Eclectic Entry Eclectic Entry, Boston

AFTER: Thinking about how her family bundles up helped Sterling track down the best mudroom organizing system. The children use one wardrobe, and the adults use the other. The bins under the bench contain baskets for dry shoes, and every family member has a drawer for gloves, hats, mittens and more. “People are amazed when they see my kids come in and put that stuff away, but it had been my goal for a long time. I pushed them for a while, and it worked,” Sterling says.Cost breakdown: Because Sterling is a designer, there were no design fees for this project, but construction totaled about $17,000 (including permits, demolition, asbestos removal, new work, new doors, trim, electrical, lighting, plumbing, painting, flooring and installation of everything). The furniture, rugs and other accessories cost about $3,500. Bench, wardrobes: Stuva, Ikea

8. Go through a Sunday-evening checklist. Preferably before dinner (or while it’s cooking), go through a short list of tasks to get your home in shape and yourself ready for the week ahead. There’s no need to run yourself ragged cleaning, but if you hit these main areas, things will be in shape for the new week:Garbage and recycling outLaundry folded and put awayClean sheets on the bed Clean towels in the bathroomDishes done and put awayFloors and surfaces cleanEntry decluttered

Day 4: Tackle a problem zone.Decluttering tasks: If you have a large household, consider adding extra closed storage — piles of coats out in the open look messy, even when the coats are neatly hung on hooks. If you have children, make sure the storage is easily accessible and clearly marked. Cleaning tasks: The biggest cleaning challenge in the entry is dirt tracked in from outdoors. Rugs are your first line of defense against street dirt, so make sure yours are in good shape. If your area rugs are dirty, launder them; if they are getting worn out, consider buying new ones. Instead of choosing a typical doormat-size rug by default, consider if a larger rug or runner would better suit your space — a larger rug has more dirt-trapping power.

Seating. We’re often seeing bench space in mudrooms with pretty upholstered cushions, encouraging people to take off their shoes before they tread all over the house in their muddy boots. This light-colored upholstery would get very dirty in my house; decorate your space according to your needs and how your family lives.

bench, mirror, and coat rack -- makes sense in many styles!

Mud room - like the upholstered sitting bench with storage