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Building a Home

Do you have a mudroom/locker area

8 years ago

We are custom designing our mudroom and I'd love to see what others are doing. Our space is narrow, but long. I really want a system that works effectively not only for shoes and coats but also as a drop zone for kids papers/art, mail and school announcements. (I find that if I can put items "away" as soon I as I walk in the door, my whole house stays much more organized!).

Here are some of the designs I like.

2576 ML · More Info

Minnetonka Kitchen Renovation · More Info

Edina Spring Showcase Home 2015 · More Info

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Comments (6)

arialvetica
8 years ago
Take a look at your current entry, and assess what gets put away properly and what doesn't. We had lockers in our last house, and yet we all kicked our shoes off immediately in front of the locker cubby. I'm not sure if this was a design flaw, or just laziness on our part.

I know that at least one excuse I heard was "I don't want the snow to melt onto the nice wood." In the next build, I'm considering roll-out trays, which I can line with something to avoid that excuse. (water hog mats? wax paper? I don't know yet!)

We also had a Pottery Barn letter sorting contraption, yet it was always a crazy jumble with nothing organized into the proper compartment. And we always had stacks of "outgoing" stuff -- things to take to the library, UPS store, friend's house, etc.

In the next build, I'm considering a simple oversized "inbox" and "outbox" baskets. Baskets make the most sense because they'll be easy to carry out to the car for deliveries, or to the couch for sorting.

I'll be following along here for more ideas!
maven19
Original Author
8 years ago
Good advice! We are currently in a rental (after selling our home to relocate). Our tiny entry space is actually pretty functional in our rental so I know we don't need tons of room to make it work (it's even more functional than our large pantry/laundry mudroom at our old home).

The most important features for me--a trash can to throw out junk mail before it makes it into the house and a large bulletin board to hang up announcement/invitations and event reminders so they are easily seen on a daily basis!
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We built a 6' x 12' mudroom in some excess garage space we had a few years ago and opted to do lockers (which we call 'cubbies')with doors. I was sick of seeing my dining room table heaped with school backpacks, lunchboxes and jackets constantly - which is what started the mudroom idea - but I also figured I wanted the mudroom to look tidy, so we went with doors. Even if the lockers are jam-packed with all of our gear, I can close them off to hide it all and I really like that. Gives me an inner peace not to have to actually SEE the clutter all the time. As for the kids being too lazy to open the doors - that only rarely happens but we also installed "shoe drawers" below each locker and I've noticed my kids almost always step out of their shoes and leave them on the floor in front of their shoe drawer. Drives me nuts. The drawer is right there in front of them! Can't figure it out...but I still recommend doors on lockers/cubbies! It certainly added to the cost, but I think it was worth it...
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5' is not enough for 4 lockers. I would absolutely keep the coat closet. Do you have front loading machines? Will the machines have a folding counter above? I would eliminate all the counterspace next to the sink in favor of a broom closet next to the sink - cabinetry would be fine but a built in closet would work too. I think most people have more than one coat and lockers are really a one coat deal - the one you wear most often. In the 5 foot space you could do hooks and a seat. I like the ones with the sliding hooks and two layers of them. That would easily cover 2 kids, lunchboxes, gym bags, coats, brief cases, etc. I wouldn't lose the coat closet for the lockers. We have both and I think we will use them both extensively.
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Install louvered doors with a design that can accommodate coat hooks. Add four hinges verses two to keep the doors from sagging, and to take any additional weight.
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Boy, some of your mudrooms make me drool with envy! Here's a photo of ours. It had been a mudroom/laundry combination, but was too small to function effectively as both. So I moved the laundry to our unfinished full basement (good for something!) and dedicated the space to a single use. It's no more than 6x8, and connects the garage to the rest of the house. There are only two of us. We have a pair of open cubes to stow briefcases and handbags. Some organizational cubbies for papers, bills, keys. Some open shelving for shoes. A sink. An outlet so we can have a charging station for phones, Blackberries, Kindles, etc. On the opposite wall (not visible), I have beadboard going up about 6 feet, with a row of hooks at the top for coats (there is also a separate coat closet just inside the house) ... we do have a coat problem (i.e. too many, but still never enough...). When I have a big party, I use the room as a butler's pantry or beverage center. (Some of the cabinets hold placemats, napkins, etc.).
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arialvetica
8 years ago
We're also in a tiny rental, and I'm also surprised at how organized our tiny little "entry" is, all things considered! In our apartment, the biggest confusion is the paperwork. There's just so much of it, and it just keeps piling up...it doesn't help that I keep shoving it in a random kitchen cabinet. You should have seen my husband's face when he filed taxes last week and had to deal with The Paperwork Cabinet.

In my previous house, the door in the mudroom was magnetic and the PERFECT place for announcements/invitations/"to-do" reminders. Especially since the fridge wasn't magnetic. :)

I've found that the thing I can never have enough of in a mudroom == HOOKS!!! I hang everything on hooks. Winter gear (mittens, hats, etc.) goes in a beach bag on a hook. Summer gear (sunscreen, bug spray, sun hats) goes in a beach bag on a hook. The kids coats and backpacks go on low hooks. My purse goes on a high hook. Each hook in our closet has LAYERS of coats on it. I shall post a picture of the hook chaos.
maven19
Original Author
8 years ago
Oh yes-the hooks! In our old house we had them on the pantry doors as well as command hooks on the walls (our coat closet was at the front of the house, not convenient for coming and going!) In our new home, we plan to have lockers with hooks, a coat closet and more hooks on the wall next to the door! So many things to hang up!
arialvetica
8 years ago
I know some people love lockers, but I disliked mine and won't do them again. For me, the dividers just made it uncomfortable to sit on the bench. I'm slender, but my body didn't fit between dividers, and if I sat in front of a divider, it was like I was perched on the edge. So if you decide on lockers, make sure they are generously sized!
maven19
Original Author
8 years ago
arialvetica-that makes perfect sense! I had debated going with that style as I thought it might keep us better organized.

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