To be honest, I’ve only recently learned about mudrooms a few months ago. It’s quite common in American and Japanese homes, but not so much here in the Philippines. Now what is a mudroom? According to the dictionary, a mudroom is a “small room or entryway where footwear and outerwear can be removed before entering a house.” Locally, we do have something similar, in a way. Asian households usually do not permit using outside shoes in the house so we leave them by the door. But this is usually “informal” in a sense that it’s more often than not just a shoe rack outside the main entryway.

Why are Mudrooms Important?

Why You Need a Mudroom in Your Home | MyBoysen

We’re still smack-dab in the middle of the pandemic and it seems like it’s not going away any time soon.  We have a lot of extra steps now when we get home. We have to remove all outerwear and disinfect before going inside. Having a mudroom makes this added routine a little bit easier since there is a proper space for it. Also, even if there wasn’t a raging virus going around the world right now, mudrooms are still a smart idea so we don’t track germs and dirt from the outside into our clean interiors. Less vacuuming and mopping to do! Yay, us! Having a dedicated space for all our outdoor gear (think: bags, shoes, keys, jackets, etc.) saves us time in the morning as well from frantically looking for these items on a daily basis.

How to Set up A Mudroom

You don’t have to have an actual room to create a mudroom. Just allot a small space near the entrance of your home (or the outside if there’s really no space inside). Here are the things to consider if you want to set up a small mudroom for your home.

1.  Benches

Why You Need a Mudroom in Your Home | MyBoysen

Have you ever tried taking off shoes while standing or just crouching? I think we can all agree that it’s not a pleasant experience. I have the balancing capability of a toddler and the shoe choice of a pro-skater (read: lots of tight straps!). At the end of a long day the last thing I want to do is to take my shoes off while trying not to topple over. Get yourself a low bench that does double duty as storage space.

2.  Storage

Why You Need a Mudroom in Your Home | MyBoysen

Aside from storage beneath the bench, you can also add tall lockers or cabinets to place items such as your everyday bags, umbrellas, disinfectants, keys, and reusable ecobags for when you need to do some grocery shopping. For your favorite jackets, install some hooks on the walls of your mudroom so you can easily just hang them there when you get home. Don’t forget to place hooks at a lower level as well, one that your kids can easily reach.

3.  Flooring Why You Need a Mudroom in Your Home | MyBoysen

Tiles are probably the best flooring option to have in your mudroom. These are mostly water-resistant and easy to clean. As our country experiences quite a lot of rainstorms, your mudroom should be able to handle all the rainwater and mud that you trek in. Have an outdoor rug ready at the entrance of your space so you can brush off excess dirt and mud before you go in. Make clean-up a breeze by placing absorbent mats or small rugs that you can step on to rub off excess water.

4.  Clean Space Why You Need a Mudroom in Your Home | MyBoysen

The mudroom is essentially a gateway. You shed off your dirty clothes and shoes and enter a (hopefully) really nice and clean home. We have to take extra steps to make sure that dirt, germs, mold, and mildew don’t build up. The easiest option of course is to place readily available disinfectant sprays around the area. People entering the home can spritz some on their clothes, shoes, and hands. Next, prevent the growth of mold and mildew by placing dehumidifiers inside cabinets and other storage areas. Finally, as you may have guessed, paint your mudroom walls with an antibacterial paint like Healthy Home.

The Added Defence of Antibacterial Paint

Walls are something that we often overlook whenever we clean a space. But for places like mudrooms, we need to be as clean as possible to prevent the spread of harmful germs and bacteria around the home. Get a hardworking paint like Boysen Healthy Home. It’s a low-odor interior paint that’s formulated with antibacterial properties that can help kill bacteria such as E. Coli and Salmonella. Not only that, the paint also prevents the growth of mold and mildew on surfaces. Now you have one less thing to worry about! Here are just some of the colors that you can get for Healthy Home.

Boysen Healthy Home Standard Colors
Boysen Healthy Home Standard Colors

Now do you understand why mudrooms are important? It doesn’t have to be such a big space either, just move a couple of things around to make some ample space. Keep your home clean and your family safe!

Author

Inah is an avid overplanner with a manic desire to organize everything. She dedicates most of her time and attention to her two chunky dogs, Prince and Peanut. If there's a bit of extra time on hand, she will spring clean her entire house.

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