A mud room is a section of a house between an entryway and the rest of the house; it is sometimes called the breezeway, and it is a place where shoes, coats, and hats can be stored. The mud room is so called because it is a place in the home where muddy boots or dirty clothing can be stored without affecting the rest of the house. Mud room storage can be accomplished with several types of storage units that will keep garments, shoes, and other items organized, out of the way, and relatively clean.
Start choosing the best mud room storage by measuring the room itself. Remember to measure the walls with the door both open and closed so you can accurately assess whether a particular mud room storage unit will work in the space. Once you have taken accurate measurements, begin to research the different mud room storage options and decide which ones will fit your needs best. If you will be storing several pairs of shoes, for example, you may want to consider an entryway bench with shoe cubbies built into it. This will keep the shoes off the floor, thereby preventing tripping hazards, and it will allow people coming and going to be able to sit down when putting on shoes or taking them off.
For some homes, a simple coat rack will suffice for mud room storage. Many homeowners and their families do not use this space as the mud-capturing space it was originally intended for, so sometimes storing coats is enough to keep the mud room neat and organized. Coat hooks can hold coats, hats, dog leashes, grocery bags, and other items commonly needed on one's way out the door. Wall hooks add organization and a pleasing aesthetic without much investment of time, money, or installation efforts.
Larger families might benefit from cubbies hung from the wall. Such cubbies often feature coat hooks as well as storage shelves for hats, scarves, and other items. If the cubby works in conjunction with a bench seat, additional storage for shoes might be available underneath the bench. This is a more expensive option than other mud room storage methods, but for families with many shoes, coats, hats, gloves, scarves, and so on, this may be a wise investment. It is especially important to measure the space carefully before investing in any type of furniture like this, as it will significantly reduce the amount of available space in the room.