Mudrooms are one of the more recent fads in home design, but they kind of make you wonder why they haven’t always been as popular? They not only act as a transition space to store all the things you don’t need cluttering up your home – shoes, coats, umbrellas – but they can also transform your blah entryway into a gorgeous, welcoming space.

If you have a mudroom that doesn’t scream “Welcome!” or lacks organization, but you don’t have a huge budget to redo it, then these affordable tips for a mudroom on a budget are just what you need!

Most Affordable Options

These are the best options for your mudroom on a budget if you’re working with a small budget and are more interested in functionality than design.

Find a Small, But Mudroom-Worthy, Space

The first issue I want to tackle is not currently having a mudroom! We all want a separate space for a mudroom where the kids can store their wet coats, muddy cleats, and backpacks before they make their way into the house, but some homes just don’t have it. If your home is one of them, you can get a little creative to find a space that’ll work.

Do you have a coat closet, hallway, or even just an empty wall near a second entrance to your home? Any of these spaces will work, and since they’re small, you won’t have to spend a lot of time or money transforming them.

Use Baskets and Hooks for Organization

Mudrooms are all about organization, and one of the most affordable mudroom organization ideas is to place some cute baskets in your mudroom area to store shoes, sweaters, sports equipment, school supplies, and anything else you need on your way out the door but don’t want cluttering your home.

Place the baskets on closet or hutch shelving, or if you don’t have a defined mudroom space, you can look for a cube organizer, like this one from Better Homes & Gardens, and place baskets in each cube. These collapsible storage cubes by Prospica are beautiful and functional!

Don’t forget about installing some hooks for coats in your space. Hooks can create more functionality instantly in your mudroom area to hang coats and backpacks. I love these cast iron hooks!

What to Do When You Have a Little More to Spare

These mudroom ideas are best for those who still have some wiggle room in their budget after completing the steps above.

Transform the Look with Paint

Mudrooms are often bright and cheery because they act as a transition space between your home and the outdoors. Your mudroom should be a breezy, welcoming color that works well with the rest of your home’s decor, but stands out as a defined space. Even if you have no defined mudroom, you can still paint an accent area to help carve out that mudroom area.

Beachy bluish-greens are trendy right now, but you don’t have to go that colorful if you don’t want to. Instead, go for light yellows, grays, or greens to add a welcoming splash of color, and consider painting trim bright white to add airiness to the room.

Get More Furniture (or Upgrade Your Current Stuff)

Furniture is a must-have for a functional mudroom with adequate space. A bench should be a priority purchase because it can come in handy when family members and guests need to put on or remove, their shoes. This L.L. Bean Bench doubles as an organizing unit and is under $300! You might also look for a coat hanger with an umbrella holder attached.

You might also consider adding a few affordable dressers or chests for extra storage for kids’ homework supplies, outdoor clothing, hats/gloves, etc.

Completing an Affordable Mudroom Makeover

You have a broader budget for your mudroom, but what do you do with it? Here are a couple of perfect ideas:

Create a Nook

When you see those gorgeous photos of mudrooms you drool over, they almost always have a built-in nook on one of the walls, complete with a bench, hooks, and storage areas. These nooks are so beautiful and functional without taking up space, but if there’s not one already in your space, it’ll take some time and money to put one there.

However, even if you spend most of your budget on creating your nook, you’ll end up with an incredibly convenient, practical space, even in the smallest mudrooms. Check out this DIY mudroom project from Abby at Just a Girl and Her Blog for some inspiration!

Pump Up the Decor

Once you have everything looking and functioning the way you want it to in your mudroom, it’s time to add some decor! A fabric covered cushion (for a bench), area rugs, and plants are common staples in any mudroom because they add some color without clutter and make the whole area feel more welcoming and cozy. Need some extra storage? Add wall shelving to empty walls!

Creating your mudroom on a budget is totally possible with some creativity and utilization of the space you have, no matter how small. Let me know what other ideas you have for an affordable mudroom makeover, and tell me all about what you’ve done to save money in yours!