I’m not obsessive about cleanliness so much as I am about organization. I believe everything needs a designated spot, or else you end up with piles of clutter scattered around the house. That’s why I favor storage solutions designed for specific tasks—like our rolling laundry caddy (you can see it in action in our home video).
One of the handiest organizational ideas I’ve seen is a portable mudroom: a compact setup you can place anywhere to instantly create a spot for coats, backpacks, purses, scarves, dog leashes, and everything else you shed when you come inside. The best versions even include a bench for sitting while you remove your shoes, with hidden storage beneath the seat. It’s the kind of practical design that makes daily life feel easier.
We liked the idea, but not the price tag. A similar product at Pottery Barn was listed at $1,279, so we set out to recreate the look and function for far less. We headed to our local Target and picked up a brown leather ottoman with hidden storage under the seat for $79 and a dark wood wall-mounted coat rack with six large double hooks for $19. The hooks are roomy enough for coats, bags, and umbrellas—everything you need to drop off when you come in from the cold. Together, those two pieces gave us a portable mudroom for under $100, and we were thrilled with the result.