Your entryway sets the tone for home. Are you the kind of person who needs cubbies and coat hangers at the front door? Or do you prefer a more chic runner rug and side table? It all depends on how you want to feel when you open the front door and kick off your shoes for the evening. One thing we can all agree on is that a clutter-free entryway has the biggest impact.
Beyond just first impressions, an entryway also serve as the rooms where we can shed our exterior layers and store our everyday belongings. It's important that they master both style and function. Organizing an entryway becomes even more important in fall, when we start to need coats and track muddy shoes into the house, and there are some common decluttering myths related to this space that can stand in the way of you starting the process. Professional organizers are here to debunk them to make this welcoming space to look as streamlined as possible.
1. You Have to Have All Your Decisions Figured Out
Myth number one: decluttering and minimalism is all about throwing things out. "Organizing is about finding a home for what you are keeping," says organization expert from Home to Home Organizing, Ben Soreff. "You want to put items where they belong and not where they fit." If an overflooding of unused coats and shoes is taking over your entryway space, there's no need to panic and start packing up the donation boxes.
Professional organizer, Tessa Hughes, says you shouldn't force yourself to make hard decisions. "Really, you may just have more clarity about whether to keep an item as time goes by," she says. There's no shame in tucking a jacket or pair of shoes you are unsure about into storage to make more space for what is needed in the meantime.
In the summer, your entryway does not need to be overrun with winter jackets, and vice versa for the winter season. Sourcing unique entryway storage, like elegant cabinets or console tables that can double as decor, will help streamline the area and minimize chaotic build-up.
2. You Need to Tackle the Whole Space in One Go
Beyond entryway storage mistakes, one of my most worrisome character traits is that I like to start a lot of projects, but never get around to finishing them. Projects always seem amazing at first, but as we lose interest in their completion, they fall slowly into the untidy void. It is easy to get excited about something, but dangerous if you focus on the end result more than the task at hand.
Ben explains that one of the key rules of cleaning up your entryway is to understand that it's all about time management. "Most people kick the can down the road and then try to clean the whole house in one day," he says. "In most cases, this will only lead to a job half-done. The best thing to do when decluttering is to budget your time to focus on one specific area of the house before moving on to the next."
3. You Need to Fill Your Entryway With Storage
As the saying goes: 'build it, and they will come', and it's much the same for introducing storage and furniture into an entryway. If it's there, you better believe you're going to fill it with something, so be mindful before filling every last gap in your entryway. "It's not always necessary to have a table in your entryway if it is not adding to or helping the space, for example," Tessa says.
Sometimes, especially in small entryways, Tessa says "a table can act like a magnet for clutter." Instead she recommends experimenting with stylish hooks or mail holders to make practical use of your wall space. These slim types of storage still give you a place to drop your keys, wallet, or sunglasses, but ensure that you are not nurturing an environment for unnecessary clutter.
All storage should be properly fitted to a space and easy to use. "The first step always needs to be figuring out the quantity of items that will live in the space based on your usage of them," says Ben. Built-ins and cabinetry are great ideas, but only if they fit the space. Finding underused storage spots around the home is a great way to combat bins and clutter from keeping your entryway unwelcoming.
Start your entryway decluttering by debunking the common decluttering misconceptions and create a clean and calming entrance room that welcomes people as they step into your home.
