Revamp Your Entryway With These Organizational Tips

If “hit by a tornado” is a common phrase used to describe your entryway, it’s time to revamp your space. Make the best use of your entryway by following these tips to control clutter, utilize wall space and organize with furniture.

    Clutter Control

The entryway tends to be the place everyone in the family drops their belongings when they come home. Storing to-go items next to the door is the most functional place to keep them, but >controlling the clutter can be tricky. Even if you have a small wall, work vertically and mount hooks and hanging storage to maximize the area. Use colorful squares of cork to make a DIY pin board, where each family member can stick notes or mail. Use a picture frame to surround a series of small hooks for keys. Framed panels covered in write-on paint can create a chalkboard message center for easy to read reminders, notes and to-do lists.

    Entryway Furniture

Depending on the size of your foyer, entryway furniture can offer extra storage space, a place to sit and shoe organization while adding to the décor of your home. If you have a long wall, consider an entryway bench from >Vision Décor that uses storage baskets and cushions to offer space and comfort. The bench keeps your entryway from looking too bare, yet decoratively stores items. For smaller areas, try a narrow console or shelving unit for clutter control. An upholstered ottoman can fit in those tight corners and double as a place to sit and storage container.

    A Mirror Window

A doorway window brightens up the entryway, but not every home is equipped with one. According to >MarthaStewart.com , you can create the window effect with bevel-edged mirrors. Mount four mirrors to the wall, leaving about an inch in between each frame to mimic windowpanes. Install a floating shelf underneath the grid of mirrors, about 3 feet off the floor. Paint it the same color as your walls to display a seamless built-in effect.

    Coat Rack

If your entry way is lacking a coat closet, mount a series of hooks and knobs on a wall near the doorway for hanging coats, purses and school bags. Don’t forget to mount round knobs at kid-friendly heights so your entryway doesn’t look completely windblown after the kids get home from school. If you do have a closet, store bulky coats there, but still hang hooks on the outer walls for guests and easy-to-grab items. For coat closet organization, utilize every space by securing hooks in the back of the door for extra hanging space.

    Shoe Station

A shoe station will stop muddy feet in their tracks, keeping your house clean and entryway organized. A boot tray filled with decorative stones gives snow or ice-covered shoes a place to melt without having them sit in a puddle. The moisture will drain through the rocks, eventually evaporating. If you want to be extra nice, keep a basket full of slippers next to the doorway and offer your guests a pair when they walk in.

    Organizational Basket Rack

A horizontally hung shelving unit complete with individual bins and pegs for each member of the family keeps things organized and easily accessible. For the main entrance, use wicker baskets to store purses, papers, homework assignments and shopping lists. Reserve a basket for items you want to >donate so you’ll always remember to grab that bag of used clothes or toys when you leave home. For a mudroom entrance, use sturdy-metal storage bins to place sports equipment, bags and shoes that are always underfoot. Magnets and photos can mark whose is whose, and don’t forget to assign one to your pet.