One of the things we love most about Richmond is its nickname: The River City. That’s not because of a small creek, but because a major river—with class five rapids—flows right through the city limits. In short, there’s plenty of river to enjoy, whether swimming, sunning, or just hanging out. Imagine a beach town vibe, but with big flat rocks for sunning (and skipping across) instead of sand.
John and I practically qualify as river rats. We have a favorite, somewhat “secret” stretch of river where we can usually find parking and a large flat rock to claim for the afternoon or even the whole weekend. It’s an easy, free way to relax. The downside: lots of river trips mean lots of wet towels and swimsuits. Tossing everything into the washer and dryer every time doesn’t feel very eco-friendly, especially when we plan to return the next day. It would be great to have a simple place to hang suits and towels to dry between trips. For about $8 and one quick trip to Lowe’s, we solved that.
Here’s the bare corner of our sunroom before the small makeover — conveniently located right by the back door.
Minutes after installing three brushed-nickel hooks (on sale for $2.64 each), that unused corner became instantly useful.
Because we usually dry off on the rocks before driving home, nothing comes back dripping, so the shoe basket below stays dry and tidy.
Each hook is a double hook, so we can hang a variety of items at once—hats, shirts, towels, or extra gear if friends join us (or if John needs a gentle push into the river before he gets everything off).
This little solution reminds us of the mini-mudroom we created in a corner of our den, complete with an ottoman and a wall-mounted coat rack. That setup has been incredibly practical for corralling purses, scarves, the dog leash, and even some paperwork tucked inside the ottoman. We like systems that make organization automatic—since installing that mini-mudroom nearly two years ago, we haven’t misplaced the dog’s leash once.
What about you? Does where you live call for a dedicated corner for specific gear—scuba equipment, snowshoes, farm boots, or something else you use regularly? Are simple coat hooks a trick you rely on to keep things organized? Share your solutions with the river rats—we’d love to hear how you make everyday organization work.