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Cleaning and Organization
Sarah Baeumler’s Five Minutes to Clean: Mastering the Mudroom
October 11, 2017
Sure, you could style a grand entrance in your home, but let’s be honest: the mudroom always becomes the hub of indoor and outdoor activity. People are coming and going, to-ing and fro-ing, the mudroom tends to accumulate dirt and clutter quickly, but with a speedy five-minute clean every day or so, you can keep it sparkling (at least as long as your family will allow it). Here are a few of my go-to pointers to give your mudroom a five-minute clean.
Sarah Baeumler's passion for design led her to join husband Bryan Baeumler on the front lines of his real estate and renovations business. She stars in Home to Win, and co-hosts Bryan Inc. alongside Bryan.
Cleaning and Organization
Sarah Baeumler’s Five Minutes to Clean: Mastering the Mudroom
October 11, 2017
Sure, you could style a grand entrance in your home, but let’s be honest: the mudroom always becomes the hub of indoor and outdoor activity. People are coming and going, to-ing and fro-ing, the mudroom tends to accumulate dirt and clutter quickly, but with a speedy five-minute clean every day or so, you can keep it sparkling (at least as long as your family will allow it). Here are a few of my go-to pointers to give your mudroom a five-minute clean. Sarah Baeumler's passion for design led her to join husband Bryan Baeumler on the front lines of his real estate and renovations business. She stars in Home to Win, and co-hosts Bryan Inc. alongside Bryan.
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Assessing the Situation
1/11Assessing the Situation
1/11Photo Credit: Jarrett Ford Photography
First and foremost, you need to assess what you're dealing with. I try to do this whenever I am tackling a space that needs cleaning and organization. Otherwise I find myself flitting from one thing to another. If I take 30 seconds to assess the situation and see how to approach the job, I feel as if I can get it done in a much more orderly fashion.Cleaning and OrganizationSarah Baeumler’s Five Minutes to Clean: Mastering the MudroomAssessing the Situation
PHOTO 1 of 11READ LESS -First and foremost, you need to assess what you're dealing with. I try to do this whenever I am tackling a space that needs cleaning and organization. Otherwise I find myself flitting from one thing to another. If I take 30 seconds to assess the situation and see how to approach the job, I feel as if I can get it done in a much more orderly fashion.Photo Credit: Jarrett Ford Photography
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Collect Debris
2/11Collect Debris
2/11Photo Credit: Jarrett Ford Photography
Once I've determined what areas need to be cleaned and what kind of organization is needed, I collect everything off the floor and place it temporarily in a basket, or on a surface. I do this to determine what will need to be put away, and clear the space to move around easily as I organized and clean.Cleaning and OrganizationSarah Baeumler’s Five Minutes to Clean: Mastering the MudroomCollect Debris
PHOTO 2 of 11READ LESS -Once I've determined what areas need to be cleaned and what kind of organization is needed, I collect everything off the floor and place it temporarily in a basket, or on a surface. I do this to determine what will need to be put away, and clear the space to move around easily as I organized and clean.Photo Credit: Jarrett Ford Photography
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Hang Big Coats Outside
3/11Hang Big Coats Outside
3/11Photo Credit: Getty Images
I always start with coats. If they are wet or dirty, hang them up in the garage or outside. These often are the bulkier items and therefore will reduce the clutter in the mudroom immediately. You will need to bring these back in at some point, but for now it’s good to get them out of the way.Cleaning and OrganizationSarah Baeumler’s Five Minutes to Clean: Mastering the MudroomHang Big Coats Outside
PHOTO 3 of 11READ LESS -I always start with coats. If they are wet or dirty, hang them up in the garage or outside. These often are the bulkier items and therefore will reduce the clutter in the mudroom immediately. You will need to bring these back in at some point, but for now it’s good to get them out of the way.Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Place Coats and Hats on Hooks
4/11Place Coats and Hats on Hooks
4/11Photo Credit: Jarrett Ford Photography
The smaller jackets, scarves and hats should be hung up on hooks (if you don’t have hooks, I highly recommend finding space for them on an empty wall). I try to use one or two hooks for each person in the house, this way there won’t be any arguments or questions when it comes to finding everyone's stuff.Cleaning and OrganizationSarah Baeumler’s Five Minutes to Clean: Mastering the MudroomPlace Coats and Hats on Hooks
PHOTO 4 of 11READ LESS -The smaller jackets, scarves and hats should be hung up on hooks (if you don’t have hooks, I highly recommend finding space for them on an empty wall). I try to use one or two hooks for each person in the house, this way there won’t be any arguments or questions when it comes to finding everyone's stuff.Photo Credit: Jarrett Ford Photography
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Place Boots on a Rack
5/11Place Boots on a Rack
5/11Photo Credit: Getty Images
A boot and shoe rack is essential for any mudroom or entryway, especially in the winter months. This not only keeps the space organized but it also reduces the amount of dirt and outside undesirables accumulating on the floors. Get the boots and big shoes on the racks and take the time to place them in order. (But good luck enforcing this rule with kids!)Cleaning and OrganizationSarah Baeumler’s Five Minutes to Clean: Mastering the MudroomPlace Boots on a Rack
PHOTO 5 of 11READ LESS -A boot and shoe rack is essential for any mudroom or entryway, especially in the winter months. This not only keeps the space organized but it also reduces the amount of dirt and outside undesirables accumulating on the floors. Get the boots and big shoes on the racks and take the time to place them in order. (But good luck enforcing this rule with kids!)Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Place Gloves and Mittens on Heating Vents
6/11Place Gloves and Mittens on Heating Vents
6/11Photo Credit: Getty Images
During the colder months, gloves and mittens will find themselves in every nook and cranny of your home. I tell my children to put them near the heating vents, but this doesn’t always happen. If you can manage this with your family, winter accessories will always be easy to find, and toasty warm when you're running out the door.Cleaning and OrganizationSarah Baeumler’s Five Minutes to Clean: Mastering the MudroomPlace Gloves and Mittens on Heating Vents
PHOTO 6 of 11READ LESS -During the colder months, gloves and mittens will find themselves in every nook and cranny of your home. I tell my children to put them near the heating vents, but this doesn’t always happen. If you can manage this with your family, winter accessories will always be easy to find, and toasty warm when you're running out the door.Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Swap Out Off-Season Clothing and Shoes
7/11Swap Out Off-Season Clothing and Shoes
7/11Photo Credit: Getty Images
If there is anything that is not necessary for the season you’re in, store it in an alternate room or better yet, a bin so you can pack it away. It makes life so much easier if you keep just the seasonal clothing and footwear in the mudroom and will make cleaning next time that much easier.Cleaning and OrganizationSarah Baeumler’s Five Minutes to Clean: Mastering the MudroomSwap Out Off-Season Clothing and Shoes
PHOTO 7 of 11READ LESS -If there is anything that is not necessary for the season you’re in, store it in an alternate room or better yet, a bin so you can pack it away. It makes life so much easier if you keep just the seasonal clothing and footwear in the mudroom and will make cleaning next time that much easier.Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Dusting and Sweeping
8/11Dusting and Sweeping
8/11Photo Credit: Getty Images
Once everything in your mudroom is organized, grab a dusting glove and wipe down all the shelves and benches, try to give all the nooks and crannies a clean as this will get all the dirt and dust on to the floor (soon to be swept!) and will stop it from drifting into other rooms of your home.Cleaning and OrganizationSarah Baeumler’s Five Minutes to Clean: Mastering the MudroomDusting and Sweeping
PHOTO 8 of 11READ LESS -Once everything in your mudroom is organized, grab a dusting glove and wipe down all the shelves and benches, try to give all the nooks and crannies a clean as this will get all the dirt and dust on to the floor (soon to be swept!) and will stop it from drifting into other rooms of your home.Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Wiping Down Shelves and Benches
9/11Wiping Down Shelves and Benches
9/11Photo Credit: Getty Images
Once dusted, take your multi-purpose spray and cloth and give each surface a quick wipe down. I try to use a lemon based cleaner for this as it will help give your mudroom a refreshing scent for any visitors entering the house. This doesn’t need to be a rigorous clean, but it will help remove any unwanted dirt that the dusting missed.Cleaning and OrganizationSarah Baeumler’s Five Minutes to Clean: Mastering the MudroomWiping Down Shelves and Benches
PHOTO 9 of 11READ LESS -Once dusted, take your multi-purpose spray and cloth and give each surface a quick wipe down. I try to use a lemon based cleaner for this as it will help give your mudroom a refreshing scent for any visitors entering the house. This doesn’t need to be a rigorous clean, but it will help remove any unwanted dirt that the dusting missed.Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Sweep the Floor
10/11Sweep the Floor
10/11Photo Credit: Getty Images
Once the surfaces have been cleaned, grab your broom and quickly sweep up the dirt and dust from your cleaning. I like to keep a broom hidden somewhere near the mudroom, either in a closet or tucked out of the way.Cleaning and OrganizationSarah Baeumler’s Five Minutes to Clean: Mastering the MudroomSweep the Floor
PHOTO 10 of 11READ LESS -Once the surfaces have been cleaned, grab your broom and quickly sweep up the dirt and dust from your cleaning. I like to keep a broom hidden somewhere near the mudroom, either in a closet or tucked out of the way.Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Mop the Floor
11/11Mop the Floor
11/11Photo Credit: Getty Images
If you have the time, a quick mop after sweeping will bring your floors back to a sparkling shine (but all bets are off on how long they'll stay this way!). While hitting all of these tasks in a single day would be ideal, the mudroom sees constant action, so I aim to tackle one of these tips a day, and overall the mudroom remains in pretty good shape. When you only have five minutes to clean, you've got to be realistic about what can be accomplished, but you'd be surprised at how much a five-minute clean can improve a room (and your outlook!).Cleaning and OrganizationSarah Baeumler’s Five Minutes to Clean: Mastering the MudroomMop the Floor
PHOTO 11 of 11READ LESS -If you have the time, a quick mop after sweeping will bring your floors back to a sparkling shine (but all bets are off on how long they'll stay this way!). While hitting all of these tasks in a single day would be ideal, the mudroom sees constant action, so I aim to tackle one of these tips a day, and overall the mudroom remains in pretty good shape. When you only have five minutes to clean, you've got to be realistic about what can be accomplished, but you'd be surprised at how much a five-minute clean can improve a room (and your outlook!).Photo Credit: Getty Images
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