As we find ourselves in the heart of the Wisconsin winter, chances are that cold-weather gear like hats, mittens, and boots are littering your entryway. If you do not have a mudroom, a space typically found at the rear or side of your home dedicated to organizing all of your outside gear, you may want to consider adding one. When maximized and used to their fullest potential, mudrooms help ensure the rest of your house stays free of mud, suds, and other debris. This is helpful year-round, but particularly at a time when separating the external world from our home life has been so important. There are so many ways that plumbing upgrades can level up your mudroom space, but before we dive into those, why do we suggest installing a mudroom in the first place?
Protects Your Home
A mudroom’s main purpose is to stop any unwanted outside elements from getting into your home. This not only helps your home stay clean, it also helps preserve the investments in the rest of your house by ensuring that excess water and mud don’t damage any flooring, fixtures, or furniture you have in your home.
Calm Amidst the Chaos
Mudrooms are a great place to keep everything organized. Because mudrooms are fully customizable with cubbies, lockers, and any other storage option you can imagine, you can tailor it to fit your home’s specific needs. So whether you are a family with young children or you live on a farm, you can install practical solutions to help keep your home organized.
Adds Resale Value
Finally, if you are considering upgrades to your mudroom, you may be asking yourself whether or not it is a smart financial choice. Mudrooms used to be particularly popular in specific areas of the country like Connecticut. However, it’s now clear that the efficiency and organization of a properly designed mudroom adds appeal for almost all buyers – especially young families with children. So now you know why a mudroom exists, but there are a few plumbing elements that can take your mudroom to the next level. Here are some functional mudroom upgrades to consider!
Washer and Dryer
Most often, our belongings get dirty outside of the home. Think sports practices, or coming in from playing outside, or walking your dog out in the snow. Sweaty, wet, and otherwise less-than-pleasant clothing items naturally make their way into your home. But if you were to add a washer and dryer to your mudroom, these items could be cleaned before entering the perimeter of your living space!
Shower
Picture this: you come into the house after spending time in the lake or taking a dip in your pool. You try to dry off, but you are still dripping with water. For folks who live lakeside or have a pool here in Wisconsin, adding a shower to the mudroom is another opportunity to keep the outside mess contained to one room within your home, rather than dripping across your kitchen and living room floor as you run to the bathroom.
Utility Sinks
Adding a utility sink to your mudroom is another great way to optimize its function. From soaking stain-ridden clothes to washing dirty hands after coming in from the garden or garage, and even rinsing out your mop, the possibilities are endless.
Pet Washing Station
While some smaller breeds of dogs could be washed in a utility sink, other larger dogs may require a dog washing station. The benefits of installing a pet washing station are two-fold. Instead of worrying about where they play, your pup can roll in the mud to their heart’s content because you’ll have a dedicated space to clean them when you get home. Also, rather than paying a groomer and having to leave your house to wash them, you could save money and time by washing them in the comfort of your own home. Plus you won’t have to pick dog hair out of your personal shower drain. Mudrooms are so much more than just a place to organize clothing, dog leashes, and the items we need as we come in or leave our house. It is also a space that adds value to the rest of the home by keeping it clean and organized and appealing to potential buyers. Interested in adding or upgrading your mudroom? Whatever your needs are, we are here to help! Contact us here for your free estimate.