Small mudroom & entryway solutions for Winter

It’s coming: snow-slush-boots-coats-chaos-in-the-entryway-season. Yep, I said it. I apologize.

But those of us who aren’t lucky enough to have a proper mudroom need to take this time to organize our small entryways so we can skate through Winter like Apolo Ohno. With a little organizational refresh, we can allow our entryways to become the clutter-free mudrooms they yearn to be and avoid any mopping and moping over the long season ahead.

The key elements:

1. A small mat outside the door and a nice natural-fibre one inside that will protect the floor from getting wet and also look nice and define the “entry/mudroom” area. Jute or sisal rugs are very forgiving of dirt and snow.

2. A place to sit and take off and put boots is a must. A bench, stool, chair or a built-in seat all work. Utilize the space under it for large baskets or metal bins to hold boots, shoes, gear and pet stuff.

3. A row of pegs or some hooks on the wall at different heights encourages all family members to hang up coats and bags in their own spot. A lower row for kids makes it easy and doubles your hanging space.

4. A large open basket or crate near the door to stash hats, mitts and scarves so you can easily grab them when needed. Perhaps each member of the family each has their own. I keep mine in a beautiful antique wooden butter bowl.

5. High shelving that takes advantage of space up high for winter gear that comes out on weekends but not every day. If you don’t have a lot of floor space, verticle cubbyhole wall units are great for shoes and boots.

6. A wall-mounted drying rack above a heating vent or wall heating unit to hang wet mittens, hats and even boots.

7. A chest of drawers where you can stash mail, shopping bags, change and electronics. Keep a basket or tray on top to throw keys and extra lip balm into where you can easily grab them on the way out the door.

My mudroom with mat, bench and lots of hooks for coats

I keep my hats and scarves in an antique butter bowl, and bring my herbs into the entryway for the winter.

I have lots of hooks for scarves and hats plus stump stool for extra seating when putting on boots

There you have it. Not too difficult – a weekend project can get you all set for a season’s worth of fewer hassles. Worth it, right? To make it even easier- I’ve created a FREE CHECKLIST you can download and keep handy while you work.