Mudroom Makeover!
September brings routine back into the Hadden household, but our “routine” is held together by constant planning, preparation, and organization. Between school forms to keep track of, homework to be completed, backpacks to unpack each day, and sports every week night, our family needed some organizational solutions to keep everyone sane in the midst of our hectic schedules.
We moved into our new home at the end of last school year. I realized pretty quickly that our coat closet by the back door wasn’t going to cut it. The layout didn’t function for a family with young children: heavy doors that would often stick when trying to open, a single bar with hangers for coats, no hooks to hang bags, and our old bench squeezed in so tightly that the baskets for shoes wouldn’t pull all the way out. None of this made it easy for our boys to put their items away and created a literal “drop zone.” I began researching better solutions and came across ideas for creating a mudroom out of a closet. The first option I considered was removing the closet doors and leaving the trim, however, this wouldn’t fix the issues of baskets not pulling all the way out, and would make the upper shelf very difficult to access.
After consulting with Spencer Tait of The Snyder Group, and Jill Bonawitz from Meant to Bee Home, we decided to open the wall all the way up to the ceiling. This would make the space feel bigger and ultimately more functional. My goal was for each child to have a hook, a basket up top for seasonal items like hats/gloves, and a basket under the bench for shoes. I liked the idea of board and batten to create designated spaces without needing lockers. Spencer recommended a wood bench to match some other furniture pieces we have throughout the house. Since this space is next to our powder room, Jill advised me to have it painted a deep navy blue to pull from the wallpaper that we just hung.
The result? A functional space that works for the whole family and is aesthetically pleasing, well at least for now; check back in a couple of weeks to find out if my children are putting their belongings away. Thank you to the Snyder Group for coming through on this remodel, and Meant to Bee Home for their expertise in design and helping me select the finishes.
Bringing Order to Sports Equipment Chaos
We are on either a football or baseball field every day of the week. Football equipment not only takes up a ton of space, but it also smells terrible. We needed a practical solution that would reduce the “15-minutes-before-practice-meltdowns” when my boys can’t find their equipment. We have a covered back porch area off the driveway with a doorway leading into the mudroom. This felt like wasted space; I mean a rocking chair would be nice, but who has time to sit and relax these days?! (spoiler alert: not me). Considering this space is both covered and outdoors, it was the perfect spot to store and air out their gear. I found a metal sports rack online to store equipment and ordered a wire basket for cleats. I organized their equipment seasonally; the off-season gear is stored in the garage, while the current sports equipment is accessible for daily practices.
What do I love about it? First, there are two distinct larger compartments at the bottom and although I have three boys, only the older two are currently playing sports. These compartments fit their bulkier football pads and baseball backpacks. There is also a spot on the side for baseball bats, and hooks for belts & hats. The rack up top is perfect for both their football and baseball helmets. Finally, there’s a shelf for baseball gloves, and a spot to organize smaller items like football gloves, eyeblack and other sports trinkets (I use a wire basket).
This shelving unit could be used almost anywhere: a garage, mudroom, basement, or a front/back covered porch. My boys are 7 and 9 and it’s the perfect size for their equipment. I’m not sure how it would translate to older kids, but it is currently working well for us!
I hope this helps with all your back to school & fall sports organizational needs! Leave me a comment if you have any tips that work well for your family!
Local Businesses:
Moorestown, NJ
856-533-0003
Haddonfield, NJ
215-805-3569