I love looking at different rooms on Pinterest and in magazines. Do you do that, too? It’s always surprising to me how varied the designs of mudrooms are. There are all kinds and sizes. Some are big and fancy, and some are small but practical. No matter how big and fancy or how small and quaint they are, all good mudrooms have common characteristics that make them work the way they are supposed to. Let’s look at five things every mudroom needs.
Hooks
Some mudrooms have closets, but most have a wall or walls of hooks for hanging hats, coats, jackets, scarves, and umbrellas. We have hooks on three of the walls in our small mudroom, and they sure do get a workout. Jordan’s mudroom has hooks on two levels. One row is high for the adults, and on another wall, they have hooks that the children can reach.
Bench
Every mudroom needs someplace to sit. After all, that’s where we put on and take off our shoes. It also provides a spot to put bags and packages when we are taking off our coats. The bench in our mudroom is freestanding, but plenty of mudrooms have beautiful built-in seating with storage underneath.
Rug
Probably the most important item in a mudroom is a rug or at least something for wiping off dirty shoes. A practical choice is a rag rug that can be tossed in the washing machine or an indoor/outdoor rug that can be hosed down when it gets soiled. Our mudroom rug isn’t practical at all, but we normally wipe off the bottoms of our shoes really well in the garage before we even get to the mudroom.
Baskets
Baskets are just as necessary in a mudroom as hooks, we think. They need to be in a mudroom to hold gloves, keys, papers, and more. They can corral children’s school papers, sports equipment, sunscreen, etc.
Mirror
It’s always nice to get a glimpse of yourself right before you walk out the door. Is your hair looking its best? Is there a piece of spinach in your teeth? Is there an eyelash on your cheek? That’s why we think a mirror is a necessity in the mudroom.
Mudrooms come in all sizes, colors, and shapes, but they all need these five items to do their jobs.
Take care.
