Vermont is a wonderful place to live, it really is! I love living here and I love helping people find their perfect home here. We have beautiful mountains, lakes, foliage, trails, you name it! We also have some pretty intense weather. We even have a special name for the season that falls in between winter and spring. It is mud season and it is not to be underestimated!
For the majority of the year when heading out the door one must pause to add some layers, sometimes a lot of layers. Snow boots, rain boots, mud boots, hats, scarves, mittens, snowpants, rain-pants, etc. are all needed at some point to prepare to meet the weather on the other side of the front door. Sound familiar?
Because we are blessed with the seasons I have found that one of the most coveted features when potential buyers are looking for a new place to call home is the mudroom. In Vermont, a mudroom is a must!
There must be a spot to corral all of that outerwear and most people don’t want it piled on the living room floor! If you have a mudroom, great, maximize its potential! If you don’t, create a space that acts like one.
If you have a mudroom:
It needn’t be huge but if you have a mudroom make it as functional as possible so that a potential buyer will be satisfied that it can hold all of the paraphernalia that must live near the front door.
- Use the walls! Hooks are great, they allow for the quick hanging of coats and jackets without needing to find a hanger. Place some up high and some down low for smaller guests.
- Don’t forget valuable storage space up high. Placing a shelf slightly out of reach is great for storage for things that you don’t need every day. Keep baskets with seasonal items up high and switch them out as the weather changes.
- Keep the floor as clear as possible. Try to keep permanent mud room items like baskets and cubbies to a minimum on the floor. People need a space to be able to remove shoes and boots and too many things on the floor can make a place feel cramped and cluttered.
- Light it up. If you have dim or inadequate lighting in a mudroom things will get lost – especially stray mittens! This is an area of the house where you are looking less for
ambience and more for practicality. Add lighting if you don’t have enough and feel free to use higher wattage light bulbs.
If you don’t have a mudroom:
Here is your chance to get creative! A website like Pinterest is a great place to find inspiration and ideas to make an interior space work for you!
- Designate a space. You may need to steal some space from the living room or entryway but it will make a big difference. Use a corner or a wall and commit to making that your “mudroom” space. It might be hard to give up living space but it is worth it to keep everything in order!
- Again, go up! Use wall space as much as possible. Hooks, baskets, cubbies, and shelves can all be mounted on walls to create storage. Wire baskets are lightweight and can hold a lot. Don’t be afraid to mount a shelf up high for things that need to be stored but do not need to be reached daily.
- Invest in a good door mat. If you have the space, boot trays are great, but they can also provide another obstacle that a visitor can trip over. A better solution is investing in a good quality door mat that can handle melting snow and dirt. It will be more versatile and protect a larger area of your floors. Our neighbors in Maine make a great one!
- Keep it as seasonal as possible! The weather changes frequently and often you need a few options near the door depending on the conditions. Try to keep it to a minimum though and rotate out unnecessary outerwear as soon as you can. No need for a down jacket to be taking up space in July!
If you are showing your house, make sure to clear out as much as possible in your mudroom. It will feel more spacious and buyers will need a place to hang their own belongings! If you’re excited to get started and need some inspiration visit my Pinterest board dedicated to organized mudrooms! There are lots of fun and functional ideas to get you on your way! Do you live in Vermont and want to see a few houses with awesome mudrooms? Contact me on my website or give me a call at 802-488-3455 and let’s chat! Take care, Sarah