The start of a new school year brings a whirlwind of excitement—and often, some chaos and clutter. Backpacks, lunch boxes, bags from all the after-school activities, and jackets for every season can quickly pile up, transforming your entryway into a daily obstacle course. If this scenario sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
The Back-to-School Rush
The daily back-to-school rush can feel overwhelming, but there's a simple solution to keep your home tidy and your mornings running smoothly: the mudroom.
A mudroom is the ultimate designated "drop space," a catch-all for all the gear that comes and goes with a busy family. But a mudroom doesn't have to be a full-fledged room; there's a perfect solution for every home and space. Whether you have an entire room to dedicate or just a small corner, we can help you find a mudroom design that’s customized for your family's unique needs and the layout of your home.
In this blog post we're going to break down three different types of mudroom solutions. There really is an option for any size of home and we have experience helping clients find the perfect mudroom storage solution that meets their unique lifestyle and needs.
1. The Simple Storage Nook: A Compact Catch-All
For homes without a large entryway or a spare room, a simple storage nook is the most space-efficient and effective option. This compact solution can be built into an entryway, a hallway, or even a small corner, making the most of minimal wall space. It’s the perfect, streamlined drop zone for daily essentials, ensuring that clutter never makes it past the front door. We can create a custom nook that includes a simple bench for putting on shoes, a few hooks for backpacks and jackets, and cubbies or drawers for smaller items.
Working with a design-build remodeler like Schloegel Design Remodel allows us to truly customize your drop zone to fit your family’s unique needs. We can go beyond just tailoring the number of hooks, drawers, and shelves, to also incorporate a dedicated command center area to keep busy family life streamlined and organized. This provides the perfect space for daily essentials like calendars, keys, and mail, all while complementing the materials and finishes of your home.
The options are endless. A little extra counter space to set down mail or keys? We can do it! Custom cabinet for sorting mail, invitations, and the address book? We can do it. A wall of cabinet storage for winter coats and accessories? Yep, you guessed it, we can do it.
2. The Traditional Mudroom: A Dedicated Drop Zone
If you have a small room or a dedicated space off the garage or an exterior door, a traditional mudroom offers more comprehensive storage and organization. This option provides a fantastic way to separate the daily mess from the rest of your home. With custom-built cabinetry, lockers or cubbies for each family member, and a larger bench, a traditional mudroom can handle all the backpacks, sports gear, and seasonal clothing with ease. The best part? You can simply close the door on the clutter, keeping your main living areas clean and serene.
Once again, the options are really never ending. We can customize the length of your bench seating area. Do you want drawers or shelves under the bench? Or maybe you'd prefer to leave under the bench open so you can store bins of other shoes.
There are also fun options when it comes to the door separating your mudroom from the rest of your home. Some clients like a traditional door. Others prefer an open framed entryway. A sliding barndoor adds some fun character.
3. The Multi-Functional Mudroom: The Ultimate Command Center
For a truly customized solution, the multi-functional mudroom is the ultimate command center for a busy family. This design combines the classic mudroom with other essential home functions, making it a powerful tool for streamlining your daily routine. We can design a space that serves as a combined mudroom and laundry room, or one that includes an "office" space with a built-in desk space for homework and household tasks.
Larger spaces like these can accommodate built-in desks, laundry hubs, and sometimes even extra pantry storage!
Other options include integrated pet storage and kennels, ensuring every member of the family has a designated spot. This is the perfect option for families who value both style and ultimate practicality. Options like this typically require a little more room. We've done quite a few home additions that involve creating a perfectly designed multi-functional mudroom space.
Our team has found ways to incorporate custom built-in pet kennels as we order and install cabinetry, ensuring that everything looks cohesive and blends seamlessly with the other design elements in the space.
We've also worked with clients who already have an existing crate they prefer to use for their pet, and we can accommodate the shape and size of an existing crate into the cabinet design plans, as seen below!
Counter space for folding laundry? Check! A clothing rod to hang laundry? Check! Plenty of room for laundry baskets? Check!
Your Solution Awaits
Whether you need a compact nook to organize the daily chaos or a comprehensive larger command center for your entire family, a mudroom is a game-changer for a smoother back-to-school season and a more organized year. The perfect mudroom is one that’s custom-designed for your home and lifestyle.
Ready to find the perfect mudroom solution for your Kansas City or Lake of the Ozarks home? We can help you customize any of these options to fit your family's unique needs and the layout of your space. Contact us today to start your project and reclaim your home from the clutter!
For exciting project updates and design inspiration check out our Instagram, @remodelagain.