I like having an airlock in regards to the cats(if they slip out into the mudroom, no problem we track ‘em down in the basement). Also, a vast majority of our exits/entrances involve heading to/from cars. Which park next to the mud room door.

We need to move out certain things(aka, all the stuff that has accumulated there). Only real toughie in regards to that is the recyclables. Yes, it’s a convenient spot for them, but it eats up a lot of the space having them there. Tossing a curtain of some sort in front of the laundry nook might be a good idea to add as well.

I understand that a mudroom is a sort of ‘airlock’ where you can pause and take off your dirty shoes before proceeding, but that doesn’t mean it has to be the main entrance: use it when appropriate.

Classic homes used to have a foyer or grand hall at the entryway, so you could have a separate space for the greeting of guests, but now they almost always drop you right into the living room, which also strikes me as silly for some reason.