When designing the plans for my sunroom and mudroom, I knew these spaces would hold a lot of our family’s “stuff.” From school supplies, to gift wrapping, book bags, charging stations, sports equipment and more, there is a lot to consider when organizing. Enter…my friends at NEAT Method!  

Our firm has worked with NEAT Method before and you may have read about them on a previous MFI blog. This time, it was my turn to enlist their services to organize these two spaces in a way that would serve my family. Today’s blog will focus on what’s behind the cabinet doors and how the layout and products work in tandem. If you want to see more about the sunroom and mudroom design elements, check out the full blog here.  

The baskets, trays, turntables and drawer organizers throughout the space are from NEAT Method. I love that they have rattan and brass baskets, along with an Acacia product line. As with my design choices, products that are inspired by nature are always a win.  

SUNROOM aka “MOM STATION”

Despite the nickname, the built-in cabinetry or “Mom Station” in the sunroom was organized with the entire family in mind. The items for adults are stored at the top, along with some kids’ items that require a bit of supervision, play dough, glue, other art supplies and…glitter. I love how the glass jars keep everything visible and contained. NEAT Method also included sectioned trays as an easy drop zone for airpods, keys and other small grab-and-go items. Then, below we moved into storing more accessible items that we use on a daily basis like pens, pencils, assorted school supplies and of course, toys. I love that the NEAT Method baskets are just translucent enough. The rattan baskets are large enough to store items and see what’s in them while keeping things aesthetically pleasing. One thing I did after Christmas was put all of my kids’ new toys in some of the baskets on the bottom shelves. This level of ease and accessibility helps combat the “I’m bored” statements that they throw out on occasion.  

MUD ROOM

One thing I learned about my family is that some things should be left behind closed doors, like book bags and soccer balls and ballet shoes…the list doesn’t end. Once my kids are home, they go straight to the mudroom to put everything away behind two large cabinet doors. This is also the space where the utilitarian necessities live, like brooms, Swiffers and step stools. Along with hooks, there are an assortment of baskets for added organization and function. In the upper cabinetry, I used turntables for bug spray, sunscreen, hand sanitizer and the like. Next, the drawers house my wrapping station with everything from paper to tape, scissors, tissue and ribbon. One tip that’s been a game changer is including vertical dividers for gift bags similar to how baking trays are stored in a kitchen. I often stress the importance of examining how you live and then planning accordingly. I knew what items we needed to store in this room and worked on thoughtful organization cabinetry and paired that with the amazing professionals at NEAT Method. The concepts and ideas worked together seamlessly!  

Overall, my goal is for everything to have a thoughtful place. It’s so easy to get bogged down by clutter and my family is certainly not immune to it, but having organization methods in place allows for easy purging and editing throughout the year. 

Big thanks to my friends at NEAT Method for their help on this project!