No matter the season, having a landing spot for footwear and coats saves a lot of time cleaning your house. Weather its mud in the spring, grass in the summer time, leaves in the fall or worst of all, snow in the winter, it helps to limit it to the immediate area around your main entry point. The definition of the mudroom has evolved over the years. It generally is a place to remove coats, boots and other outerwear before entering the home, at the very least, but can include storage, a laundry area and a sink. If you’re looking for a good reason to complete this room addition, we’ve got three.
1. Mudrooms Are Great for Organization
If your kids come in and leave their coats, backpacks and sports equipment strewn throughout your home, a mudroom will solve this problem. You can tailor the space to your needs. When you plan a mudroom addition, think about what you need for accessible storage. Do your kids have cleats, bats, balls, sticks and other sports accessories that need a place just inside your home? Include bins or lockers for each child or each sport. Perhaps you’re a family of hikers and need a place to rinse muddy hiking shoes; consider a large sink or dog wash in your mudroom to rinse shoes, pets and people after a fun day outside.
Hooks for every family member allow one or two coats to be kept within easy reach. If backpacks need a home, add a hook for each child at an accessible height. One popular solution is to add a locker-style bench with storage beneath and hooks and storage above. This gives every family member a place for coats, backpacks, shoes and accessories.
2. Keep the Mud Out
When your family becomes accustomed to coming in through the room addition and removing dirty shoes, wet coats and sports accessories, the rest of your home remains cleaner. They track less mud and dirt on your floors and carpet. In addition to eliminating clutter in the main part of the house, a side benefit is eliminating the last minute rushing around to gather things together for an event, its already together in the right place.
If you’re doing a complete home remodeling project and a mudroom is on your list of must-haves, consider a door between the mudroom and the house. This will help keep the cold (or hot) air from rushing into the rest of the house as people come and go. Older homes often have this setup in the main entrance for this very reason. In our colder winter climate, this makes good sense.
3. Bonus Storage Space
Obviously you’re creating a storage space for coats, boots and other seasonal gear, but if your ceiling height allows, you may also want to consider storage above the locker, closet or sink. This bonus storage can be used for holiday decorations, off-season gear and much more. One of the many benefits of a mud room addition is the ability to start from scratch and create a room that serves many purposes.
G.M. Roth Design Remodeling: Your Local Remodeling Source
Whether you’re looking at whole-home remodeling and a mudroom is part of the plan, adding a room addition, G.M. Roth Design Remodeling can help. We’re a trusted home remodeling company serving southern New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts. Call to schedule your no-obligation consultation today at (603) 880-3761.
