Angie's List: Making The Most Of Your Mudroom
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Mudrooms are quickly becoming an essential addition to a house. They provide organization and storage solutions for busy families.
They can be created in even the smallest spaces and help bring order to the most used entry of your home.
If you're thinking about adding one, Angie's List has some tips for making the most of your mudroom.
When Nadine Melind started house hunting, a mudroom was on her must-have list.
"For various reasons, in terms of the weather and the dog and dirt and mud and bugs and everything else, we wanted to have a separate entryway where we could come in, take off our shoes, have the dogs feet wiped down and drop our book bags and other things in a separate space," Melind said.
A mudroom was missing from the home she fell in love with, so Melind decided to add one.
"I really love that it has a big closet and we've built in some shelves for organizing and a place to put mops, brooms and the dog food and hats and all those kinds of things," Melind said.
Mudrooms are often located just off kitchens or near garages. They offer the perfect place to easily transition in and out of the house.
Professional organizers, like Becky Gaynor, say a mudroom is a great space to store your on-the-go supplies – like coats, bags and shoes. But, don't let it become a chaotic catchall.
"The number one thing is limiting how much is kept in there and then, define boundaries. Really let each family member know what you expect to keep in that area, but pare it down. Really, really pare it down," Gaynor said.
When organizing your mudroom, Gaynor says you should assess your inventory and give each family member a dedicated space, but don't make things too complicated.
"Don't stress yourself out and over-organize. We want these systems easy to maintain and easy to access and use for everybody," Gaynor said.
Angie's List says mudrooms not only increase the value of your home, but they can also extend the life of your flooring in other areas of the house and help you save on heating costs.
"What many people don't realize, when it comes to installing a mudroom, is it can actually make your home more energy efficient. By adding an energy efficient door on the inside on your mudroom, you can actually block that cold air from ever entering your home, saving you dollars on your energy bills," Angie Hicks from Angie's List said.
If you don't have a defined entryway or mudroom, professional organizers tell Angie's List you should consider purchasing a shoe organizer to utilize vertical space and install hooks to hang coats and backpacks near the front door.
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