Think school lockers. You're halfway there with the top cubbies and the posts already! With lockers, you can shut the door on the mess.

Check these out--the red ones would work well in your space.

Or, you could go with the same idea in wood. Amy Dacyzyn and her husband built lockers for their kids, and their design is in the Complete Tightwad Gazette. Another example is here in the "Making a Mudroom" article on thisoldhouse.com

Take a look at picture 9 of 9 on the right (you have to scroll through them).

Here is a link that might be useful: Making a Mudroom

I like the lockers idea. Another idea would be to build an entire wall of cabinets for storage if you have the room.

I'd put 2-4 of the wall mounted coat racks on the wall. One could be mounted a couple of feet taller than the other so the adults and kids would have easier access. I had dh install one behind the door in my entry way. It has made a world of difference.

If you add the mounted racks, you could replace the mirror with a full length mirror. It's nice to be able to get a look at yourself on the way out the door.

I'm posting a link with some storage benches. There are several different syles. I think one with pull out baskets or drawers underneath would be great. You'd have have a place to sit. The shoes would be out of sight.

You can add a mount to the wall for the ironing board when its not in use. Or if you had an area to make into a small closet for that and the vacuum cleaner they would be out of sight.

One safety suggestion. Don't keep your purse and keys in this room. If this is near the main entrance to the house, it makes them more available to casual visitors coming through the house.

Here is a link that might be useful: storage benches

Thank you both! Gorgeous photos - I just love those storage benches! I bet DH would be able to build some simple cubby/locker type storage...he's pretty handy and always up for a challenge.

Thanks again for the suggestions, I appreciate it!

I would like, I think, the idea of a SLIDE-OUT bench.

Because w/ a permanent bench, I would pile stuff on it. And then it wouldn't be free to sit on.

And because many days, i might not *need* to sit down to change shoes, which would mean even MORE stuff would pile up on the bench.

I like that mudroom w/ the *doors* on the cubbies. Maybe, in real life, I wouldn't want doors on them all, but I think I'd want doors one about half of them.

(also, I found, when I had a unit for holding shoes near the front door, that I didn't like having the shoes on the floor.

I actually wanted the heavy, heavy bookbags on the floor (so nobody had to lift them--if they'd had to lift them, my kids would never have put them in the cubby.

Also, we didn't sit right at that exact spot to put on shoes, so if we needed to store or get our shoes, we had to bend over and straighten up, then go put them on/take them off, etc. So I stored the shoes at shoulder height, and it was MUCH less needless bending over.

Good grief, I have to call my optometrist and get my eyes checked. I thought it said "ideas on organizing mushrooms" and I started typing some great ideas. I feel like that old lady on SNL Emily Lattella. Never mind.

jane the renovator ... did you post a link to the red lockers you mentioned? I'm not seeing it. Thanks!

Here is a link to a wall cubby & bench set (sold seperatly, of course), I think they're cute & reasonably priced.

Also, I think if there was any way, I would send each person's shoe to their bedrooms w/ them. I would try to set up a system w/ house slippers or something & have ppl carry their shoes to their rooms... That would cut down of a lot! Just MHO

Here is a link that might be useful: Wall cubby & bench set

We have a mudroom with open cubbies - one for each kid. I'm only sorry that we didn't make cubbies for me and DH. It is much easier to kick of your shoes and slide them under the cubby and hang your coat on the hook and open the adjascent closet door (I'm spoiled, I know).

I like the idea that the bench should be retractable. Truth is we use our bench as the adult cubby.

We also have multiple shelves above and below the part where the coats go. Each kid has one or more baskets (as needed) where their hats, scarves, gloves go. That make this sort of stuff much easier to find in the winter when you are rushing. Before all 4 of my kids had their stuff in one large basket - not easy to find a matching glove at all!

mchudd - cute idea about bringing the shoes upstairs but if the kids are sporty, it's not a good idea. My son's baseball cleats are so muddy I've stopped letting him bring them into the house or the mudroom - he has to leave them in the garage.

Somehow that URL just fell out of my message.

Anyway, check out this locker manufacturer. LOTS of lockers. I like the idea of doors because then you can shut the door on the mess.

Here is a link that might be useful: Red lockers!

I would really vote against the lockers. They don't work well in schools and they don't work well in families with small kids. Kids just shove the stuff in and go and when someone opens the locker, everything tumbles out.

The first thing I see is "too much, too many." It looks like every pair of shoes in the family is being stored in a very busy spot. It the shoes won't be worn at least every couple of days, I would get them into the bedroom storage closets. Keep only those pairs worn constantly in that area.

Each of my kids have two hooks. Beneath their hooks is space for their winter boots and one pair of shoes. The two hooks are fine for their coat and backpack. Once the weather changes, only the coat needed for that weather is on the hook. Other coats go into the coat closets. I have rubber mats or throw rugs for the shoes to collect the drips since we are going into spring messes here. During the summer they keep their bike helmet on one hook while the backpacks are back in the bedroom closets.

I would set up a larger corner cabinet for ironing board/vacuum if you don't have anywhere else for that. The pet dish could go right next to the corner if that's the only place you can keep their food. I would not have the bench unless you really, really, really have to sit. It will only continue to be a catch-all. Put hooks up for your purse.

One thing to think about for a mud-room is that is has to change to meet the needs of the season. You can't keep everything there on a permanent basis or the room can't be very functional. The more kids have to open and close storage in my house, the less likely they will use it on a consistent basis. Our area usually looks pretty neat, serves the purpose and no one is every digging through stuff to find what they need. And we live in a winter climate, so we do have tons of extra gear at times.

Gloria

Once the weather changes, only the coat needed for that weather is on the hook. Other coats go into the coat closets.

the hard part is when you're in transition weather! Like now.

I agree w/ open storage for coats, backpacks.

But in tha tmudroom, if the vacuum is going to be stored there, and spare tote bags, I would want SOME doors.

I just found the plans for an 'entry organizer' in the April 2008 issue of The Family Handyman magazine. Diginthedirt, PM me and I'll pop the article in the mail to you.

Here is a link that might be useful: Family Handyman magazine--great projects!