When we wrap up work, school, or a busy day out and about, it’s just nice to be home. The last thing we tend to want to do is put everything up in its spot before saying hello to the family or getting our comfy clothes on. However, your drop zone (the entryway, mudroom, or whatever you like to call it in your home) can easily become a place where you just throw all of your stuff from the day. This clutter magnet becomes home to shoes strewn everywhere, backpacks, keys, mail to sort through later, and the list can go on and on.
In one of our previous blog posts, we shared different ways to contain the chaos in your home, where we discussed creating a designated drop zone (be sure to check out that blog post here). Today, we want to expand on that and share three tips on how to create the perfect (read: functional) entryway for you and your family. If you spend a little time creating this space to be user-friendly, and even maybe a little pretty, you’ll find that your entry into your home is welcoming and stress-free and your departure the next day is simple and organized. We could all use a little of that in our lives, right?
Create usable space.
Entryways can vary in size, depending on the home. There are different ways you can approach creating more usable space. First, if you have the room, add a sofa table or cabinet. If you can find a cabinet that fits the space nicely without taking up too much space, this will be a nice addition in helping create more space. If you have doors or drawers, you just expanded your ability to store objects and keep them hidden. This helps contain the clutter.
If you do not have enough room to add a piece of furniture, consider hanging hooks behind your door. This can be a great way to keep bags or backpacks off of the floor. You can add a key hook as well for safekeeping.
If you have a closet close to your entryway, you can use that as a dropzone by making a few tweaks to it. Add a small shelf in the bottom that will allow you to have a space for different items such as shoes, purses, backpacks, etc. You can even put hooks inside the closet to hold some of those bags.
Make your space convenient, open, and cute.
One simple way to open up your entryway and make it appear larger is to add a mirror. This creates an illusion of a more open, spacious area. Plus, it’s a great way to give yourself one last glance before heading out. You can also add a small plant or some decorative items to spruce up this spot. After all, it is one of the first things you see when coming home. It should feel good, so don’t be afraid to dress it up a bit. (Just be cautious not to add too much, taking room away from the space you need).
This is the time to get creative and organized! Consider adding a few small baskets to contain the smaller items, such as any loose change, your wallet, your keys, etc. These can serve a purpose and be part of your decorations. Just choose the correct baskets, and you’ll get points for functionality and style.
Find a larger basket to help corral the shoes that tend to pile up (literally!) over time. You can use a basket or a boot tray for this, and it will not only look more organized, but it will also keep dirt and mud off of your floors. If you have kids, a basket might be the better option, as they may not always put the shoes neatly on the tray. They are great for hiding clutter!
If you have room to add some hooks, this is a great organizational tool! Add hooks for backpacks and lunchboxes, keys, purses, etc. You can purchase more decorative hooks to help with the overall feel of the area. They can be a nice touch!
If you have a spot to put a hanging file folder or maybe just a file holder on your table, this will help with the mail that tends to get thrown on any available surface “to be looked with later.” This isn’t only for mail you receive, but also for any school papers that need to be returned, mail that needs to go out, or any other forms you may have laying around.
Now what to do with those umbrellas… One way to store those is to get an umbrella stand or a tall vase-like structure or a tall, narrow basket to put them in. Again, it will be not only functional but also a decorative item to help with the overall aesthetics.
Create a communication center.
Creating a communication center, or command center, can be very beneficial to everyone and keep people on the same page. This can be as simple as adding a whiteboard to write reminders or notes on. Consider possibly adding a felt board to share inspirational messages or even something as simple as a notebook if that’s all you need.
Anything schedule-related is great to include here since it’s the first thing people see when arriving home and the last thing seen when leaving. Need to get gas first thing in the morning (we’ve all been there!)? Write it here. Have Parent/Teacher Conferences that week? Put that on the communication board so that everyone knows. Maybe you need to remind yourself to mail that letter, which is nicely tucked away in your new folder. Write that reminder down, and you’ll be good to go.
You can also add other items here as well, including a clock (this can add a pretty touch), a calendar with important reminders and upcoming events written on it, and anything else that might help you and your family be more connected and in sync.
A few things to remember when working on your entryway – try to get things off of the floor and make sure everything has its own spot. You will be creating a great system, and if it’s user-friendly, then your family will be more likely to buy into it.
Looking for more ways to make your home feel more organized and less cluttered? Read 7 Ways to Contain the Chaos in Your Home.