House by Holly: Creating a Mudroom Command Center For Less

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Creating a Mudroom Command Center For Less

Happy New Year Readers! (Sorry I'm a little late..)

Now that the New Year is here, I'm sure everyone has the same mission: To get organized and be the best you can be.

There it is. The pressure. New Year, New YOU. (It's everywhere, isn't it?)

Well, my best advice is-- to take it one day at a time.

Your home should evolve, just like you. You grow. It grows. It's only natural.

Let's take my first project I tackled this year, for example. I couldn't wait to get my hands on our mini mudroom...(well, it's not really a mudroom, just a long hallway I want to utilize like a mudroom.) Here's the 'before'... Do you see the potential?

Here's the closet and hallway I updated back in 2012. If you click on the link, the before is pretty bad.

This set-up has served its purpose for a couple of years, but as our family gets busier, we really need more organization to keep us grounded. After all, there is a huge wall to work with--when you can't go out, go up.

I will be the first to admit our "command station" has resided on the side of the fridge for many years and has been cluttered and messy. Often an embarrassment... I'm supposed to be House by Holly, right? The wind lets right out of my sails every time I see those papers taped and magnetized with no purpose. Now's the perfect time to aim for a change.

The formula for a basic Mudroom command center:

A chalkboard (notes)
a message board (tack important papers)
a clock (time)
a mirror (to take one last look at yourself)
some family pictures (sentiment)
seating (put shoes on)
a row of hooks (coats and scarves)

There you have it-- a purpose for the space.

Now you could go straight to a home store and purchase all these things. OR you could be like me and try to do it for next to nothing. I got time on my side people...lots of it. Plus, I'm a twit when it comes to that stuff. 'Must. re-use. my stuff...'

Here's what I came up with--

I took an old frame and covered the cardboard in painters cloth and used ribbon in a diamond pattern to create a neutral message board. (Yes, you can do that!)
I took another frame I had and painted the glass with chalkboard paint to make a chalkboard. (Yes, you can do that!)
a $10 clock for a discount chain (purchased in 2012)
I Re-used the existing black framed pictures with the kids school picture. At some point I will probably add frames holding some special art work the kids make...
2 cube seats for the kids to use while putting on their shoes. ( I re-upholstered these inexpensively in 2013)
An umbrella stand that was in the garage makes its way back into the house.
A $5 mirror from Walmart tied with a grey ribbon.
A picture of a tree that says "Home" was in the basement...
A $15 row of hooks from a discount store. (purchased in 2012)

This project cost me nothing. I bet you can find some things lying around your house to do this same project.

And no room would be complete without a little touch of gold. This gold cabinet pull hung upside down creates the perfect bowl for my chalk. Here's the tutorial on how to hang it.

(I purchased this one at a discount chain about a year ago waiting for the perfect project.)

(The view coming in from the garage.)

The end result: I created another extension in our home specifically for coats, hats, boots and all those important papers that we need to look at during the week. No more messy, cluttered fridge with crap hanging off the side of it. Everything is in one place. The memoboard will have all the kids important schedules and reminders tacked to it.

What do you think? Is this something you could see yourself doing in your own home? I'd love to hear your feedback.

From my House to your House, Happy Hunting!

And remember to take this 'New Year thing' one day at a time.