DIY Custom Mudroom Storage Lockers

One of the greatest challenges for any homeowner is simply keeping the place clean. Unfortunately, sometimes it can feel like the entire outdoors is conspiring to make your home dirty. A mudroom is often an ideal solution.

Creating the perfect mudroom for your family isn’t nearly as complicated as you may think. Let’s take a look at mudrooms for the home. We’ll show you how to make your own custom mudroom storage lockers for your mudrooms, too:

What Is a Mudroom?

A mudroom is a small room used to store footwear, articles of clothing and anything else likely to bring dirt into the house. Mudrooms are located near an entryway to the house. They can be in the garage, laundry room, etc. Some houses even have rooms specifically designed as mudrooms.

When designing your mudroom, focus on durability. People are going to be trampling back and forth in your mudroom every day. Dirt, water and other bits of nature are going to find their way in your mudroom on a regular basis.

Choose materials which are easy to clean. Tile is often a good choice because dirt can be easily washed away with soap and water. You’ll want to avoid carpet and other upholstery for your mudroom.

You might be tempted to choose dark colors for your mudroom. After all, dark colors can help hide the appearance of dirt. Unfortunately, dark colors can make any room feel small and cramped. The average mudroom is already pretty small to start with, so dark colors can make it feel like a cave.

Instead, go with lighter, more neutral colors like gray and tan. White is too bright; dirt will be accentuated. But subtle shades help hide dirt while also creating a sense of openness for the room.   

Mudroom Lockers

Storage lockers are arguably the most important aspect of any mudroom. Lockers provide an organized storage space for any items which are too dirty to be kept inside but too valuable to be left outside. Mudroom lockers are commonly used to hold coats, sports equipment, fishing gear, camping gear, boots, galoshes and more.

Without lockers, stuff is likely to be left on the floor. Aside from clutter, this also makes items prone to loss or damage. But lockers are an easy solution. Even young children can use a locker.

Lockers allow each family member to have their own space. Lockers can be personalized with names and decorations. You can even put individual schedules on the inside of each locker. This is a great way to keep track of school, work, sports and other activities.

Types of Storage Lockers

Lockers can be either open and closed. There are benefits to each. Open lockers are a bit easier to build. Plus, they allow for better ventilation. You’ll probably want open lockers if most of the items will be damp or wet. Swimwear, fishing equipment and similar items tend to fare better when stored in a well-ventilated open locker.  

Closed lockers are a bit more organized. Plus, a locker door helps prevent items from falling out onto the floor. If you’re storing a lot of sports equipment, especially balls, a closed door prevents items from rolling away.  

You can probably skip locks on the locker doors. After all, the mudroom is located inside your house, so it should be fairly secure. Plus, locks can be time-consuming to open.  

There’s no need to limit yourself to just one type of door. Storage lockers can have a combination of open and closed doors. Frosted glass doors or half doors allow for easy visibility.

Storage Lockers vs. Cubbies

Cubbies often go hand-in-hand with storage lockers. You can install different sized cubbies to hold loose, awkwardly-sized gear such as roller skates, baseball gloves and so on.

Aside from cubbies, baskets and wire shelving are other options which often can serve a similar purpose. Wire shelving can easily be installed inside a locker to create adjustable levels. Your locker can have a larger area on the bottom to hold skateboards, baseball bats and other equipment. Then you can store smaller items on a higher shelf.

Be careful not to rely too much on cubbies. They take up a fair amount of both vertical and horizontal space. Storage lockers are often more efficient. A storage locker can be tall, thin or otherwise custom-created for your specific space. Cubbies are often pre-built so your customization options are more limited.   

Storage Locker Materials

Wood and metal are often an obvious choice. But don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. Local materials can help create a unique look. For instance, if you live near the beach, you might want to build storage materials out of driftwood. Mudrooms are often a bridge between the outdoors and the inside, and that concept can be reflected in the design.

The Best Lighting for Mudroom Storage

Mudrooms can be used at different times throughout the day and night. Early morning fishing, late night sports practice and other events don’t always take place when the sun is shining. You won’t be able to rely on natural light to keep your mudroom lit.

You’ll want to install bright overhead lighting. You’ll probably also want smaller lights installed in each locker. Even a simple light source can make a big difference inside a storage locker.  

Mudroom Storage Lockers for the Whole Family

Husbands, children and every member of the household benefits from a well-organized mudroom. Building simple storage lockers is often a fairly easy DIY project. Use light colors and make sure the materials are easy to clean.

The best part of building your own storage lockers is that you can customize them for your needs. Have a family of hockey players, or a family of golfers? You can adjust the size of the lockers to fit the gear you need to store. Mudroom storage lockers help keep your home clean and organized.