First impressions are made within 7 seconds, and the entryway is what you first see when you (& guests) walk into your home. This space is your landing and launch pad, and you want it to work for you!
So lets declutter, clean, and reorganize it! This is one of the easiest and fastest rooms to declutter making it a great way to get warmed up.
1) Start Prepared
Collect a box or bag for donations, trash and a “this belongs in a different room” basket.
2) Declutter By Category Grab all your jackets; find every single one, even if they are not in the entryway at the moment or are out of season, its vital you see all of your outerwear together. If you rely on memory, you will undoubtedly forget pieces and end up keeping more than necessary (I promise its worth it). Next, separate the jackets into piles per family member and ruthlessly evaluate what you need, use, and love. Once complete do the same for shoes, accessories, work bags, pet supplies etc.
3) Air It Out
Once the space is cleared out, give it a good cleaning, especially the back corners or walls of a front closet that might never see the light of day.
4) Separate Seasonal Items (if necessary)
Evaluate if your “keep” pile of jackets and accessories can functionally fit in the space. If you have a ton of winter wear, or biking equipment for the summer, this may need to be stored elsewhere off season (think garage, bedroom or spare closet, but a dedicated space you can access when the seasons change).
5) Find a Home When reorganizing, find a home for every normal item. Those expensive sunglasses and wireless headphones? Give them a home. Gum, giftcards, annual passes, charge cords, diaper bags, whatever, if you want them in the entry way, give them a spot.
Repeat after me: IF SOMETHING DOESN’T HAVE A HOME IT WILL END UP ON THE FLOOR (or worse, the kitchen counter).
It is also important to be honest, if you know you have a pair of “everyday” shoes you will want to slip on fast, designate an easy spot for them (gasp – it won’t look like a magazine but its real life).
6) Improve Functionality Consider what you could ADD to the space to make life easier. Maybe a charging station for phones would be ideal! If you can squeeze in a full-length mirror, do it! We have chosen to keep our toddler’s socks in tiny basket at the front door rather than in his dresser and that saves us trips to his bedroom.
7) Pilot your new entry Tweak your space as needed over the next few days until you are happy.
Top 3 Tips:
Hook everyday items; on the wall, behind the door, using a coat rack or even removing the closet bar to line the interior with hooks! If you have littles, hang hooks at their level. Bonus tip: Thread a thin keyring or ribbon loop through the small hanging tab at the back of children's jacket collars to make it easier for them to hang up their items.
Good shoe organization is a must. Here is a well rated shoe cabinet for small spaces from IKEA. Bonus tip: Store kids shoes in plastic bins at the door where your children can easily access and put shoes away. When the bins get dirty, hose them off. Otherwise, designate a spot for their items specifically.
“You don’t have a bowl, you should get a bowl” -Sheldon Cooper. Wallets and keys need a home. Find a beautiful bowl, tray, hook, or box in a drawer. Stop the frenzied coat pocket searching!
Final thoughts:
A friend recently sent me a post that said to put a smile on your face when you walk through the door to see your spouse/family; this one act can impact the mood of the whole home, and although a small and simple act, done every day, it’s a creates a lifetime of happier moments. I loved this call to live more intentionally, and without a doubt its easier to do when you aren’t tripping over others shoes!
Are you ready to improve first impressions and the functionality of your home? Lets get started!
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