Entryway/Foyer
Has your entryway become a dumping ground? Do you love the thought of never tripping over one more shoe, backpack, or jacket when you walk in your front door? You can take control of your entryway and make it the welcoming space it deserves to be by simply spending 15 minutes each day of this week focusing on a few key changes!
First, let’s talk shoes. Is every pair of shoes that every person in your family owns by your front door? The first step in eliminating shoe clutter near your entryway is to reduce the number of shoes allowed. Each person in your family should have a maximum of two to three pairs of shoes by the front door at any given time. Only shoes worn on a daily basis should be stored in the entryway. If you haven’t worn them in a week, move them out! Once you’ve eliminated the extras, store the remaining shoes in shoe cubbies, on a shoe rack, or even on low shelves installed by your front door. The goal is to get all the shoes off your floor and give them a dedicated home. Kids’ shoes do well in simple baskets since they are so small!
Another quick change with big impact is installing hooks along the entryway wall for hanging items that inevitably end up on the floor as soon as people (kids!) come in the house. Individual hooks allow for the greatest flexibility as they can be hung at various heights to accommodate everyone in the family. Hooks can provide a home to jackets, purses, backpacks, and workbags, and free up much needed floor space.
Once your shoes, jackets, backpacks, purses and everything else that can be hung up are taken care of, take a look around. What else is clogging up your entryway? Decorative baskets are great for sporting equipment, umbrellas, and other large items that cannot be hung on hooks. Inexpensive small baskets and bins are extremely useful for containing seasonal items such as gloves, hats, scarves, beach accessories, etc. All mail and paperwork should have a specific basket/in-box and you should have a dedicated spot for your keys and wallet for easy retrieval when you’re ready to head out of the house.
My final tip for a clutter-free entryway is to have a dedicated “lost-and-found” time once a week when all unnecessary items are returned to their homes throughout your house. This will help you maintain order so you can have a welcoming feeling as you walk through the front door!
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