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Small mud room ideas for one of the hardest working spaces in your home. See our makeover and get my best tips for maximizing your mudroom!
Time to share our mudroom makeover! It’s a small space remodel that packs a whole lot of punch.
The difference this little space has made in the organization of our home life is HUGE! It went from a cramped and cluttered drop zone to a beautiful, functional mudroom. A dream come true!
I have come to realize how important the “dumping zone” of the house really is.
Having a designated mudroom saves the rest of your home from so much mess. I 100% recommend using your creativity to make even a small mud room space. It’s sooo worth it!
Small Mudroom Before and After
I think this is our most drastic before and after of our home remodel projects. Mostly because the “before” is so bad.
Are you ready for this?
I am not. It is positively shameful.
But here we go.
When we moved in, this space was simply a closet with bi-fold doors. I knew I wanted it to be a more functional mudroom right off, but until now……..
it was the “throw-everything-you-can’t-find-a-space-for” closet.
And it was bad. It was even driving my husband insane. That is when you know things are bad.
This entryway leads to the garage, and it is the first place you see before you enter the kitchen.
Everything just got dumped wherever there was room.
Things are still getting dumped here. Just in a more organized and pretty manner. That makes all the
difference.
Small Mudroom Ideas
Remove Walls
The first thing we (when I say “we” I mean “him”) did was cut down the closet walls. I didn’t want a mudroom that looked like a closet turned mudroom. Plus I needed the extra room to make it feel more open.
Then he planked the walls, similar to here and here, only vertical and closer together. The planks are varying sizes, such as 4 inch, 5 inch and 6 inch…..I believe. This is the style of planking I want to carry into the kitchen (when we get there).
Then I plastered everything with white paint. Go figure. I used Benjamin Moore Super white, and the door is a slightly muddy gray.
Create Closed Storage for the Clutter
A mudroom most definitely needs storage space, and I decided any way you look at it kids coats and backpacks are never that cute. Rather than adding open cubbies, we found these pale-yellow lockers on Ebay. Now they have a designated space for coats, umbrellas, gloves, scarves, etc.
The kids just love them and it hides all their clutter beautifully. I really lucked out on the color as well. We had to drive 3 hours to pick them up, but at 50 bucks I still thought it was a deal worth snagging. They came from an old preschool.
For more storage I took an old wicker basket hamper from 7 years ago and painted it white.
It’s a great spot to hide all the kids and pet toys, sports equipment, etc.
Creative Mud Room Storage Solutions
My husband built a wrap-around open shelf on top for me, to hide more stuff and to decorate a little.
I used this tutorial here to make the fabric baskets. I liked them because they kind of look like old potato sacks. In them is where I put all the entertaining paper products we need, such as plates, cups, bowls, utensils, etc. Bins would work well too, and you can hide keys, purses, towels – whatever you want!
I found the canning jars, candles and lined wire basket at a thrift store. I topped it with some of my favorite fabrics I just can’t seem to cut up for anything.
I white washed a mirror we’ve had for forever. I have to check myself before I head out the door. Never know if there is going to be a dried cheerio on your bum or chocolate on your teeth. Those things happen when you are a mom.
That is me using my external flash pointed up. This space has no windows so I needed all the help I could get.
My all-time favorite part of the room is the bench. Oh, how I’ve wanted a cute little bench for the longest time. It is so much easier to take shoes off/on when you aren’t balancing on one foot!
Add Functional Accessories to a Small Mudroom
My sweetheart built this darling bench using free table tops he got from a furniture company. He cut them and added the cute little curve on top, according to some sketches and Pinterest images. What a good man.
He also built the wooden peg hanger for me to hang pretty things. I have a tutorial here for the beach bag.
The rug came from Ikea and is great for snagging the grime and dirt off shoes before it goes into the house.
The 7-up crate tray came from my brother-in-law as a Christmas gift. I saw it in his motorbike garage full of dirty tools and told him to never throw it away. He decided if some crazy lady thought it was that cool, he better give it to her. I use it as shoe storage and throw my flip flops in there when I am too lazy to open my locker.
The detail on this bench was found at Home Depot for ten dollars.
I’ve been hanging onto this little chalk board with hooks for 2 house moves now. This is the first time it found a place on a wall – after a makeover of course. My Husband left that message for me before he left for France on a work trip. Yep. He went to France without me. Crazy me wanted to save money for a kitchen remodel instead.
I also found a cute pail and painted it up to hold pretty flowers. I can’t wait to fill it with lavender from our yard.
More Room Makeover Ideas and Inspiration
Though this entire room is a thousand times more attractive, the best thing about it is having a clean and organized space. It is great to not have to pick up shoes and coats all over the floor anymore. We will see how long that lasts.
So, what do you think? Are you in need of more functional mudrooms? Any coat closet you want to rip down yet?
If you love a good room makeover as much as I do, give one of these a try:
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- French Cottage Girls Bedroom Makeover
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- Entry Space Makeover
- Boys Bedroom Ideas that Grow with Them
- Bookshelf Makeover with Before and After Pictures | Facebook Marketplace Furniture Flip
- Painted Hutch Makeover
I am SO impressed with what you’ve done with that space! Not sure I could convince my hubby to help out as much as yours, but I’m so inspired. Love your work!
Thank you Tanya! Sometimes it takes a little bribery to get him motivated 😉
We live on a farm and your entrance is the exact same as ours!!! (The before pics).. I can’t stand ours!! It is the place to drop everything or a last minute throw spot if company is coming! Especially since we adopted 3 two yr olds, 10 yr old, and my 17 yr old ! I need more space especially getting inside w everyone! Lol is there any idea on what to do if no lockers are available ??? Btw… It does get muddy often due to the farm life constantly cleaning, cloroxing, etc ughhhh…….
Sounds like you have a wonderfully busy home! How blessed you are! I can imagine farm life can get pretty messy. If you or your husband know how to work with wood, we thought about building our own locker type cubbies . . . but then I found the metal ones. But if I didn’t even have that option, I would probably go with simple hooks and open hanging things on the wall as well as decorative baskets and boxes for shoes and things. I imagine it could still get unsightly with all the kids and their stuff hanging out in the open, but they are probably more likely to hang it up if it is just an arm length away. For myself, I’ve learned if things are organized out in the open, we are really more likely to keep it tidy. Closets and shove and go spots are my enemies. The key for me is only keep the bare minimum, then clutter doesn’t add up too fast. That was a lot of rambling! Hope it helped and good luck!
This space turned out beautifully and those lockers are amazing! (Found you through Home Talk)
I love what you did to this room! Those lockers are to die for!<br />Jamie @ somuchbetterwithage.com
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Cami, this is wonderful!!! I've been away from blogs and decided tonight to check in and see how you're doing and what do I find? This gorgeous makeover! GREAT job…I love it! 🙂
Found you on Better After . . . in LOVE with your mudroom. It should be on the cover of Better Homes and Garden. Just fabulous!!!!
Saw you on Better After…this is just gorgeous! I completely LOVE everything about this space! Fabulous job!
I have a serious crush on your blog. You and your husband have a dynamic that is like the one I have with my own husband, only you 2 are way more talented! I come up with the ideas, he carries them out (sometimes). I choose the paint, he paints. You 2 take it up many more notches though. Love all of your makeovers!
You are seriously so talented!!! Your makeovers are amazing! I just love your style!
What a great use of the space you had. And so very tastefully done. Just love it.
You are amazing! The space is so great! I love the lockers, that is such a good idea.
You are so creative Cami! I love how cute it turned out. I will be watching for more ideas:)
Great job, I am SO jealous of your 1)mudroom and 2) lockers! I want some lockers as well (for the mudroom that I also want) and those things can cost around $200, so I think you totally got a deal with $50 and a little road trip.
Oh girl! It is perfectly wonderful!!!! From the bench to the lockers to the walls to the decor… I could go on and on. Absolutely gorgeous! Pinning!!!!!!!
I am amazed at your re-modeling stamina. You set your mind on it, and by golly, it gets done! I'm still waiting for the blog post where BHG comes and takes pictures of your house. <br /><br />And look at you! You're so cute with your fancy external flash and all!