up near the door still. I often think if we could have designed it so we walk past the hooks, etc. to enter the house it would be a tidy-er area. We have a 3 and 6 year old.

Hi benjesbride, it does seem like a lot of doors but I think they all have their own function. I wanted the extra door to the mudroom,

1. for a doggie door so we don't have to ruin our door in the kitchen.
2. My husband hates when I'm outside gardening or with the kids and end up tracking mud through the house. I would be in big trouble if I was tracking mud over hardwood floors rather than tile.
3. We are going to have a hot tub close to that door. It'll be less of walk in the winter to get in and out.

The exterior door for the garage is for getting the lawn mower out, we could get rid of it but it'll make our lives easier than having to bring the lawn mower out the front garage doors.

That was my one concern about having a separate closed off area for the mudroom that our tendency maybe to drop things beside the door on the way in from the garage. How large is your entryway from the garage? If I move the garage door to the left beside the kitchen, the entryway will be pretty small that I don't think there would be much room to drop your coat and shoes there.

Our drop zone area is smallish--approx 5.5' wide x7' deep. We didn't have a lot of options since we were a gut reno and not a new build. If I was building new, I think I'd design in an entry hall with a wall of hooks and cubbies.

So it's basically the same size as my are would be :( I tend to agree with you that it's much easier to come in the door and take off clothes where that have to be hung up. I wonder if I don't put up a wall separating the two rooms and move the garage door so it lines up with the new bathroom door position. Do you think the laundry area would look cleaner if lockers with doors were used rather than open cubbies?

also, I'm not sure if I mentioned but this laundry area is a secondary set. My main laundry area is on the upstairs landing, the area will be a 3x8 closet. I just wasn't sure if I would want a secondary set for kids coming in from the snow, or towels so I was going to put in the provision for laundry and then decide whether I need it when we move in. I never fold my laundry in the laundry room and always take it to the livingroom or bedroom for folding. The only time laundry is left out is for drying but I hope to incorporate that in the closet upstairs.

With the given room size would you still put in a second laundry set or would you leave it strictly a mud room? What are your thoughts on keeping the utility sink??

If it is a second laundry I think I'd skip it - JMO. If you do skip it you could put the adult cubbies in the visible main walkway, the kids on the side to outside with doors if you like and then a spot for your dog for food, etc. I think you'd have room to give ample space to all of you. Or you could take that kid marked area and make it an actual closet for off season coats, snow pants, boots, etc and all share the section labeled adult. Just an idea for you to kick around.

Side note we have hooks and cubbies and they still lay stuff on the bench and shoes are usually not under even though there is plenty of space. If we had doors I think they'd always be open or ajar with stuff sticking out. I really don't mind the hooks.

Under construction - hooks along the back and on the side as well. Hate the paint color on the bench but oh well. Someday I'll change it when I feel like picking up the paint brush again. ;)

Based upon your statement of gardening and kids dirty shoes on tile vs. other flooring I'd not want laundry there-even if it's just kids stuff. It will be a mudroom and the laundry will be right in the thick of it.X

I personally don't understand the concept of combining a laundry room and mud room. The idea of combining a dirty area (I have two boys.) and a clean area freaks me out and I'm far from OCD.

I was picturing on the kid side something like:

And the dog side would actually face the adult side, perpendicular to the kids. So where the cabinet doors show to the right would be the kids cubbies. We have our dog food/water in the mudroom and I love it. It keeps the drips on the tile and she is not in our way and we are not in her way when it's time to eat. Her bed is in there too and she loves 'her spot' when she wants some peace.

Thanks again Autumn for you suggestions. I forgot I needed to find a place for the dog, oops! I like the layout you came up with because the kids mess will be hidden around the corner if the anyone has to use the washroom or the door is left open from the kitchen. I forgot that I should probably put a broom closet in the mudroom too which I guess can go where the adult stuff is. Would you make the adult side all closed cupboards so that it looks neat when guests come through the mudroom to use the washroom? I think I still need either a small shower or sink that I can put wet clothes to dry/ wash dirty kids or boots... I feel like I don't have enough space, grrr!

Thanks for that breakdown on dimensions autumn. Right now I have 2 kids but we still plan on having 1 to 2 more. I was thinking of an outdoor utility sink but it will be unusable in the winter, still not off the table though. I just have to start making some decisions, but I like to think of all the possibilities pros and cons before committing otherwise I'll have regrets and I hate regrets!

Hi Autumn, What do you think of this mudroom? I stole a foot from the storage area so that I can have storage down both sides of the mudroom. I figure I can put the dog bowls under the sink. In the hallway infront of the bath, I was thinking I could put the broom closet and charging station. The layout would give me 10' for cubbies so 5 cubbies total. Do you think I would still need more storage for coats??

I am not a guru but I can give you my opinion.

Melanie on the regrets - while trying to minimalize them they still will happen! Flip side is you will likely also have some grrr that ends up turning out different but BETTER than you imagine.

IMO stealing the foot makes it much more functional so I would do it in a heartbeat but I am not the expert. It also opens it up and will 'feel' better.

I think that's a good spot for a broom closet and charging station and should easily stay tidy. It is about 5' wide yes? That is a nice size space. Measure what you have you want to store in there and then look for pics of what you are thinking.

Utility sink in the garage - really in the winter there isn't much dirt and when it's exposed it's frozen too so I'd think the utility sink would get more use in the spring summer fall when it's thawed so I'd keep it on the table too. My opinion - your money. Ha!

As far as 'enough room' - it sounds like your kids are younger based solely upon still being in the 'add more' season of life. :) I can tell you only to think seasons, think sports, cleats, basketball shoes, church shoes, boots, hiking shoes, tennis shoes, flops, bats, ball caps, backpacks, lunch boxes, water bottles (if you have girls think even MORE shoes and then purses - ack)........ I will say for my 2 the space we have is more than adequate and it's quite roomy (I just double checked and it's actually 6.5' on a side so each person has 3' plus).

That said we also have a closet near that I put off season stuff in and dog food. Winter coats and snow pants and boots are not in the locker area all year. I put them in the closet over spring/summer/fall. As long as you have a spot for that I think you are fine. Off season can closets can always be in the basement as well. There are always sweatshirts hanging and ball caps. Besides that there is always a stray nerf gun, goggles, flash lights and what have you hanging out there. I don't mind it there - it's out of the way and not underfoot! Old house it used to be in their rooms and all over. We had no designated space for outdoor wear anyplace besides bedrooms.

If I am feeling brave I will snap a real life pic of it in action. It is easy to pick up and look presentable when needed but typically M-F it's a dumping spot.

I like an open bench vs doors because we do use it to sit down to put stuff on and take stuff off regularly. And when our parents come and use that entry they love to be able to sit down to put on and remove shoes. It's comfortable and useful.

With your window placement in the bathroom and the exterior door you will find it a nice light filled space. Our exterior door there is 3/4 glass and I love how it lights the hall. It is never a dark space.

This was my mudroom inspiration pic to maximize space and hanging:

Plus what I like about having your locker/cubbies where you show them in your latest mock up they are not in the main walk way. If it gets a little disheveled there you can still walk in with groceries or whatever else and you won't be tripping on shoes!

Thanks for your help guys, it really helps me in making a decision hearing how you utilize your spaces. I see how the sink is useful in the garage and I'm all about saving some coin, I'll have to ponder it some more before making a decision.

Great pic to go off of for a mudroom. I like how there is one continuous bench, it makes a lot more sense. I see that the parents put up name tags so the kids knew where there hangers are.

LOL, I can understand if you can't get a pic of your mudroom. I'm just so happy that I will have a dumping spot at our new house that I can now close the door to ;)

Oh and I'ld rather talk to a mom about this than a guru that may not have any kids!