Umm, so someone decided to tidy up and organize for an hour or two. Is it a slow news day?

One looks like it's mid-week. One looks like Sunday evening after tidying up. Oof.

Tough crowd.

Okay, I'm one of the tough crowds...Agree w/kayonyc

So, eh... what's really changed except someone decided to tidy up for a half hour.

is it April 1?

You guys, be fair. Finding the "project" here does take a little bit of the Highlights magazine "can you spot the differences between these pictures" spirit. But if it was my house and I added (1) a pillow across the whole bench, (2) an umbrella stand, (3) a little board to post notes on, and (4) a bunch of canvas totes, I'd consider it more than a tidy-up.

The bins and cushion is new....but sometimes a good cleaning is all that is necessary for a "make over"

Well, they added containers and a seat cushion...so that's something.

I love that fabric on the bench pad! I think it looks great, sometimes the smallest changes can make a big difference. I know when I have a cluttered corner it eats at me and eats at me until I organize it better and although there aren't massive differences it looks much better. I like that this isn't a renovation or a complete overhaul of the space. Posts like this motivate me to make small changes at my house whereas posts about re-designing a kitchen or creating a nursery don't always have me busting out the nail gun. They are great to read, but I think a balance of small and large projects offer nice variety.

Slow news day indeed.

I find this sort of thing a little frustrating, kind of along the lines of the "office in a closet" makeover recently. Yeah, I like the look of "after" much better, but I question the functionality, whereas "before" looks messy, cluttered, and like the space is actually of some use to the people who live there.

I guess the green bins hold shoes? But people in this house were already stowing shoes in the cubbies. What have the bins added but an extra step? In my house, the result would oftentimes be shoes left on the floor in front of the bins. And all the tote bags have gone away. Perhaps they were stowed in the bins up top? But now they are not handy to grab, and I would probably end up at the grocery store with nothing to put my stuff in.

I think we just need to accept that not every space in a house is going to be super-pretty. We need places to put our ugly-but-used-daily stuff. That said, I love this mudroom space in general. Beautiful color on the walls! The seat cushion and umbrella stand are great additions, and the re-organization of the higher cubbies looks quite practical.

Wow, a lot of critics for a free blog that updates multiple times a day every single day.

well said tumtumcpuff!

sometimes a simple picture like this on a snowy day in chicago gives you a little motivation to go home & organize a messy corner in your house!

I wish i could afford that kind of shelving, or had that kind of space!

while it's not a dramatic change it is indeed a meaningful 'after.' you'd be surprised at how many people out there would never even consider these simple tools of organization.

The people above seriously have NO attention to detail if they don't see that it was more than just tidied up and what the differences are in the pictures. Brother. Why do people bother "following" if all they are going to do is trash the people posting? So tired of "blog bullying".

Well, it is a design blog, so I think it is fair to discuss the design that is showcased. In this post, the end-result design is definitely more beautiful than "before." But good design is also about function, and I question whether this upgrade will function well. When the solution involves purchasing organizational products (green bins here) it is worth pointing out if I think that portion is not worthwhile. How much extra plastic/synthetic fabric do we need in the world if it is not even going to provide the organization we hope to achieve?

I hope I wasn't too crabby, but I also don't see where offering up criticism is "bulllying." It is nice to see posts where simple steps are taken to organize not-quite-right spaces -- can be quite inspirational. Nothing at all wrong with this post, but a few small concerns about the project it showcases.

Angeline--your first post was not bullying at all in my opinion. Your tone was nice, you listed some 'pros' (not just 'cons'), and you made some good points (especially about the shoe bins adding an extra step).

There are two issues with 'improvements', appearance and functionality. Here the appearance was definitely improved, but some posters question whether the functionality did. In any case, even seeing befores and afters that may not be perfect is helpful (and so are the comments). I appreciate the (constructive) naysayers and really really appreciate the bloggers/owners/renters that share their work.

I have to add –– thank god there were no chevrons used THEN the critics would be all over this post.

as someone who has 5 children and has to clean up and tidy their space, I think the thought and effort that went into tidying up this space deserves some recognition! Well done! I think it is much more inviting and organized and a great "after light-bulb moment" example of organization.

So someone is lucky enough to have an official "mudroom" with fabulous built ins and can't keep it tidy or have sense enough to add a few baskets. I have no sympathy nor do I gain inspiration.

Angeline - My comment about "bullying" was not pointed to you at all - not sure why you would think that. I specficfically said it was those people that can't see the differences. You recognized that there were things changed. You had a thoughtful but critical post - nothing wrong with that. It was other people that were mocking it that I didn't think was cool. nufsaid.

I love the storage.

That said, I can't see one thing from the first photo in the second photo. Did I miss something? I thought this was a re-org of what was already there?

lol kayonyc... That is a daily occurrence at my place... I do like the addition of the seating they added though :)

I am bookmarking because needed ideas for similar space, thanks for posting

nycgreenmomma -- once again I wish AT had a "like" button. No chevrons AND no antlers. The world might be about to end.

Calgarymama, thanks for clarifying! I also find it disappointing that some people just gripe, without seeming to have given the ideas put forth in the article any time or energy at all. I keep coming back to AT for the pretty pictures, but also because there is often some good dialog about what works and what doesn't.

I think the green bins for shoes are a great idea for a family. There appear to be labels on the bins--perhaps names. It would be a lot easier for each family member to find their shoes this way, rather than sorting through a big pile of shoes. In the first picture the shoes and boots are neatly arranged, but this isn't very realistic. It would be easier for a small child to identify their own bin and pop their shoes into it than to arrange them carefully on a shelf.

The after sure doesn't seem realistic for a mud room. Even the paper towels in the before have been removed. And it wouldn't be hard for anyone to put their foot up on that after bench and tie a shoe. Pretty but not practical.

The heading is "Before & After : An Organized Mudroom" - which is exactly what it is. Slow news day - no, sometimes just tidying up and adding a few new items can make a space look so much better! Thanks AT!

Meh... Shoved some stuff in some baskets and made a pillow. More organized than my front entrance.. but still pretty Meh.

But look at the set cushion again... BABY CHEVRONS!!! Gasp!

I echo the "tough crowd" comment! There is a lot different here--not just tidied, but the addition of attractive elements which add to functionality and organization--the seat cushion, bins, suitcases, umbrella stand, new rug, message board, etc. It's nice to see a space go from "meh" to lovely with just a few simple but effective changes. The styling in the after is very nice, and still looks very liveable! Great job!

I really like the bright, intense colors of the textile on the cushion and the note board. Containing the clutter in the green bins in nice, the color is great, and having the tall vase to wrangle wet umbrellas is necessary. The new colorful elements make the green on the walls look more fresh and happy.

Most of the change will be regular tidying maintenance. This made over space can quickly devolve into the original, but with more color.

My dream would be to install drawers in the bottom cubbies and doors along the top because keeping is styled with prop-toys and board books wouldn't be realistic for us.