It’s official. Together with snow, cold and wetness include coats, mittens, scarves, hats and boots, all of which need an area in the house. Rather than letting your family’s winter equipment be thrown haphazardly about your entryway or mudroom, plan appropriately for the chilly months ahead by creating functional storage. These professional tips can help you prepare correctly.
TransFORM | The Art of Custom Storage
Produce open storage. “Good air circulation is critical with wet and snowy coats,” says Jeff Murphy, president of Murphy & Co.. Design. Open cubbies not just keep the air moving but also make it simple to see a jacket or back quickly.
Bud Dietrich, AIA
Assign everybody in the family a single cubby or pair of hooks. Maximize the storage capacity of your entryway or mudroom by creating it as effective as possible. “A cubby or pair of hooks for every person in your house reduces clutter and allows everybody to have their personal storage compartment,” says Rozalia Kiss, design director at transForm. “Plus, your nearest and dearest will not take your gloves whenever they could locate their own.”
John Kraemer & Sons
Stock up on bins and baskets. Use containers that slip neatly into divided shelves to keep gloves and hats dust free. “Grouping similar items makes locating and choosing the equipment you need easy and fast,” says.
Ron Brenner Architects
Don’t scrimp on hooks. Hooks are inexpensive and simple additions to your winter equipment storage which can make all the difference, particularly if you consider all the things you could potentially hang. “Install hooks for your keys, dog leash, sport gear and backpacks in addition to coats and scarves,” says Kiss.
HARDROCK CONSTRUCTION
Grab the snow as it pertains indoors. Kiss advises keeping a tough mat outside the door and a subway tray on your mudroom boot shelf to grab snow.
Clawson Architects, LLC
Shield cabinets and flooring from wetness. Despite mud trays and mats, water is bound to reach the indoors, so it’s best to design a space where moist bottoms will not wreck the flooring. “In entryways or mudrooms, think about an open tile floor that extends below a seat place,” says Murphy. This guarantees a secure floor regardless of where moist boots may travel.
Consider installing a boot drier. “we’ve designed many mudroom areas which have a boot dryer apparatus that can also be used to dry wet hats or mittens,” says Murphy. “This is excellent for children which are playing in the snow or whenever you want to dry out things before school. If building new, we would design it into a dedicated area, otherwise it could be placed anywhere near a socket.” The MaxxDrySD Shoe and Boot Dryer could be found in Northern Tool + Equipment for $29.99.
Greenable
Clean out your collection. Kiss advises committing any unwanted winter coats, gloves and hats to shelters and charities. Cutting down on unneeded gear will allow you to produce a clean, uncluttered space that is equipped only with all the essentials.
More: Declutter an entrance with a makeshift mudroom