Easy organizers

Southern Living, Nov 1998

If you've ever wished for a separate mudroom where children's sports equipment and school gear could reside, then consider this inventive idea. Use inexpensive and readily available storage items to set up a mini-mudroom on a vacant wall in the playroom, in the hallway outside children's rooms, or near the back door.

This mini-mudroom has three basic components: a rack for clothing and book bags, a bulletin board to serve as a family message center, and a few large baskets to keep tennis rackets and soccer balls ready for the next game.

First, select a rack. Choose one that has plenty of pegs or hooks for hanging sweaters and windbreakers. A standard wooden or metal piece is all you really need, but don't hesitate to improvise. The good-looking rack shown here is actually a wire plate holder purchased for $40 in a housewares shop. For other ideas, visit antiques shops, hardware stores, and shops that sell closet organizers. Mount the rack at a height that will be convenient for your children. (Check with a hardware store to select the proper bolts or hangers for your type of wall.)

Next, purchase a cork bulletin board to put above the rack. (The one pictured measures 23 x 35 inches.) Take the bulletin board to a frame shop and have it mounted in the frame of your choice; having a mat cut for the frame is an optional step. Hang the bulletin board above the coatrack.

Then collect tall baskets to house long objects, such as umbrellas, baseball bats, and hockey sticks. Use smaller containers for tennis rackets and soccer balls. Set them on the floor below the rack.

Once the mini-mudroom is in place, you'll enjoy finding all those backpacks, bike helmets, invitations, and reminders in a new home of their own.