Planning Mudrooms:

5 Considerations for Well-Designed Entryway Storage

A well-designed family entry can make your entire home more comfortable by preventing clutter elsewhere. If you're adding a new family entry or improving an existing one, consider these 5 factors:

1. Climate.
What outerwear gets stripped off as soon as family members walk in? Use coat hooks and baskets to create designated spots for jackets, shoes, umbrellas, gardening gloves, and so on. Choose durable flooring that can stand up to water and mud tracked inside.

2. Carry-Ins.
Create a "landing zone" for backpacks, briefcases, shopping bags, and sports equipment. Don't forget a place for the mail and small easy-to-lose items, such as keys and sunglasses.

3. Carry-Outs.
Streamline your morning rush. Create a place for lunches and school stuff close to where it actually departs.

4. Carry-Arounds.
How often does that screwdriver really find its way back to the basement? A kitchen entry space can be the perfect spot for household items that divide their time among several rooms.

5. Consolidation.
Make features serve more than one function. A foyer bench, for example, can provide seating for removing wet shoes, a place beneath to store them, and a surface upon which to set groceries, school bags, and other items.