Clean up your mudroom

Your mudroom makes your home’s first impression, but it’s also the spot where you’re most likely to drop items and forget about them.

To keep it clean, professional organizer Jane Woolsey says the key is to determine the room’s function, including what you’d like to store there, and get rid of anything that doesn’t belong.

Pick up pieces such as benches, shelving, hooks and boxes to help max out your options. Woolsey uses garage organizing systems to create versatile and surprisingly stylish storage.

And don’t forget the design, she says, “If it looks nice, people tend to want to keep it that way.” She adds that keeping things off the floor helps you maintain a clean space.

To help get kids into the organizing act, she uses Avery’s Design & Print online service to create DIY stickers with photos of the kids, so they can label and recognize their own mudroom storage boxes, bins and baskets.

At my house (shown), there's still a lot of work to be done, but a dish for keys, bus passes and gadgets helps keep mudroom surfaces clear, while a storage bench holds hats, scarves, gloves and out of season items. 

What do you do to keep your mudroom in tip top shape?