Organizing 2011: The Entryway
January 11, 2011Happy 1/11/11 to you!
Today, we’re talking entryways. Lisa Montanaro, “The Solutions Expert,” of LM Organizing Solutions has some really great ideas for us…
Depending on your home, it can be an entire mud room with lots of space, a formal foyer at the front of your house, a breezeway from the garage, or a portion of a hall in a small apartment. Regardless of where it is, or its size, if it is organized, your homecoming will always be less stressful, not to mention that you may actually want to have visitors over!
The following are some tips to help make your entryway more organized:
* If you have a front or back hall closet, use it for everyday outer wear for the current season only. Add a shelf, a shoe rack and any other organizing products that help contain clutter. If there is room, you can even add a hanging shelf system (a canvas one will work fine) for accessories to be handy, such as hats, umbrellas, scarves, and the like.
* If you are not lucky enough to have a closet in your entryway, then you need to create the storage system by using cubbies, pegs, a bench, a shoe drying mat, umbrella stand, hanging mail and key slot, etc. Make this your launching and landing pad for outerwear, knapsacks, briefcases, keys, etc.
* Accessories go in containers (baskets, bins, or any other type of container): gloves, hats, scarves. Organize by family member or by accessory category, whichever makes the most sense for your home and family.
* This may be a good place for a “return and repair center” if you have space. It is where you keep items that need to be returned to the store, the library, or to rightful owners that you borrowed them from. Likewise, you can store items to be repaired here so that you are reminded to grab them as you head out the door.
* You may opt for a hall table if you have room for a mail, key, wallet, and cell phone area.
* Put all keys in a small container and label the keys, either with a permanent marker or key tabs, so that you know what each key corresponds to. As a security measure, you may want to use a code instead of labeling the keys “back door,” garage,” etc.
Many thanks to Lisa Montanaro, “The Solutions Expert,” of LM Organizing Solutions for these fabulous ideas. Lisa publishes the monthly “DECIDE™ TO BE ORGANIZED” e-zine. Subscribe by visiting www.LMOrganizingSolutions.com. Lisa publishes a blog at WWW.DECIDETOBEORGANIZED.COM. Lisa is the author of the upcoming book “The Ultimate Life Organizer: An Interactive Guide to a Simpler, Less Stressful “. You can contact Lisa at (845) 988-0183 or by e-mail at Lisa@LMOrganizingSolutions.com.
What are your ideas for your entryway? What works for you?
Have a great day!
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Category: Organizing
Tags: " of LM Organizing Solutions, "The Solutions Expert, entryway, Lisa Montanaro, Organizing |
Debbie Stinson
on January 12, 2011 1:18 pmLove the idea of having everything by the door, so getting out the door is a cinch. The “repair and return” center is excellent! Think of all the hunting that will eliminate.
This is really one of the most important areas in the home because most of us are on the go so much.