6 Mud Season Essentials
Spring is in the air but that also conjoins with mud in the house. Living in rural Colorado, mud season runs unhindered from March-April and September-October. Mud season undeniably offers a reprieve from the busy ski season we locals cater to as part of living in a mountain town; on the counter of this low season, the amount of outside that makes its way inside can sometimes be overwhelming, especially with additional activities such as hiking and adventuring. But I have compiled a list of essential items to add to any mudroom or entryway to localize additional muck from traveling throughout the rest of your home.
The first three items are my absolute essentials needed for conquering mud season and the other options I have included help refine your entryway or garage to make cleanup easier. I have included the amazon links for the products I would recommend, but feel free to do your own search for products that adapt to your needs; I include key search words for select items and conditions to consider for selecting appropriate products. So here are my 6 Amazon essentials to survive mud season:
You don’t want to buy something and have it deliver below expectations,
so here are my researched and recommended products to add to any entryway or mudroom to help with cleaning:
Boot brush: https://amzn.to/4920YCd
This product is first because it will remove a majority of caked on mud and debris, especially in rural areas. I recommend installing one outside your main entryway and consider whether you want to screw it in place or have it weighted to provide stability when using it. This will depend on its intended location and your access to tools. Really think about the amount of mud you might be bringing home and if you want to easily lift and clean under it in between seasons.
2. Boot Trays: https://amzn.to/4a9FeW6
Boot trays are a must have all year round, as they will trap dirt, snow, and other nature crumbs, but specifically for mud season, I recommend these as they are easy to clean periodically. The number of boot trays you will need is completely dependent on how many people reside in the home and how many shoes said residents are likely to use in a day. As a single person, I only require one by my front door and back door, but larger families could require 2-5 (potentially more depending on the house setup). I like to add this inside my entryway where I change my outside shoes to inside slippers, next to a bench, or under/by a shoe rack to indicate that this is where outside footwear belongs. Washing them is super easy which is another reason I am mentioning this twice.
3. Door mat: https://amzn.to/43iA2gz
Door mats, rough rugs, or towels with anti-slip backing help stop dirt from traveling any further than nature really intends-outside. This is helpful as well for catching smaller debris that a boot brush hasn’t caught. Pick something dark and coarse that can get dirty without being ruined and can get in all the shoe treads that may grace the threshold of your home.
These are must have items but feel encouraged to shop around online or other home supply stores to find the product that best fits you AND your home. There are soooooo many options available at various shops so I emphasize taking my time to really imagine a product (thank you Amazon View in your home), how would I use it daily, will it withstand years of use(abuse?), and is it in my price range? All these stipulations will quickly narrow the field of options, but I consider that a positive, and with filters you can quickly find the best product without mindless doom scrolling and overspending. Now here are my additional 3 items to help organize and perfect a tidy looking home:
4. Shoe rack: https://amzn.to/4apGwMO
Shoe racks need to be durable, practical, and pleasing for your home decor. Think about how many shoes you or your family will need access to on a daily basis (so storage space for each pair), durability (will it last, sometimes cheaper isn’t the best), and if it matches the rest of your mood board for the rest of the home. Amazon has plenty of options from variable sellers so feel free to search ‘shoe rack’ and ‘view in my home’ to get an idea if the product will fit your personal needs. Also think about vertically stacking shoe racks if you have plenty of shoes you want regular access to.
5. Laundry Basket: https://amzn.to/4abH2xW
Having a laundry basket for those especially dirt rendered clothing can help with initial sorting and transfer of mud to nicer clothes than in a regular laundry basket. Things to consider before buying a laundry basket for a mud room would be: dark coloring (you don’t want something light colored that will show all the dirt), decor matching (choose something that fits with your style), whether you want an open (easy access) or closed (hidden use) top, and select something that either has handles or is easy to carry to a laundry room. In a pinch, a laundry basket will work, but beware, the open holes on some laundry baskets may let dirt leak out and travel with you to the laundry room.
6. Cleaning cloths: https://amzn.to/4afsFc0
Adding microfiber or old towels to your entryway will help aid in wiping dog paws and bellies, packs, or other items that may have picked up some of nature on the way home. And as an added bonus, you can simply throw the dirty towel in the mudroom laundry basket once it’s dirty and mud is no longer your home enemy.
With any of these additions to your homecoming, be sure to continue your regular cleaning routine and take that into consideration before making a purchase. Happy cleaning! :)
About The Author
Julia is a cleaning entrepreneur that enjoys domestic home caretaking tasks, efficiency, and home decor styling. She began a personalized cleaning business in Colorado and now enjoys educating others on how to keep a clean home.
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