Controlling Mudroom Clutter
We all have those spots in our home – the DROP ZONES. The places where everyone unloads everything the minute they walk in the door. Ours is the mudroom which is also our laundry room. Here’s how I’m Controlling Mudroom Clutter that piles up in this room by organizing this room into functional zones –instead of the drop zone!
Sigh.
That picture up there makes me want to run and hide!
I wish I could say that this was a rare occasion that my mudroom looks like this, but unfortunately – it’s the norm!
Bookbags, shoes, laundry baskets and hampers …that block the entrance to the bathroom – Hello! And that’s not even starting on the cabinets above the washer and dryer.
I’ve neglected this area took long and it’s time for an overhaul.
Participation
This is where it all begins. I’m not the only one creating this clutter and the only way it stops is by having my boys put their things away properly.
- Bookbags go in their room.
- Lunchbags are emptied and go in the school lunch zone ready for the next use.
- Extra pairs of shoes are taken to their closets.
- Hampers and laundry baskets are returned to their room.
It’s a start with a bit of success! They took everything upstairs for now! Woohoo!!
Establishing Zones
Let’s get in the zone with zones!
If you read my Kitchen Organization post, then you know how I’ve been able to make my kitchen more functional by assigning work zones. This area shouldn’t be any different! The key to Controlling Mudroom Clutter is to create little homes for everything.
Bench Zone
The mudroom bench should hold only one pair of shoes for each boy. I know if we had a girl – this would be a different issue cuz we girls love our shoes, but luckily my boys have one pair of shoes they wear almost everyday.
In the cooler season, jackets can live on the hooks, but still kept under control.
Storage Zone
These built-in cabinets are such a life saver!
The lower cabinet holds food for the boys school lunches and their lunch boxes. At 10 and 14, they are in charge of making their own lunches. That’s their job – my job is to make sure these areas are stocked.
This also holds our dog treats since this is the Ollie’s Dining Zone.
The shelves above are not only pretty, but functional.
The fabric boxes hold magazines that I want to reference.
The boys aren’t the only ones who drop everything when they enter the door. Trent likes to unload his wallet when he gets home. The small wooden bucket is where Trent can place his wallet while also looking pretty!
Laundry and Supply Zone
This is where I need to come clean.
I tried to organize this area when we made over this room, but with things being dropped and left here, I found myself shoving things in the cabinets above my washer and dryer. Especially when you find out you’re about to have last minute company.
Anybody else to that mad dash to hide your junk giving the false impression that you’ve got it all together?
Or is that just me?
I fixed this area with some old storage boxes I wasn’t using. I placed like items into buckets.
Cleaning supplies live in their cute little caddy. I also have other cleaning supplies under my kitchen sink, so these are my overflow supplies.
I filled the storage boxes with like items for ease of finding what I need as well as simplicity when new items arrive.
So much nicer!
My laundry zone lives over the washing machine, with items I need right in reach.
We added these shelves to the side of the cabinets when we made over our Laundry Room.
Those cute metal tins hold various supplies, like candles, school supplies, label makers, and even a miscellaneous box for those rarely used items. I think I have an extra beater for my vacuum in there!
We installed this cute folding table when we made over the Laundry Room as well. Underneath is where I store TP and paper towels, as well as my bucket for mopping.
I hope this helps you as much as tackling this room helped me! I am such a nicer person when my home is organized – that’s for sure!
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Thank you Ashley! Honored that this inspired you!
Argh – the shoes! And my boys have unusually large feet, so it’s like tripping over skis! LOL
I’m pack rattish in a few areas myself, and that’s one thing I’m trying to work on this year! Thanks for commenting!
Thank you Donna! We made over that mudroom a while ago and it’s still one of my favorite DIYs!
Thank you so much for having the same struggle as me! I know that sounds weird, but what a relief knowing that I’m not the only one tripping over shoes! Thank you for pinning this post – that means so much!
Such a beautiful transformation and I agree that it is a struggle to keep clutter under control. We have a HUGE closet by our garage door and my kids (and husband!) insist on keeping their shoes and coats OUTSIDE the door on the floor. I honestly think I’m going to take down the rod and install a million hooks inside for them to hang coats on. Hopefully that will help and be less hassle than using an actual hanger. Pinned.
I love the look of your mud room. My side entrance leads to the kitchen so my small kitchen table and one countertop seems to get the most clutter. Drives me crazy. Thanks for sharing some great tips.
These are great tips…. If only I wasn’t a pack rat.
I think we have drop zones all over our house, but the worst is the shoes rack by the front door and maybe our home office too. I so need to get those under control. Thank you for sharing the inspiration at The Really Crafty Link Party this week. Pinned.
I love how tidy and organized this space is now! Giving me some major inspo!