In a small entry, storage is a trade-off. Every piece you add either earns its place or eats the walkway. The temptation is to fill the floor with cheap bins and racks until there is nowhere to stand, and three months later half of it has broken and the space is worse than before. The best small-mudroom storage does the opposite: it goes up the wall, stays shallow, wipes clean, and lasts. Buy it once, buy it right, and a metre of wall does the work of a whole room.
In short. The best storage for a small mudroom goes vertical to protect the floor, stays shallow at around 25 to 30cm deep so it does not block the walkway, uses open visible bins so things actually get put away, and keeps a wipeable shoe tray at the bottom to catch the mud. Choose durable pieces over cheap ones, because in a tight space everything has to last and earn its spot.
Small-mudroom storage is not about cramming in more. It is about choosing the few pieces that do the most work in the least space, and that hold up over years rather than months. The principles are simple: go up not out, keep it shallow, keep it open and visible, and make the shoe zone wipeable. Here is each one, and the specific storage that delivers it.
Go vertical to save the floor
The first and biggest move in a small entry is to build up the wall, not out across the floor. Professional organisers are consistent that the way to get a small mudroom working is to zone the space and use the vertical surfaces, giving every item type its own spot up the wall (Source: Extra Space Storage, mudroom organisation tips). Hooks, a tall narrow shelf, over-door organisers and wall-mounted racks all add capacity without taking a step of floor. The back of the laundry or hallway door is the most overlooked storage in any home, holding bags, caps and the shoe wash kit in space that was doing nothing. Vertical is what makes a small mudroom feel bigger than it is.
Keep it shallow so it does not block the walkway
Depth is where small-mudroom storage goes wrong. A deep cabinet looks like more room but eats the walkway and turns a corridor into a squeeze. The fix is to stay shallow: a cabinet or shelf around 25 to 30cm deep holds daily gear, bags, shoes, a basket of hats, without crowding the path. Organisers make the same point about working with the footprint you have rather than forcing in storage that does not fit the space (Source: Extra Space Storage, mudroom organisation tips). A narrow bench around 30 to 45cm deep gives you a seat to take shoes off without blocking the walk. In a tight entry, shallow and tall beats deep and short every time, because it keeps the floor clear where you actually walk.
[ IMAGE TO INSERT ] Upload A6-sunday-evening-wide-from-the-hallway.png here. Alt text: "A small mudroom with shallow shelving and a narrow bench, keeping the walkway clear in a tight entry."
Use open, visible bins so things get put away
Closed storage looks tidier on the day you install it, but in daily use it loses to open storage every time, because anything you have to remember to open does not get used. The principle comes straight from how attention researchers think about organising: rely on external, visible cues over internal memory, with clear bins and labelled zones, on the basis that what is out of sight is out of mind (Source: ADDitude Magazine, ADHD organising strategies). The evidence base runs deeper than convenience: externalising structure, moving the cue out of your head and into the environment at the point of action, is the core organising approach for executive-function differences and works for everyone in the house (Source: CHADD, externalising structure for executive function). In a small mudroom that means open baskets and exposed hooks rather than drawers and closed cabinets, with every item type given its own visible zone (Source: Extra Space Storage, mudroom organisation tips). An open, labelled bin gets the bag in it. A closed drawer gets the bag on the floor beside it. Visible storage is what makes a small system actually run.
Make the shoe zone wipeable
The shoe zone does the dirtiest work in any mudroom, and in a small one it is right by the door where everyone walks, so it has to be easy to clean. Shoes carry a real load: a University of Arizona study led by microbiologist Charles Gerba found an average of 421,000 units of bacteria on the outside of a shoe, with coliform bacteria on 96% of the shoes tested (Source: CIRI, study reveals high bacteria levels on footwear), and that grime transfers onto clean floors 90 to 99% of the time (Source: CIRI, study reveals high bacteria levels on footwear). A wipeable boot tray or a low rack with a removable liner catches the worst of it and wipes out in seconds, which in a tight entry is the difference between a clean floor and mud tracked through the house. Keeping that tray open and on show, rather than tucked behind a door, is also what makes it get used, since a visible cue beats one you have to remember (Source: ADDitude Magazine, ADHD organising strategies). Keep the shoe zone at the bottom of the wall, on a surface you can wipe, and the small space stays clean.
Shoes are also the thing in this zone most worth protecting. The good runners and sport shoes live here and need a wash now and then, so keeping the tool for that on a hook by the shoe tray means the muddy pair gets cleaned in the same spot it lands.
Join the Waitlist. getmudroom.com.au
Buy durable, not cheap
In a small space, every piece is on show and in constant use, so a cheap rack that breaks in a season is worse than no rack at all. It clutters the floor while it works and clutters it again when it fails. The better approach in a tight entry is to buy fewer, better pieces: a solid hook rail, a sturdy shallow cabinet, a wipeable tray that lasts. There is a resale case for it too. Home staging guidance is clear that a decluttered, well-presented entry helps a home present and sell better, because buyers form a first impression within minutes of arriving (Source: LJ Hooker, how to stage your home to sell). A clutter-free, well-staged entry is one of the simplest things you can do to lift how a home shows to a buyer (Source: LJ Hooker, how to stage your home to sell). A small entry that looks considered and holds up is worth more than one filled with cheap storage that has already started to sag. Buy it once, buy it right.
[ IMAGE TO INSERT ] Upload B5-the-bench-before-the-cycle.png here. Alt text: "A small, well-presented mudroom with durable storage and a wipeable shoe tray, reset at the end of the day."
How to choose small-mudroom storage, step by step
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Go vertical first. Hooks, a tall narrow shelf and over-door organisers, plus the back of the laundry or hallway door, so storage uses the wall instead of the floor.
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Keep it shallow. A cabinet or shelf around 25 to 30cm deep and a bench around 30 to 45cm deep, so nothing blocks the walkway in a tight entry.
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Choose open and visible. Open baskets and exposed hooks rather than closed drawers, so things actually get put away and the system stays visible.
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Make the shoe zone wipeable. A boot tray or lined rack at the bottom that catches the mud and wipes out in seconds, with the wash kit on a hook beside it.
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Buy durable, not cheap. Fewer, better pieces that last and present well, because in a small space everything is on show and in constant use.
The full home setup, including the shoe zone and storage, is on our Care Guide.
Where the Shoe Wash Kit fits
A small mudroom contains the shoes in a tight space, and keeping them clean is the next job, in the same zone. The Shoe Wash Kit stores flat on a hook or in a basket by the shoe tray, using vertical space rather than floor, so the wash happens as part of the routine rather than as a separate chore. It is a three-compartment bag plus a pair of adjustable shoe trees. One outer compartment takes each shoe so the pair never touches mid-cycle, and a centre compartment holds the laces and insoles. More than 3,000 soft chenille fingers line the inside and hold each shoe off the drum wall, and a 3D mesh panel at each end lets the water move through. On the Chalk Kit there is no dye anywhere in the bag, so there is nothing to transfer onto your white runners. It is tested to ISO 105-C06 grade 4 colour fastness and stress tested to 50 cycles at 60°C and 1400rpm, which is the durability test, not a usage instruction. Recommended use is a cold wash, on a delicate or gentle cycle, with the spin set to 600 to 800rpm, air dry only. Designed for canvas, mesh and synthetic shoes. Not designed for leather or suede.
[ IMAGE TO INSERT ] Upload 20260604_founder_three_compartments_pointing_inside_bag.jpg here. Alt text: "The three compartments of the Mudroom Co Shoe Wash Kit shown open, with chenille lining and the eucalyptus zip."
Small-mudroom storage at a glance
| Need | Best small-space storage | Why it works |
| Capacity | Hooks, tall shelf, over-door racks | Goes up the wall, no floor used |
| A seat for shoes | Narrow bench, 30 to 45cm deep | Seat plus storage in one footprint |
| Daily gear | Shallow cabinet, 25 to 30cm deep | Holds gear without blocking the walk |
| Bags and hats | Open labelled baskets | Visible, so things get put away |
| Shoes and dirt | Wipeable tray or lined rack | Catches mud, wipes out in seconds |
Join the Waitlist. getmudroom.com.au
About Mudroom Co
Mudroom Co is a small Australian premium brand making home care tools for active families. We build for the way people actually use their homes, not the way the catalogue says they do. We launch in July 2026 with one product, the Shoe Wash Kit: a three-compartment bag plus a pair of adjustable shoe trees, built chalk cream inside and out, with a eucalyptus zip, piping and tag the only colour you see. It is tested to ISO 105-C06 grade 4 colour fastness and stress tested to 50 cycles at 60°C and 1400rpm. We are based in Melbourne and we sell direct. The machine washes the shoes. The bag protects them. That is the whole brand in one line.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best storage for a small mudroom?
Vertical storage that does not eat the floor: wall hooks, a tall narrow shelf, over-door organisers, and a shallow cabinet around 25 to 30cm deep. Use open labelled baskets so things get put away, and keep a wipeable shoe tray at the bottom to catch the mud. Choose durable pieces over cheap ones, because in a tight space everything has to last.
How deep should storage be in a small mudroom?
Keep cabinets and shelves around 25 to 30cm deep and a bench around 30 to 45cm deep. Shallow storage holds daily gear without blocking the walkway, which is the thing that goes wrong most often in a tight entry. Shallow and tall beats deep and short.
How do I store shoes in a small mudroom?
At the bottom of the wall, on a wipeable boot tray or a low rack with a removable liner that catches the mud and wipes out in seconds. Keep the wash kit on a hook beside it, so the dirtiest job is contained in one easy-to-clean spot right by the door.
Should I use open or closed storage in a small mudroom?
Open, in most cases. Open baskets and exposed hooks get used because they are visible, while closed drawers and cabinets get skipped because you have to remember to open them. In a small space where the system has to run easily, visible storage wins.
Is it worth buying expensive mudroom storage for a small space?
In a tight entry it usually is. Every piece is on show and in constant use, so a cheap rack that breaks in a season clutters the space twice over. Fewer, durable pieces last longer and present better, which also helps the home show well, since buyers form a first impression within minutes.
How do I make a small mudroom feel bigger?
Build up the wall instead of across the floor, keep storage shallow so the walkway stays clear, and choose a few considered pieces rather than many cheap ones. Vertical, shallow and decluttered is what makes a small entry feel larger than it is.
Related reading
Going deeper on the topics above. Each of these is on the Mudroom Co hub.
In short. The best small-mudroom storage goes up the wall, stays shallow at 25 to 30cm, uses open visible bins and keeps a wipeable shoe tray at the bottom. Choose fewer, durable pieces over cheap ones, because in a tight entry everything is on show, in constant use, and has to last.
Join the Waitlist. getmudroom.com.au
About the author
Catherine Spiteri is the founder of Mudroom Co. With two teenage kids, an overflowing mudroom and a washing machine running twice a day, she noticed how few quality tools existed to make busy home life easier, and to protect the things we use every day so they last.
She started Mudroom Co because, while the tools existed, she could not find any made properly for the lives people actually lead. She has thirty years in development and construction, working with global corporates on projects of every scale and complexity, and now applies that skillset to household products with proper manufacturing and quality control behind them. Mudroom Co is based in Melbourne, Australia.
References
External sources cited in this article.
Extra Space Storage, Mudroom Organisation Tips
ADDitude Magazine, ADHD Organising Strategies
CHADD, Externalising Structure for Executive Function
LJ Hooker, How to Stage Your Home to Sell
CIRI, Study Reveals High Bacteria Levels on Footwear (Gerba, University of Arizona)