The news from the weather bureau forecast a Seattle winter like last year. Not so good! For this Seattle interior designer, it was an especially wet one with snow and ice. With this news, it’s time to take a look at your mudroom and prepare it for an onslaught of mud plus boots, shoes, hats, gloves, umbrellas and all the other paraphernalia that enters your transition area. Today’s mudroom is an organizational center for busy families sometimes combining pet areas, laundry and crafts. In a previous post, I shared 7 tips for designing a mudroom. You can read it here.

New inspirations are here. See this image from California Closets of a dream of a mudroom entrance. Plus, since we love our gadgets, it’s important to consider them in our planning.

Our mudrooms invite clutter. As we hurry into our home, we quickly discard our stuff and soon the entryway is a mess. Here’s some tips from Peter Walsh and California Closets.

More tips to contain the clutter and chaos in the entry and mudroom:

• Create an “out-of-pockets drawer or container” that becomes a great place for extra change, keys, and a wallet.
• On top, set up a charging center for phones and iPods and a place for your purse so that you are never searching for these items when you are ready to leave.
• Tackle mail in the front entry by placing a small recycling bin on a shelf or in a cabinet. When you come in the door, junk mail immediately gets recycled, and only the important stuff makes its way into your home.