I fought with it constantly. My tools were all being stored in the tractor sheds, and the rust and weather aged them quickly. Every time the dog found a black and white "kitty" to chat up, she was hauled through the kitchen to the bathtub sharing the skunk smell with the entire house.
For these and many reasons more, I wanted a "Mud Room." I feel as if this word should be a whole lot more glamourous. Like the star in a show. But, I guess it takes the place of supporting cast for real. It allows the kitchen to be a place to cook, and the dining room a place to eat, giving a space to all the indoor/outdoor overflow.
When we built the addition to the house, a mud room was always at the top of the list- next to another bedroom so the girls could stop sleeping in the hallway.
We got our mud room, and it is a wonder. It is a small space, but a real workhorse. It has a wash sink, and a dog wash/mud-boot wash, storage for my building tools and domestic tools, horse tack, dog kennels, coats, boots and shoes, hats and gloves, safety equipment and storage plus a hall pantry. Filled with light, it has 9 windows, two single french doors and its own heating system.
This room is a huge blessing! Plus we enter and leave from this room, keeping the heat in the house instead of cooling the kitchen every time someone comes or goes.
And, it can be a mess. Especially during the winter, when it has so many duties, it tends to become a minefield of messiness. But, it is the mud room so... I try to not get too sassy about the mess.
After the kitchen spiff and the half bath and pantry were gussied up, I turned to the mud room. She works so hard, she needed some love.
Pearl and Jules are enjoying the freshened space. Doesn't everyone gravitate to the current tidy spot in the house?
And, as a reminder, things always look worse before they get better! Here are some "in progress" photos of the room as I pushed forth to organization. Shout out to Youngest, who pitched in a lot on this little project!
Pretty awful, right?? The trick is to not get discouraged, and keep plugging away.
Eventually, you find the pretty in there.
