Real-Life Tips to Keep Your Coat Closet and Mudroom Organized

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Your mudroom or coat closet is the first thing you see when you come home—and the last thing you see when you leave.

It sets the tone for your whole house.

A cluttered entryway can make mornings stressful and evenings chaotic, but with a few smart systems, you can turn that small space into a calm, grab-and-go zone.

Only Keep What You Need for Going Outside

As a rule, your mudroom or coat closet should hold only the items your family uses to go out the door.

Think coats, jackets, shoes, hats, gloves, umbrellas, and backpacks—nothing more.

If you’re short on space, move off-season gear into storage

This keeps your entryway clean and easy to maintain.

Purge Winter Gear

Before each new season, take ten minutes to do a quick edit.

Do you have random single gloves?

Or maybe 20 pairs for six people?

Keep only what’s actually worn and loved. Donate or repurpose the rest.

Your future self (and your closet) will thank you.

Upgrade Your Hangers

Uniform hangers instantly make even a small closet feel intentional and polished.

Swap mismatched plastic or wire for matching hangers—it’s a small change with a big visual payoff.

Shop my favorite hangers here:

Wooden hangers (sturdy and more affordable)

Acrylic hangers (sturdy and nicer)

No Mudroom? No Problem!

Even if your home doesn’t have a designated mudroom, you can still create a functional drop zone.

A simple row of sturdy hooks near your entryway or in your coat closet can make all the difference.

It gives kids a clear spot for coats and backpacks, and keeps piles off the floor.

These and these are great options for sturdy hooks:

Add Smart Accessories

A few well-chosen items can make your coat closet both beautiful and functional:

• Umbrella stand:

• Door mat: A must for catching dirt before it gets tracked in.

• Boot tray: keep this handy for wet weather

• Shoe rack: Keeps pairs together and prevents the “shoe mountain.”

• Shoe cabinet: if you have a no shoe inside policy, you might need something like this.

• Bins: Labeled bins for gloves, hats, and scarves make life easier

• Hooks for keys: No more frantic searching before leaving. These hooks are cute

• Tefillin holder: A small shelf like this is sometimes what you need , especially for a tiny bar mitzvah boy!

• These hooks work great to keep hats hanging on the wall

Keep It Realistic

A perfectly organized mudroom doesn’t have to look like Pinterest.

It just needs to work for your family.

Keep things simple, accessible and clutter free and your mornings will run smoother, guaranteed.

Pro Tip:

Do a five-minute reset once a week. Toss stray items, declutter and line up shoes.

A tiny habit that keeps your entryway looking calm and collected all year round.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and participant in other affiliate programs, Real Life Organizing LLC may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases—at no extra cost to you. I only share products I personally use and love. Thank you for supporting my work and helping keep this blog running!

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