If you always find yourself losing your keys, your purse, cellphone.. whatever. Or feel that you take 15 minutes longer to grab your stuff before leaving then you need to figure out a way to get organized the minute you get in the door, and before you leave.
Here are some tips on how to make your entry way functional.
Put a table by the door and place a large bowl or some sort of container on top
This will be your drop station for when you walk in the door.
However, I am not sure that you want to put it TOO close to the door. I heard that thieves can stick a hanger through the mail slot and lift your keys, so keep it far away.
Anyway, this is where you’d walk in the door, and put your purse, or empty your pockets.
Put your sunglasses, keys, cellphone, whatever, inside your own personalized bowl/box and when you need to find your purse, it’d always be in the same spot for when you want to find your cellphone or wallet.
And it’s convenient. Grab and go before you leave.
Think about some hooks in the entry way or behind the door
This is where you can come in, take off your coat, hang it on the hook and be done with it.
Especially if it’s a coat that you use a LOT.
Even if you have a front closet, I still like having hooks by the door because you don’t always want to keep hanging up your coat on a hanger every single time if you’re lazy like me.
Or use a chair!
We have the dining table and chairs by the door.
So when we get in the door, we take off our coats and boots, and toss the coats over our own dining chairs. A bit messy, but soooo convenient, and if we had company, we’d hang up our coats. 95% of the time? No one comes over.
Have a box/drawer in the table to drop your winter gear
I use the same table we have by the door to drop my mitts, scarf and earmuffs.
It’s large enough to put my stuff on top but I would have liked a real table with actual drawers so that I could drop my stuff in there so that it’s out of sight.
Think about a charging station by the entry way if you don’t have one already
My charging station is a power bar that I plug into the wall.
Then I arrange and I plug in all the charging cords for all my gadgets, and pull the ends up around the back so that the wires are all hidden and neat.
So when I come in the door, I empty my pockets/purse, plug in my cell, or whatever I want to charge and leave it.
Some people like it by the entry way and others like it by their laptop/office. Whichever makes you more comfortable.
Here are some pictures of fancy entryways for inspiration
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We have hooks by the front door to hang our key rings and dog leashes. We’re both pretty good about hanging coats in the front closet (unless they’re wet, then they go on a dining room chair. I keep my purse in the same spot, a standing cabinet near my bed. Hubby stashes his items in the kitchen, because that’s where he charges his phones. Though, a catch-all would be a good idea there.
The entry way cups and hooks are all from an Apartment Therapy Post that you can check it out here.
The bowls are all from individual artisans and are handmade so they don't make them any more…
Try Etsy, West Elm, Container Store, Crate & Barrel, Ikea.. you're going to find similars there.
This is a helpful post.
Now that I live alone I find that I have to be more organized with my stuff because now I can’t blame anyone else for moving my stuff. 🙂
I am completely with the table idea.
When I get my own home, I want a shabby french style table/dresser like this one… http://a1egypt.egyptgiftshops.com/images/Crafts/shabby5.jpg
With an antique style mirror and a vase with orchids.
Lol, I have it all planned out, even the wall colours and the style of chandelier. (This one 😀 http://thelavenderbarnshop.co.uk/images/STN174.jpg )
Great post! Those mug hooks are awesome – any idea who makes them? I also like the last picture – it would be ridiculously easily to replicate at home using a cheap shelf from Target or Staples.
I love this post. I was looking for ways to organize my new place. Awesome!
I love, love, love organzing things!
I always tell my BF that he needs to get an organizer for the front door because he constantly misplaces his keys.
Here's another good idea!
http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?searchId=18751630&itemIndex=3&CATID=64182&PRODID=10015871
Love this post! I plan on creating a spot near my door soon because I am always losing my keys!
This is such a great post! I especially love the large bowl idea–so simple, yet it makes such a difference. We currently have this problem in our home. Everything ends up on the dining table because it is the closest surface to the door. We are moving to a bigger house next week, and I can’t wait to design the entryway.
please post sources…..i especially love the flat “bowl” with pears and the wooden and envelope mail catchers. Thanks!
I wish I had enough room by my front door to do this! I have a hook, where I hang our keys & purse. But I perfer nice table or something!
I have a hook at my front door…and a table! Both totally work wonders, especially since I keep everything I usually need when I go out on the table (purse, transpass, etc.)
I have key hooks at my front door…it saves me 10 minutes of dumping and searching thru my purse.
FB – Yes! Love this post! A couple months ago I finally rearranged my room to give myself a place to put things when I walked in. I put a small bookshelf near my entryway, so I can drop off keys, access cards, wallet, phone, etc. and not clutter up my desk. And it makes it much easier to just “grab ‘n go” in the morning.
My only concern is that the pictures you included make me jealous – I wish I could have cools bowls and a nice entryway like that! Oh well, maybe I’ll have to hit up a garage sale or something…
love it! Thanks for the great ideas. 🙂
So, where can we buy some of these fabulously-pictured items? I’m particularly a fan of the coffee mug hooks.
I have something like that in my room too. I call it a “drop zone” and totally encourage people to have it in their homes at their entry way.
It’s also great to put a mirror so you can check yourself before going out. And an umbrella stand is such a nice thing to have too.
I love the idea of a charging station. My charging station is just a charger on the floor. ^_^;