Happy Tuesday, everyone! KC is in store for another 5″ of snow today so I’m busy making lasagna, some Nesting with Grace’s homemade bread, and googling how to make a cardboard rocket ship to make it through just one more snow day with the kids. Between the cold days and the snow this year, we’ve been trapped inside way more than usual and the creative juices are starting to get a little small anymore. I just keep telling myself that next month is MARCH. March, people!
But with all these snow days and time spent inside, I’ve been able to see how we use our remodeled space daily, and the areas that we really need attention. I want a functional space because we are a family that needs just that…function. Why make it more difficult to get in and out the door?
One area I’ve known from the very start that our Fixer Upper was lacking was a mudroom. With two little boys and one on-the-go husband, I miss the ability to have a mudroom, a drop zone, and just a place to sit and put on your shoes. So I really took a step back and looked at where and how we use our space when we come and go each day. I realized that we almost never use our front door and yet our shoes are always left by it. We walk in through our garage door, walk all the way across our dining room and to the front door to take off our shoes (if I’m lucky, right?). The salt, the dirt, the muck that gets tracked across that path was a constant area I was cleaning. Time for a little creative, small space drop zone!
*I’ll link everything at the bottom of the post, as well as throughout, for you!*



To the left is where we walk right in from the garage. I found this adorable Moroccan rug for an AMAZING price at World Market during their Rug Caravan sale going on right now. Currently, it’s marked down to $64, but can be used with their extra 15% off coupon they are running. I’ll always take a 6′ rug for $50!! It’s a 4’x6′ indoor/outdoor rug that fills the space and hides dirt and salt with its forgiving colors. I angled it to give it a little more interest in the space, as well as go from entry from the garage right to the bench where shoes will come off.

Some great alternatives can be found HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE!
This cute Opalhouse bench from Target fills the wall, and allows for shoes to be stored underneath easily. I may eventually grab some matching baskets to keep it a little more organized under the bench, but for now, the kids leave their shoes behind the blanket so you can’t even see them. 🙂 Little feet = Houdini tricks all around our house!

To add some greenery and some added color, I purchased a Snake plant (or also sometimes called Mother-in-Laws Tongue) to the space. Picked up this super easy plant from Wal-Mart for just $15 this weekend! They range anywhere from $10-20 and are known to be the best plants for newbies. Supposedly, they are really hard to kill….so here’s hoping this little gem stays with me at least through the end of the year. 🙂
If you’re looking for an easy online store to purchase plants, I’ve heard AMAZING reviews from a site called The Sill. You can get a Snake plant exactly like mine delivered to your door…HEALTHY…for $16.

I also added a little texture, dimension, and color to the space by adding a Command strip to this Perfect Chaos art and hung a Lemon Beauty boxwood wreath I got at Hobby Lobby. Easy addition to brighten up the neutral and make it fresh.

I’m thrilled with how the space turned out and already see how much easier it is to put on the kid’s shoes, drop off coats and hats, and just manage our lives as we come and go. Little space that is making a big impact!
Opalhouse Bench – Target – Check above photo for some great options since this bench is currently sold out!
Blanket, Throw Pillows – Home Goods
This is Our Perfect Chaos Artwork – Hobby Lobby
Lemon Beauty Boxwood Wreath – Hobby Lobby
Black Coat Hooks – Hobby Lobby
Galvanized Bucket – Thrift store snag!
Hat – Old Navy from YEARS ago!
Need a little refresher on how far this space has come? It used to be a laundry room/pantry/really small hallway off our kitchen.




I’ll be sharing the rest of the dining space, as well as all the details on how to safely hang a plate wall and creating a breakfast nook later this week!
Looks so good!!!