6 easy ways to organize your mudroom

If your mudroom is already unorganized, it's easy to throw coats, boots and gloves in haphazardly until you're stuck with a huge pile of a mess. Here are six simple ways to help shape up your mudroom.

This is where you have to be strong. If you can't fix, wear or use it, toss it out.

• Don't hoard items that have lost their purpose. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how many things you can get rid of, freeing up needed space.

Most mudrooms don't have a lot of space, so you'll need to use every bit of it.

• Install a coat rack to hang jackets. You can place racks on the backs of doors if wall space is limited.
• There are also certain types of racks that require no installation – you simply hang them over the top of doors. These over-the-door racks are easily found in many home improvement and decoration centres.

Under-bench storage adds a ton of practical space to a mudroom for both stashing stuff and taking off footwear.

• Place slender (but sturdy) benches in the mudroom so people can easily put on and take off shoes. Use plastic tubs or wire baskets to hold items under the benches. For even more space, ensure the baskets are stackable.
• You can also store your boots under the bench.

Shoes scattered across the mudroom floor are an accident waiting to happen. What's more, always hunting for the matching shoe eats up time you may not have when you're on your way to work.

• Shoe organizers let you put a pair of shoes in each slot. You can find different sizes that can hold up to 15 pairs of shoes or more.
• Some shoe organizers hang on the back of doors, while others are like drawers you can place atop one another.
• Visit your local home improvement centre or go online to see the many options available to you.

Coats and jackets take up the most space in a mudroom, especially in winter. Although coat racks work well for light jackets and sweaters, thicker coats and jackets may require a larger hanging space.

• To help accommodate the bulk of heavier clothes, incorporate built-in storage to hang coats. Again, your local home improvement centre can provide you with affordable options that suit your needs.
• The unit you choose can also be built to hold sports gear that tends to get "forgotten" on the floor (and which presents a tripping hazard) such baseball bats, skateboards, hockey sticks, soccer balls or basketballs.

Although adding a built-in is more work, along with providing practical shelf space, hooks on the wall for draping things and surfaces for seating, it can also be a decorative feature of the mudroom – if "looks" are important to you.

Install hooks in random areas where there isn't enough room for coat racks.

• These hooks can hold ball caps, tennis rackets and swimming goggles. Purses and keys can also dangle from the hooks. What's more, you can drape the dog's leash from a hook so you're not always rummaging around trying to find it.
• You can add colour with painted hooks in green, red or blue.

Before organizing your mudroom, measure the area in which you want to place storage units and benches. Consider the height of a unit as well.

• If a storage unit is too tall and you need a stool to reach certain items, you've defeated the purpose of easy and attainable storage.

Understanding how your family functions and their needs will guide you towards the proper items needed for a tidy, organized mudroom.