3 Small Mudroom And Laundry Room Ideas To Improve Your Space

There’s nothing I love more than a good mini makeover. Beautifying and reorganizing a space makes it so much more pleasant to be in! I recently finished updating and refreshing my mudroom (AKA the tiny room that sits between my garage and the rest of my house, and which also houses our washer and dryer.)

If any of you have a combination mudroom and laundry room in your house, then you know what a critical space it is! Having an area that serves as both a footpath and a workspace can be really tricky, especially if it isn’t particularly well organized!

Since I know that many people probably have either a small mudroom, a small laundry room, or both, I thought I’d share some details about my own mudroom makeover with you today! These 3 simple mudroom and laundry room ideas can help you transform any small, cluttered area into a more functional and organized space!

3 Small Mudroom And Laundry Room Ideas To Make The Most Of Your Space

1. Refresh The Walls

Before you start thinking about organizing or improving the functionality of your space, take the opportunity to brighten it up with some color! In a small laundry room or mudroom, adding some color in the form of wallpaper or paint can really brighten up the room.

In my mudroom/laundry room combo, I used a serene grayish-green paint color called Silver Sage from Restoration Hardware to paint the walls, doors, door frames, and storage closet. (Unfortunately, it seems like Restoration Hardware recently discontinued their paint collections, but Sherwin Williams colors Sea Salt and Window Pane look like close color matches!)

I love how it turned out, and the color definitely has a calming effect on those days when I feel overwhelmed by household chores. Adding some color really transformed the whole space, and the best thing about painting such a small space is that it didn’t take long at all! :-)

2. Get Organized

Another way to improve a small mudroom or laundry room and make it more functional is to add space-saving storage and organization systems. My small mudroom and laundry room was sorely lacking in functional storage, so I searched high and low online to find the perfect solution!

Since the only space we have for shoe and coat storage is directly adjacent to our back door, I was looking pieces that would sit as close to flush with the wall as possible. I ended up installing pieces from Pottery Barn’s Gabrielle Wall Organization system, which pairs classic peg rails with an array of attractive baskets, shelves, and other useful items so you can create your own custom storage solution.

I also installed a slim shoe storage cabinet from IKEA that I cannot stop raving about! I love the way it keeps shoes hidden from view, but still easily accessible. With the help of these space-saving storage solutions, navigating the area is so much easier and it looks so much cleaner!

3. Choose Things You Like To Look At

The reality of small spaces is that not everything can be hidden away in a cabinet or behind a door. Some things will remain out “on display” all the time, so it’s worth it to take the time to find attractive items you’ll like to look at!

For example, my old laundry hampers were functional, but not that nice to look at. So the final piece of my mudroom and laundry room update was to replace those old hampers with some cute new ones! I ended up choosing a couple of these tall canvas caddie baskets from Pottery Barn, which in addition to looking attractive, also roll smoothly which makes for easier floor cleaning. :-)

Bonus Tips For A Successful DIY Makeover

Here are a few extra tips based on lessons I learned during my mini mudroom makeover, so that you can put them to good use during your next DIY project:
Measure BEFORE You Buy. When considering a product while shopping online, I found it helpful to measure out the product’s dimensions using painter’s tape so I could be sure it would fit correctly in the space I wanted to put it.
Cut In With An Edger, THEN Fill. I am not a particularly skilled painter, but after some trial and error, I landed on a method that worked quite well—start by using an edger with disposable pads to “cut in,” then follow with a standard paint roller to fill in the center.
Upgrade Your Hardware. Upgrading your cabinet handles, drawer pulls, and other hardware is an easy and inexpensive way update the look and feel of your space!
Let There Be Light. In small spaces and out-of-the-way corners, it can be hard to see what’s going on in your cabinets and closets. Add a set of motion sensing lights that will switch on automatically when you open the door to illuminate your storage areas!