So, it's April and the anxiety of not meeting the organizational goals you set for NYE for your home is at the front of your brain. Fret not! The best practice I've preached time and time again is to start simply with one room or space in your home. The goal is to just finish that. Rome was not built in a day.
One of the most highly trafficked parts of our home is the entryway/foyer. It’s the first place you step into when you get home and the last place you’re in when you head out the door. It's one of the most common rooms to collect and store items, besides the basement or attic. It's also the easiest space to get disorganized with piles of shoes, misplaced keys, and mishandled outerwear.
Here are some fun ideas and things to consider to jumpstart a tidier, more functional entryway.
Start to organize your entryway on a practical level. What do you automatically find yourself keeping by the door? What do you always forget?
For many people, this includes their keys, wallet, purse, shoes, and weather-related items like sunglasses or an umbrella. When you’re trying to get out the door, the last thing you want to be doing is running around to different parts of your house or worrying about whether you have everything you need.
Next, consider what habits you would like to start incorporating into your day more. Organize your entryway to facilitate those habits.
Perhaps you have always told yourself that you want to start a specific habit, like spending more time in nature, but you’ve never been able to start the habit. Your entryway offers an opportunity to store items in an easy-access location. So, if you want to get outside more, think about what you need to make this habit more effortless and streamlined. Maybe you keep a tote bag on a hook by the door, fill it with essentials like bug spray, sunscreen, and a picnic blanket, and keep your sneakers underneath it.
You could apply the same strategy to any habit that involves getting out of the house. Here are some more fun ideas to get you inspired:
A gym bag with an extra pair of clothes, hair ties, deodorant, and an energy bar.
Your library books that need to be returned
Items that you’d like to donate or exchange
Reusable shopping bags
Just be careful to not fill your entryway too much, especially if you have a lot of household members. You want to be intentional about the specific habits you would like to focus on building for yourself and your family. If the space becomes too full, it will be more difficult to use, and that will defeat its purpose.
How would you like to feel when you get back home or leave for the day? How would you like other people to feel when they walk into your home?
It might be nice to bookend your day with words, images, and decorations that inspire you or make you feel safe and welcome.
Maybe you’ve been finding yourself craving comfort and stability. You could consider putting pictures of your family and friends on the wall by the door to remind you of your support network as you leave the house. If it works for your space, soft, warm lighting, such as fairy lights, would also provide a cozy, comfortable feeling.
Or, perhaps you are in a chapter of growth and exploration. If this is the case, you could hang up images from your vision board, such as places you’d like to visit, the type of lifestyle you’d like to have, or inspiring quotes. Maybe you put a chalkboard on the door with reminders and affirmations that resonate with you.
Lastly, here are my best entryway organization tips and products that will help you make your entryway vision come to life.
Decorative/name-plated wall hooks or door hooks for light outerwear, keys, and masks.
Large, sleek, brass nails are a nice simple touch for hanging the same items.
A jar or attractive catch-all container for pocket coins.
Attractive steel or wooden baskets for gloves, hats, and scarves.
Expandable shoe rack (be mindful not to get one that's too big. We don't want the household thinking this entryway is a personal closet. There should always be space on this rack for guests if they would like to remove their shoes at the door).
If you want more assistance in organizing and styling your entryway, or any room in your house that you’d like to get started with, contact me!
You can also follow me on Instagram @morespace_organizing for more tips and inspiration or tag me with a picture of your entryway. I would love to see it.