Mudroom making

[MamaLeslie]

Hello!

I am moving in 2 weeks to a house in a tiny little hamlet... there is no entry way to speak of in this house, and I am determined to get control over the dump zone. Inside the real front door of the house is a small room/parlour, and I want to turn it into a mudroom type space for us to use as the coat/boot/bag/keys/etc drop-off zone. Finances are extremely tight right now, and I need idea for cheap to free ways to set up this room (no closets, beautiful woodwork I don't want to wreck) to be our entry way storage space.

Ideas? I'll see if I can find a way to share a picture of it...

Thanks!

[Katie T]

If you have a picture of it you can post it threw photo bucket for free.

As for free or cheap ideas, do you have access to free lumber or the ability to make a coat rack? Other wise what about those 3M hooks that don't ruin the wall to put up for coats and purses and such.

Maybe you can find a old bench with a lid to put in there for gloves and hats.

I know you said money is tight but at Target for like 30 dollars they have shoe cubbies that hold 15 pairs of shoes. I just got one and they are really handy.

[karne]

I love mudrooms!

If you have Craig's List, garage sales, listings for free stuff, it's worth looking for bookcases. They can be painted up nicely and make good storage for shoes. You can also find a few baskets and use that on the shelves to hold hats/mittens, bug spray, sunscreen, etc. This might be an idea if you don't want to mess with hanging anything on the walls.

I have two large pine bookcases in my mudroom. I put chicken wire on the back of them so that nothing would slide off the back of the shelves. It makes for a nice country style look. We keep shoes, boots, ski boots, etc. on them and it's great. Everything is off the floor.

[MamaLeslie]

Thanks for the thoughts- I am so overwhelmed with this move that I really can't be creative at all!

You know those IKEA shelves that are pine and all open? I have struggled forever with how to enclose them so things don't fall off the back, especially when 1" deep baseboards are involved... Thanks for the idea- I can easily find something to staple to the back of them. I might see if I can find some more for super-cheap for the mudroom, because the 2 I have are needed for books.

Sadly, no Target here, so I don't know where I would find the $3 cubbies.

I'm going to look for hooks and baskets and shelves and see what I can come up with...

Thank you for the bits of inspiration! I can only find a pic of it that has my son in it... so it doesn't show great detail, but I will post as soon as I figure out how...

ETA: hope this works...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1420047...57623740772682