Mudrooms are a MUST, in Minnesota… and everywhere where the weather is so cold that mittens, hats, boots, ear muffs, under pants, hand warmers and feet warmers are necessary for survival. Anywhere else, mudrooms are a good choice to keep your home clean of clutter at the entrance, and avoid accidents by tripping on shoes and handbags lying on the floor.  But, in Minnesota, they are a must.   The bigger, the better. 

Unbelievable as it may be, though, this is kind of a NEW concept in residential design and construction.  Old homes, even homes built as recently as in the 1950’s, did not use to have “mudrooms”.  Most of them did not even offer a “Coats Closet”!!  If you were lucky, you got some hooks on the wall.   

Where I grew up, we entered the house through the kitchen, and there was a granite top above some base cabinets…oh, my poor mother!  She always complained because we would all leave our coats and handbags, and books, and who knows what else…on that poor counter top.  Her kitchen could never stay clean and neat…but we did not have anywhere else to put our stuff!   Studying Architecture in the 70’s-80’s, I never heard the concept of “Mudrooms”, and even here, in the United States of America, I have mentioned my mudroom to people from other states, warmer states for sure, and the reaction has sometimes been: a WHAT???   When I explain the concept to them, invariably the answer is: Cool!  I wonder why I never thought about it!  I really could use one!

Yes, everybody could really use one….and that is why a lot of people these days are “remodeling” their older homes and adding these coveted mudrooms. 

I have designed cabinetry for mudrooms bigger than most people’s living rooms.  But even if more modest, any mudroom will be better than no mudroom at all.   The key to a clean, uncluttered home.

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