It is absolutely crucial for every family to have a mud room “out the door” area in their home. Having this area in place will solve so many problems and will reduce stress immediately!
No more lost keys or lost shoes! Backpacks and jackets will be right where you need them. Is it cold outside? Each person’s hats and mittens are within reach as you walk out the door.
But I don’t have a mud room in my house, you say?
It doesn’t matter! The goal is to create an "out the door" area close to the door where you leave and enter your home most often.
This area will hold all of the things your family needs on a daily basis when they leave the house-shoes, jackets, backpacks, lunchboxes, purses, activities for the car (hand-held video game players, etc.), wallets, hats.
Are you ready to get started? Let’s go!
There are 5 things you will need to create your mud room "out the door" area...
1. A place to set up your “out the door” station
2. A place for shoes close to the floor
3. Hooks (at least two for each family member)
4. Baskets (one for each family member)
5. Shelves or cubbies (for the baskets)
Remember…these are guidelines and suggestions to help you get organized. This is your home and you should do what works best for your family and your budget.
You can be as creative with this project as you want to be. Make it match your décor if you like. Use a theme. Do whatever works for you and your family.
If your mud room "out the door" station is attractive and easy to use, your family will use it. Remember…we’re teaching them new habits one at a time. Be patient with them and help them with the new routines and habits.
1. A place to set up your “out the door” station
Every home is different. You might actually have a mud room. If so, set up your “out the door” station there. If not, it’s okay. There’s really only one requirement for the placement of your “out the door” station. It has to be convenient to the door where you leave and enter the house most often. It might be the front door, the back door, the side door, or even the garage.
Just make sure it’s close to the door where you leave the house or you won’t use it. The goal is to make things easier on yourself.
If you don’t think you’ve got a space that will work for our suggestions, modify our suggestions to make them work for your home. Don’t make excuses…just get it done!
2. A place for shoes close to the floor
We suggest that you use some sort of shoe racks or cubbies for the shoes. If you’re on a really tight budget, you can just line the shoes up on the floor under your “out the door” station. Shoes tend to stay put better, though, if they are on something other than the floor.
You don’t have to keep every pair of shoes your family owns in your “out the door” station, but you do need to keep the ones that are worn most often. This will eliminate the problem of the “lost shoe” when you’re trying to get out the door.
If you want to keep several pair of shoes for each family member in your “out the door” station, just make sure you’ve got plenty of space to keep them neat and organized. Otherwise, you’ve just got one more cluttered area in your home.
3. Hooks (at least two for each family member)
As we move upward in your mud room “out the door” station, the next important item to include will be the hooks. We suggest a minimum of two hooks for each family member-three is better.
Think about all the things that might be needed-a light jacket, a heavy jacket, backpack, umbrella, hat. All of those things are not going to fit very easily on one hook-not to mention the weight of all those things.
That brings us to another point. Please make sure you install your hooks properly. Place your screws into wall studs or, if that is not possible, use the proper support anchors for your type of wall. You don’t want your hooks to pull out of the wall the first time a kid grabs their backpack off the hook.
Last thought on hooks…make sure you place your hooks at a height that your kids can reach. It’s a great way to make it easy for them to learn the responsibility of putting away their own things. There’s nothing wrong with having adult hooks at one height and kid hooks at a lower height. Remember…make it easy!
4. Baskets (one for each family member)
Each family member should have his/her own basket for small items that cannot be hung on the hooks-things like keys (if you don’t want to hang them), wallets, belts, car activities, mittens, etc.
See-through baskets or bins are best. It’s easier to keep track of what you have in the basket and will save time.
A word about the placement of baskets…while it’s good to place baskets for older kids at a level where they can reach them, you might not want to do the same for small children. Small children (as we all know) tend to get into everything! You don’t want to find out that your little one has gotten into his basket and lost his mittens as you are in a hurry to head out on a cold day.
5. Shelves or cubbies (for the baskets)
The final item that you will need for your “out the door” station is shelves or cubbies to place your baskets on.
Again, make sure you anchor your shelves to the wall properly to avoid accidents and aggravation.
Place the shelves at a good height for your family members to reach their baskets (except for small children).
Custom Search
Shop around before you purchase any items to create your “out the door” station. Make sure you purchase items that will create a space your family will want to use.
Your mud room “out the door” station should be a fun, inviting place for your family to begin learning home organization!
Think about all the things that might be needed-a light jacket, a heavy jacket, backpack, umbrella, hat. All of those things are not going to fit very easily on one hook-not to mention the weight of all those things. 
