Well, mine is not built yet, but to hide all that stuff we plan to have deep cubbies with doors as you enter to accomodate all the outerwear. The doors of course will hide all the outerwear mess. The area at the base of the cubbies will be a tall deep drawer to accomodate the footwear. We also thought of just leaving that area open underneath and putting down a vinyl mat for the shoes to be deposited, but I'd much prefer them to be hidden altogether. So in the end all anyone should ever see when they enter is a beautiful built in cubbie.

Here's a link for where I got my inspiration, just imagine cabinetry doors across the "coat area" of the cubbies that SummerfieldDesigns posted.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mudroom Cubbies

Is there a covered area just outside of your entry? I think I would prefer for the boots to remain outside in a covered area, perhaps on one of those "boot tray"-type things (I think Smith and Hawken (sp?) carries these?) I think cubbies would be great for the coats...but the manure-y boots would be a "no-go" inside my house! :)

Can you sketch out your floor plan and post it? You would probably get more suggestions that way.

Would it work to change your outer clothing in the cow barn? Have a small space heater in the barn where you can leave cleaner clothing when you put on the smelly stuff? (Or do you have to trek across manured areas to get to the house?)

Thanks for the suggestions. Part of the problem is we're living in a single wide trailer 10' from the construction site and it's been rainy all spring.

Right now we have nowhere clean to change or take off boots because the mud is all around us. But - in the new house we'll have a covered porch where we can pull off boots. I can't believe I didn't think of that, lol.

The entry is just a plain square 10x10. I guess we'll go with cubbies and I'll see if I can find some with doors. Thanks for that link, it's got some great looking cubbies.

Keeping the mud out is a multi-step process. I assume you are wearing the classic all-rubber cow barn boots or gardener's wellies.

1 - A rinse station next to the porch where you can hose off the mud. Keep the mud off the porch and much of the problem goes away. Build the rinse station as a slatted wood platform and draw the water away by drains into flower beds.

2 - A boot bench on the covered porch where you change from slip-on house shoes to boots and back. Build in a boot drying rack

3 - Coat cubbie outside for dripping-wet oilskins

4 - Coat cubbies inside for jackets, mittens and scarves. The classic ski solution for wet mittens and gloves is a 6" peg to slide them over so they get air on all sides.

If it were me, I'd try to revise the plan to add a back or side door somewhere so that the front entry could be kept clean.

While one can have nice looking storage at the front door, you're talking muddy manuery boots and outerware. That's a far cry from the jackets, hats, umbrellas, bookbags, and typical suburban stuff most of us deal with. Even if you have a place to hide the boots and overclothes, you're still going to wind up with mud and gunk on the floors and even (occasionally) on the walls. It'll be a constant nightmare to keep the area looking reasonably presentable. You NEED a back entry.

It is possible to cut a new door even after a house is totally finished. BUT obviously such a change can be done much less expensively if done earlier in the build process. Since you're still building your home, you might post the floorplans and see if anyone here can suggest an appropriate spot for another entry. You might even be able to add on a small extension so that you have room for a a real "working" mud room and can keep your front entry pretty for company.

If all else failed, I would get one of those small portable buildings (8X10), set it at the side of the house, insulate it and run electricity out to it so it could be heated and that would become a "changing room" for the barnyard work clothing. No barn boots or outer clothing allowed in the house... period!

I would combine a laundry/mudroom area and have an entry there.

My grandma had a farm when I was little. She had a place in the entry and back door where everyone took of their boots and coats when they came in the house. I think there may have been another spot in one of the barns to switch out coats and boots and even a place for washing hands.

Thanks for the help.

Lazygardens, that was just what I was looking for. I sort of feel like this is normal for country people or people in harsh climates but it's all new to me. I've always lived on the coast and never even had a coat closet before.

Bevangel, I think you're right. I'm going to see if there's any way we can make another entry.

Thanks!