Hello there! Dana from House*Tweaking here—you may remember me from my last guest post here, Rise & Shine, where I perked up a porch couch.

Well…we’re in much different weather now. It’s that time of year! Time to stow away the flip flops and swimsuits and bust out the coats, scarves, and hats. Over time, I’ve learned that a little seasonal organizing goes a long way in making my house run smoothly. I use closed and open storage to combat winter clutter.

A freestanding wardrobe houses less used items. Photo Credit: Dana, House*Tweaking

To make up for the lack of closet space in our modest house, we have two freestanding wardrobes in the mudroom. I’ve dedicated one to storing seasonal outerwear.

Remove summer stuff to make room for winter gear. Photo Credit: Dana, House*Tweaking

In preparation for colder weather, I removed our family swim bag and brought in our winter wear which had been living in a not-so-easily-accessible closet further from the mudroom.

Keep kids’ items within easy reach of little arms. Photo Credit: Dana, House*Tweaking

I loaded the bottom of the wardrobe with boots and our baby’s bunting.

A basket for gloves and hats. Photo Credit: Dana, House*Tweaking

A basket for scarves. Photo Credit: Dana, House*Tweaking

On a shelf above the hanging rod I placed baskets for gloves, hats, and scarves.

A drop zone for frequently used items. Photo Credit: Dana, House*Tweaking

Our mudroom doubles as a dining space, so keeping clutter to a minimum is a must. For more frequently used items out in the open, I set up a drop zone within the mudroom.

A bench provides seating. Photo Credit: Dana, House*Tweaking

I brought in a bench seat for putting on and taking off shoes. Shoes easily slip under the bench. The tile floor is durable so there’s no need for a boot tray but you could easily add one to your space to protect more precious flooring.

A floor basket holds loose items. Photo Credit: Dana, House*Tweaking

A felt basket on the floor corrals loose scarves, gloves, hats, library books, and mail. Everything looks better in a basket!

Wall hooks keep winter wear off the floor. Photo Credit: Dana, House*Tweaking

I hung a trio of hooks on the wall to keep coats, bags, and other winter miscellaneous off the floor.

A mirror is a decorative and functional touch. Photo Credit: Dana, House*Tweaking

The ledge is the perfect spot for dropping sunnies, and a mirror allows for quick once-overs before heading out the door on busy mornings. Don’t stow away sunglasses. Blinding white snow can be brutal!

Photo Credit: Dana, House*Tweaking

With a little planning and organizing, we now have a stylish and functional mudroom. Bring it on winter. We’re ready!

- Dana

Finder's Keepers

A petite bench like this works well in small places. The curved seat is comfy and the woven leather strips are durable. I have this bench in my own mudroom!

This utility basket would look great sitting on the floor next to a bench.

Why not add a nautical touch to your mudroom with this porthole mirror? It's functional and decorative.

Hang a row of hooks near the mudroom's entry to keep bags, coats, and other winter gear off the floor. I like to use contrasting hooks.

Use a hard-wearing, low maintenance tile floor in the mudroom. A heavy duty floor mat would also be a great placeholder. Your muddy shoes will thank you!