The Mudroom...the most underrated room.

The mudroom.  This room has become the single most crucial room in my house(s) since I've had children.  It's the place where everyone (including myself) puts their junk when they first walk into the house.  It's where shoes go, sometimes it's where laundry is done, like mine, because my washer/dryer is in it, it's where the dog sleeps, and it's where most of the mud and dirt and leaves and grass land first so that the rest of my house is spared. 

In our new house (picture below), I designed our mudroom to be the same room as the laundry room because of convenience.  It's great to throw dirty clothes/socks right into the wash instead of trekking all taht dirty stuff upstairs to the hampers in the closets.  My mudroom is also where my dog sleeps and eats.  The mudroom definitely lives up to its name in my house.  If you don't have a designated mudroom in your house, you can still create an area that serves the same purpose.  A section of wall or hallway that leads from your back door or the door to the garage is a great place to hang a shelf, put up some hooks and maybe even a bench, if there is room.  You can even get a cabinet maker to build you some cubbies and shelves if you want the built in look. 

The mudroom.  The most utilized room in my house.



This is the picture I found of a mudroom that I used for inspiration when designing the mudroom in our new house.  It's much cleaner than reality...




This is my mudroom and laundry room.  I gave my cabinet makers the picture above and they reproduced the bench and coat rack area perfectly!  Mine is a little messier than the one above, but atleast the mess stays here instead of overflowing into the rest of the house--namely the kitchen, which I hate a messy kitchen!




I bought these bins at Target and love them.  Each boy has his own to put things like shin guards, trucks, toys, goggles, you name it, inside them.




Perhaps the best thing about my mudroom, is the pocket door to the kitchen.  I can close it off and not see the mess (and keep my dog in the mudroom).  I hung a mirror between the kitchen door and the door to the garage so that I could give myself the once over before heading out the door...you know, don't want to leave the house with baby spit up on the side of my face!