A Mudroom Checklist

Outdoor Clothing and Shoes

• A top priority on any mudroom checklist includes designated spots where you can drop off outdoor clothing and shoes when you come inside. This prevents your wet galoshes, muddy shoes and dripping raincoats from messing up your home's interior spaces. For small mudrooms, include a space-saving wall rack with attached hooks to hang hats, jackets or coats. Add a lower wall rack that small children can reach and a higher one for adults. For large mudrooms, situate a freestanding coat rack in an empty corner, or install vertical storage cubicles with attached hooks along a bare wall. Assign a storage cubicle for each family member to keep their outerwear more organized. Furnish your mudroom with tiered shoe racks to supply a compact space for placing shoes, cleats and boots.

Personal Items

• Make certain your checklist includes spaces to deposit personal items -- backpacks, keys, purses, books, papers and lunch pails. Repurpose a chest of drawers or dresser to hold these items and give each family member his own drawer. Paint the furniture in a vibrant tone -- lemon yellow, juicy orange or lime green -- to add a little cheery zip to a blah space. Furnish your mudroom with a slim sofa table to temporarily place the daily mail, papers or other personal items while you remove outerwear or shoes. Put a small bowl on top of the table to collect small items, such as keys or coins. Install a row of decorative wall hooks for your kids to easily hang their backpacks on when they come inside.

Pets

• Do not leave the family pet off your mudroom checklist. A mudroom offers an ideal spot to confine your wet or dirty dog so you can clean him up before he tracks dirt and mud throughout your home. Put up a child security gate between the mudroom and the main part of your house to keep your dog contained. For large mudrooms, situate your pet's bed, food dishes and kennel in a vacant corner to create a pet-friendly space. Install a wall storage cabinet to conceal pet-related items, such as food, treats and grooming supplies.

Miscellaneous

• Every mudroom checklist needs outdoor and indoor mats in front of exterior doors. Wiping shoes on the mats helps to keep the mudroom floors a bit cleaner. Add some type of seating, such as a bench or small chair, to the checklist as a convenient spot to sit while removing shoes or boots. Other miscellaneous checklist items include: one or more trash cans, a recycling box, an umbrella stand, specialty wall racks for sports equipment; a bulletin board where your family can tack messages and memos, and an ironing board and iron.