There's a reason each kid gets his or her own cubby or a locker at school: Because otherwise the hallways and classrooms would become an explosion of muddled coats and backpacks. Same goes for mud rooms and entryways in your own home. Here are some fun ways to nudge (read: coerce) family members (and that means grow-ups as well!) to put their coats and bags and scarves where they belong.
Here are some pretty and practical ways to use harness the chaos of your entryway using personalized bins, hooks or cubby spaces. And of course, if you have the time or inclination, a little DIY magic can go a long way in this part of the home.
FIRST ROW
1. Counting Your Blessings has a nice before-and-after of her mud room. Once a mess of cork boards and white boards, the space is now very organized and pretty. Each family member gets a personalized hook, which is framed nicely by wood panelling, which was installed by the blogger.
2. This one, with personalized bins, comes from organizer extraordinaire Martha Stewart.
3. I like these simple personalized hooks, which are a simple DIY from Brown Paper Packages.
4. Here's another super organized entryway, this time using pretty silhouette images in place of photos or name tags. Better Homes and Gardens.
5. Here are some cute DIY wood bins with monogrammed initials from That's My Letter.
SECOND ROW
6. Billy and Fatimah in Northern Virginia chose funny photos of their kids to organize their hooks in the bathroom (an idea that could be used elsewhere in the house, of course).
7. Ann-Marie in Washington DC uses this simple letter system for her entryway built-ins.
(Images: 1. Counting Your Blessings; 2. Martha Stewart; 3. Brown Paper Packages; 4. Better Homes and Gardens; 5.That's My Letter; 6. Billy & Fatimah; 7. Ann-Marie.)
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I have a tiny house, and have found that two rows of hooks serves my purpose and takes up half the lateral space. I used pre-mounted hooks from Target.
Up high, 5 hooks for coats and long scarves.
Directly under it (about doorknob height), the same set of hooks, for purses, umbrellas, etc.
The coats half cover the bottom set of items, semi-successfully cutting down on visual clutter.
Catrin thank you for including my diy monogram bins, since that original post I've done 2 more mudrooms in the same manner - it must be working and folks love, love the monogrammed touch.
We also use hooks and a bench. Works great for now in a room that lacks any other option! Here's what our space looks like:
http://cleansmartsimple.blogspot.com/2011/01/place-to-hang-my-coat.html
I installed hooks low _inside_ my entryway closet. That way the kids can hang their own coats, but they are still out of sight once the closet door is closed. Works wonders.
But what about all the hats/mittens/scarves? That's always a huge issue for us, and we don't have room for bins in our entry way.
We just hung two sheets of pegboard, added trim and painted them to match the walls in our tiny entryway. That, along with individual cubbies on a smaller wall and one good-sized basket on the floor for mittens, hats and scarves seems to be keeping the clutter at bay. There are seven of us, so that's no small feat! I did paint the ENTIRE area the same, dark color - cubbies, trim, doors, walls and all. That made a big difference as well.
The kids take their shoes off outside the door (covered patio) and stash them in a big ol' primitive cupboard with added shelving for maximum storage. I wish I had room for a bench indoors, though.
Pinetree- Hang a basket, bag, etc on a hook on the wall. Like Bangs said, higher hooks for coats can be used to cover the lower hooks so it won't matter what you use to store your gloves and scarfs in as long as it is functional. I do this with my dog's leash, coat and towel used to dry his paws.
We purchased our first home last year and have a wonderful mudroom space. Laid a new dark floor and painted walls a medium grey, installed hooks, found a perfect rug, and put in a great wooden bench. Painted out existing cupboards and shelves.
However, the room is SO COLD! It's completely unuseable in the winter months. If snow gets tracked in, it stays there! No melting. There is no insulation and no sunlight gets in to warm the space even though there are two small windows. Such a shame since there is no space to put boots/coats when you enter the kitchen. Always confusion about what to do when we have company. We decided installing an electric heater is not worth the money, but I would still like to use the room in the winter - other than for a second fridge.
WOW! I know this is a post about separating belongings but is no one noticing the fabulous marble boot/ foot trough in the 4th picture!??!!!! I love that! I live in Norway and life is very rainy, very muddy, and very snowy for a good 9 months of the year. I NEED this to hose down all the dirty animals and people and boots that walk in the door. I have never seen one before, are they normal in the US that no one is commenting on it?
My opinion [when I saw the marble trough/drain] was that it is an extravagance that I can't even imagine having in my home. I barely have an entryway or space for hooks, bins, etc. in my tiny house. Of course, my dream home would have a plumbed area with a drain like that so I can hose down my kids(!) - but in reality? Nope. I'd simply love an area I could designate a mudroom. Or heck, more counter space in the kitchen. Or a second bathroom. Or...
That marble trough is wow, beyond reach! But of course lovely.
I like the first pic because our hallway is the same width as the door, too. Love the trim and pix - I wanna be Marilyn!! Nice look, although it is doing less work than the 'before'.
Pinetree, we decided to hang a shoe organizer to store our hats, mittens,etc and it's worked great!
Waiting for the Manhattanites to say they'd like a shower half as large as that boot trough!
This has been a problem area for me and our small rental house. I hate having to hang things in the closet, its takes way to much time. So I found a mirror with a shelf and a few coat hooks, mounted that on the bit of wall space next to the door. Under that is a shoe rack and along the back of the couch (makes the "hallway" into the house) I have put a storage bench to catch all the gloves and scarves etc. It has improved entry way organization 100%. No more coats on the backs of the chairs, no more lost mittens, plus I can make sure I don't have toothpaste crusties leftover before I head out the door.
One day when I have the space/time/funding I will have fantastic entryway like those pictured above!
We did hanging tote bags on hooks for mittens etc. Now we have a (unheated) mudroom with shelves from Ikea with bins and hooks and it is marvelous. I leave the stroller there and my daughter takes the best naps in the fresh air.
I would love a hosing off station for the kids, but would not trust them with a shower head hanging so low.
Does anyone know where I can get the cream storage bins in the Martha Stewart picture ? I can't find them anywhere!!!