Mudroom Organizing Wall–Grand Central Station

I have a fun decorating and mudroom organizing project for you today, one that I have been wanting to create in my house to help my family stay organized.

If you are like me you like everything in your house to be organized in a decorative way that not only makes it easy to find things when you want them, but also allows what you took the time to organize to stay organized.  One way I do this is to make signs to help everyone in the family know what goes where – no guessing. I make signs for interior doors that add a decorative aspect to my organizing efforts and even add signage in my guest room so guests know where to hang stuff.

Mudroom Organizing Ideas

Keeping this all in mind, I created a wall in my mudroom, not only to organize all the little things that go in and out of the house on a daily basis, but to also in a decorative way by making the town I live in sound like a chic sought-after travel destination and part of the my home’s décor.

I bought three inexpensive wall clocks and hung them on the wall.

Above each I made a sign with the city names – New York, Paris and Lansdale – the town I lived in at the time.

This wall used to have 3 colorful shutters on it and before that, when my daughters were growing up, I had an empty frame gallery that I would use to showcase their artwork.

Now it is a place to hang stuff I need before leaving the house.  Since I live in the same time zone as New York, two of the clocks show the same time.

How to Decorate a Mudroom Wall for Organizing

Shopping at the thrift store is where I found the frame to showcase the hooks used to hang jackets, scarves, or the dog leash.  The chalkboard is framed art from the thrift store that I painted over using black chalk spray paint. The clocks are from Walmart.  I used pre-cut craft store wood pieces to make the city signs.  The clipboard is covered with gift wrap I found at HomeGoods.

supplies needed: 

• Empty wood frame
• 3 wall clocks – they are no longer available at Walmart, but you may be still available on Amazon, Sterling and Noble Clock
• 3 small wood plaques
• 3 small wood discs
• Black and white craft paint
• Small paintbrush
• Transfer paper in white or a light color
• Pencil
• Sandpaper
• Isopropyl rubbing alcohol
• Command™ Brand Double Hooks, Brand Forever Classic Metal Hooks in Brushed Nickel, Clear Medium Hooks, Clear Medium Caddies, and Picture Hanging Strips
• Framed chalkboard (optional)
• Hanging woven pouch (optional)
• Clipboard (optional)
• Gift wrap (optional)

Note: Follow all Command™ Brand package instructions for proper surface cleaning and prep, adhesive strip placement and recommended weight claims; for example one Command™ Brand Double Hook holds a maximum weight of 3 pounds.

How To Make and Paint City Signs to Decorate a Mudroom

1. To make the city signs that will hang above each clock, paint both sides of the wooden plaques with black craft paint (as Command™ Hooks need to be adhered to finished wood). Paint the small wood discs with white craft paint, which will be numbered and hang above the Command™ Brand Forever Classic Metal Hooks to hold house keys. Let dry, then sand edges of each piece with sandpaper to create a distressed look.

2. On your computer, type out the names of the cities you want to designate for each clock, as well as numbers for each of the wooden discs. Choose cities that have special meaning to you, such as foreign cities you’ve visited and the town or city in which you currently live.

3. Lay transfer paper, color side down, onto each painted plaque. Print out each city name onto computer paper, lay it centered on top of the plaque and tape it down to secure in place. Using a pencil, trace the outline of the letters. Remove the transfer paper to reveal the transferred image of the letters.

Font used for city names:  Engravers Roman or Engravers MT

4. Using a small tip paintbrush, fill in each letter with white paint, and let dry.

5. Repeat the same process for each of the numbers. (I suggest using graphite transfer paper so the transfer will show up on the white surface.) Paint the numbers with black paint and let dry.

How to Hang Items on a Wall Using Command Brand Picture Hanging Strips

1. Clean the back of each city plaque, clock and numbered disc with isopropyl rubbing alcohol and let dry.

2. For each clock and number sign, you will need one set of Command™ Brand Picture Hanging Strips. For each city plaque, you will need two sets of Command™ Picture Hanging Strips. To make a set, simply attach two strips together until they snap.

3. When hanging the clocks, number signs and plaques, remove one green liner from the Command™ Brand Picture Hanging Strips and attach one set to each side on the back of the item. Remove the other green liner from the Command™ Brand Picture Hanging Strips and press it into place on the wall firmly for 30 seconds.

4. Remove the clocks and plaques from the wall by slowly pulling each item from the bottom and pulling straight towards you. Press firmly on all the strips for 30 seconds to ensure proper adhesion. Wait one hour to re-mount, pressing the fasteners together until they click.

5. Use Command™ Brand Picture Hanging Strips to hang the empty frame, and attach to the wall using the same process as above for the clocks and plaques.

How to Hang Items on a Wall Using Command Brand Hooks

1. To create the hook and frame area of the wall, clean the wall area using isopropyl alcohol, wipe gently and let dry.

2. To hang the three Command™ Brand Double Hooks to the wall in the center of the frame, remove the red liner from the adhesive strip and press the hook firmly to the wall for 30 seconds. For maximum holding strength, slide the hook up and off the wall, and press the base to the wall firmly for 30 seconds.

3. Repeat this process for all three hooks. Slide the hooks back on their bases and wait one hour before hanging umbrellas, scarves, hats, etc.

4. Use additional Command Brand Products to build the rest of Grand Central Station

5. Be sure to follow all Command™ Brand package instructions for proper surface cleaning and prep, adhesive strip placement and recommended weight claims.

The more Mudroom wall space you have, the more you can hang. Examples include:

• Command™ Brand Forever Metal Hooks can be used to create a smaller station to hang
  each family member’s house keys, one set from each hook.
• Use Command™ Brand Clear Medium Hooks to hang a woven pouch for papers and mail, and a second to hang a clipboard to hold important notes.
• Hang a framed chalkboard using Command™ Brand Picture Hanging Strips to
  write notes to your family.
• House important notes, pens and pencils, and more in Command Brand Clear
  Caddies. Then add some color to the caddy by cutting out colorful patterned gift
  wrap to size and attaching them to the back of the caddy with transparent tape.

Even if you don’t have a mudroom, making and hanging city signs and clocks on a wall in a hallway, family room or kitchen will give your decor a fun world traveler vibe.