Your hallway is the first thing you and your guests see when entering a home, but that also means that it’s often the most hectic - filled with everything from coats to shoes, keys and unopened post. Mine is the same, which is why I’ve always wondered how people with tidy hallways always keep them clutter-free with seemingly minimal effort.
Of course, there are certain things that people with a tidy home always have, but creating calm from the chaos in an entryway has always seemed like an impossible task to me. That’s why I’ve asked my most organised friends, family members and colleagues how they keep their hallways tidy amidst the comings and goings of everyday life.
But these aren’t the interior-design-approved hallway additions that make a home look beautiful. These are practical, space-saving, clutter-busting products and tools that help keep your hallway tidy with minimal effort on your part - and they’re well worth the investment.
1. A console table
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that perfectly tidy houses don’t exist - unless you have absolutely no possessions or belongings. That’s because everyday life requires many practical items that are rarely pretty but still need to be on hand. This is especially true in hallways, where you keep bunches of keys, piles of post, dog leads, gloves and more.
If these practical items don’t have a proper home, your hallway will look messier than it needs to, which is why people with a tidy hallway tend to add a console table to their space. If you buy one with integrated storage, like this Habitat Swen 1 Drawer Console Table (£140 at Argos), you can place these essentials in drawers and cupboards to keep them hidden, but still accessible.
As with a tidy living room, you can top this console table with a clutter bucket or key dish to not only add extra storage to hide essentials but also add visual intrigue and decor. But if you really don’t have space in a small hallway for an extra piece of furniture, a wall-mounted addition like this Keys Hanging Hook (£8 at Dunelm) can still work wonders.
This console table is slim enough for smaller hallways, and comes with a drawer to hide all of your practical but ugly essentials.
If you don't have space for a console table, simply hanging up your keys and organising your post and paperwork can still make a huge difference.
Bold and textured, this console table has fluted front drawers and a shelf below for you to add even more storage.
2. Two doormats
In my opinion, a tidy hallway is a clean hallway - and a doormat is one of the best ways to prevent mud, dirt, dust and other grime from entering your home. But you know what they say: two is always better than one.
That’s why you don’t need to choose between placing a doormat inside or outside your front door, as opting for both will keep it tidier and cleaner than ever. However, the key is to buy two different doormats, as indoor and outdoor mats serve different purposes. Outdoor doormats like this Habitat Welcome Natural & Black Short Pile Doormat (£6 at Argos) typically feature stiffer bristles and are much more durable, providing the first line of defence against outdoor dirt.
If I’m being totally honest, they’re also a lot uglier, so opting for both allows you to have a lot more fun with indoor doormats. You can opt for a colour or pattern that ties into your home decor to make the whole space look more cohesive and tidy.
This outdoor mat will add a pop of colour to your home's exterior, while also working hard to remove mud and grime from your shoes.
This neutral indoor doormat will blend into any home decor and has the added bonus of absorbing moisture quickly while also scraping off dirt from shoes.
William Morris prints are still just as popular as ever, and this doormat will make a statement either indoors or outdoors.
3. A shoe storage solution
One of my biggest pet peeves is having shoes strewn across the floor, as it makes the limited space look incredibly messy. And after adding what I thought would be a temporary shoe box to my home while hosting over Christmas, I’ve quickly realised why people with tidy hallways always have a shoe storage solution.
Over the festive period, my hallway was clutter-free and spotless because my guests removed their shoes at the door and placed them in the Storivo Shoe Organiser 2-Pack (£29.99 at Amazon) instead of leaving them on the floor. I’ve since ordered a second one to become a more permanent feature in my hallway, but there are also much prettier options out there, too.
You could opt for a shoe rack so all the shoes are open and accessible at all times, buy a shoe storage unit to hide the practicality, or go the extra mile to build a bespoke boot room elsewhere in your home. The opportunities are endless, and your tidy hallway will thank you for it.
This shoe storage unit will double up as a console table for a tidy hallway, and offers space for up to 20 pairs of shoes.
If you want your shoe storage open and accessible, this is a much better option than having your shoes thrown all over the floor.
This hallway shoe storage option is multipurpose. With space for shoes on the shelf and in the lift-up compartment, it'll also serve as a seating space.
4. A good-quality vacuum
Your hallway sees a lot of foot traffic. And while that foot traffic may be fleeting, it can still leave the space looking untidy and unclean. That’s why everyone with a tidy hallway needs a good quality vacuum cleaner that’ll keep on top of the mess.
What kind of vacuum you choose ultimately depends on your floor type, though. One of the best cordless vacuums will suit you if you have a mixture of carpet and hard flooring, or you may choose a vacuum mop, so you can also use one of the things people with a tidy kitchen always have.
I rely on my robot vacuum to keep my hallway tidy, as it can vacuum and mop simultaneously without my involvement. It also helps me stay on top of floor clutter, as a robot vacuum works best when it doesn’t have to navigate any obstacles.
A bestseller for a reason, this Shark vacuum cleaner is the perfect all-rounder. It's ideal for both hard flooring and carpet, and comes with two batteries for extra run time.
Crowned the 'best overall' vacuum mop I've tested, this model will vacuum and mop hard flooring and also vacuum area rugs if you have any in your hallway.
I've yet to find a robot vacuum cleaner that'll beat this one on power, and it offers impressive suction coupled with rotating brush rollers for dual-action cleaning.
5. A home for coats and bags
Keeping coats and bags by the front door is a no-brainer. You know where they are, and they’re easily accessible when you enter and leave your home. But bundles of coats and bags can make what could be a tidy hallway look incredibly messy - which is why they need a proper home.
How you organise your coats and bags depends on the space you have available. But if you have a larger hallway, I’d suggest opting for a freestanding coat rack or rail with hanging storage, and perhaps even a few shelves for shoes or storage baskets. These don't have to cost a fortune, and this VASAGLE Coat Rack from Amazon will set you back just £37.99.
If you need a small hallway storage idea instead, wall-mounted hooks can work just as well and don’t take up nearly as much space. Then, all you have to do is make sure that the rest of your family hangs their coats and bags up instead of simply throwing them over the bannister.
For those with limited floorspace, hooks like these can hold a few coats and bags - and it has a shelf for extra storage, too.
You can't go wrong with a classic coat stand. This one has 16 hooks at varying heights, so it can suit a wide range of coats, hats, scarves and more.
This storage option really does have it all - coat and bag hooks, shoe storage cupboards, and shelves for extra space.
Say goodbye to messy hallways!
