Organize + Energize: 6 Tips to Organize & Energize Your Entryway
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
The entryway is the first area of the home that your guests see when they arrive. Are you tired of always stuffing items into the hall closet when you know guests are on their way? Are you tired of tripping over shoes when you walk in the door? Get organized and create a simple, peaceful entryway that will set the tone for the rest of your home.
Take inventory and organize your entryway. Here are 6 tips to get you started:
1. Seasonal clothes. It’s summer. Are your winter coats still hanging on hooks in the hallway? Are your winter boots still in view when you walk into the house? Gather all of your seasonal items. Organize and store them in labeled seal tight containers. When the seasons change, rotate the clothes.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST2. Shoes. Are your shoes thrown in the hallway closet? Are they in clear view when you walk in the door or stuffed in bins? How long does it take you to find a match to a shoe? Shoe racks are available in all shapes and sizes. Choose one that will hold what you need. Maximize your space and get your shoes on a shoe rack.
3. Sports equipment. Does your hallway look like a sporting goods store? Contain and organize sports equipment. You can organize the equipment in the hall closet. If you are short on space, think of another area in the home that is convenient for when you need to grab and go.
4. Odds and ends. These are things you drop by the doorway when you walk into your home. If there is a table or bench near the door, try not to make a habit of letting clutter take over. This space is great for keys, glasses, or other items that you grab and go on your way out the door. Take inventory of what is being dropped there. Think about developing a system for what is there and get all family members on board to not use this space as a drop spot for clutter.
5. Paper. Is paper one of those items you found at the entryway? Do you have a filing system in place? How are you functioning with the mail that arrives in your home? Get on track with your mail and get the paper under control by creating a filing system. Handle your mail as soon as it arrives. Your paper will never pile up again.
6. Décor and organizing products. Everybody gets excited when they are getting ready to organize an area. Just remember not to rush out and purchase furniture, wall hooks, shelves and other organizing products. Take inventory of the area. Declutter, organize, and then figure out what you need to purchase. You may think a shelf might work in the space, but realize after you take inventory that a shelf probably might not be the best option. Think about what you have, maximize the space and then purchase your products.
Take inventory of your entryway. What do you like? What do you want to change? Can you maximize your space? Ask yourself these questions and then create a calm, not chaotic entryway in your home.
Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. She has appeared on air on Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio and her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start. She is also available for organizing workshops. Tune into her weekly radio show, Organize, Energize! on Mondays at 8:30am on http://www.talkstreamradio.com.
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