Do you ever feel dragged down when you’re entering and leaving your home? Have coats and shoes and random things started to pile up near the door? If so, you are not alone! This is the biggest problem area for most people, including me. Read on to see how to organize your entryway so you love coming home.

First, Identify What’s There

Gather up the items and sort them like with like. By identifying the categories of things that collect near the door, you can figure out the best home for them.

Next, Identify Your Behaviors

Think about your habits when coming and going. Do you like to drop things on the floor and kick off your shoes right when you come in the front door? Do you tend to set your purse on the dining room table, or your phone and keys on the mantle? Do all these things end up driving you crazy? The good news is, behaviors can be changed, and identifying them is the first step!

After that, Designate Storage to Fit Your Behavior

Find a storage solution to adjust your behavior. For example, if you like putting your phone on the fireplace mantle, is there a drawer nearby when you could make room for it instead? If you like putting your purse on the table, maybe there’s a closet nearby where you can place a purse hook?

Finally, Embrace Your Space

Our home doesn’t have a formal entry. It opens right into the living/dining area, so it’s even more important not to have it cluttered with a bunch of stuff. Work with the space you have to make the most of it.

Here are a few entryway storage options I love:

A Shoe Bench

For us, shoes kept piling up near the door. I found this to be messy, and unsightly. Who wants to stare at a stinky pair of shoes right when they walk in the door? On the other hand, I didn’t want my kids walking around the house with muddy shoes either. I needed something close to the door that would keep the shoes contained but out of sight. As a bonus, I also wanted something I could sit on when putting on and taking off shoes.  Enter the “shoe bench”! I only wished I’d discovered it sooner.

Tip: I lined the interior of the bench with an unused, plastic lid from a storage container. It catches the wet and dirty bits from the shoes and I can take it out and wash it when needed. Check out all these adorable and useful shoe benches at Target!

(now you see ’em)

(now you don’t!).

A Shelf Unit

One of my clients chose this shelf unit near the entry to her garage. Each person in her family has a labeled hook and a place for their shoes and hats. Bonus points if you apply the one in one out rule to this area. One coat on the hook, one coat goes to the coat closet. That way, they don’t all stack up. Though my client’s husband had a charming solution for his hats– literally stacking them up!

A Junk Drawer

I love having a drawer in my kitchen for my keys, wallet, pens, etc near the entry so these things have a home. You can read all about how to organize your junk drawer, here.

A Rolling Cart

Our coat closet doesn’t have a shelf for grocery totes, hats and gloves. So, I use a rolling cart like this, to keep these things organized. It works really well! My kids can also reach them easily.

I hope this gives you some ideas for how to organize your entryway so you love coming home! Now while you’re at it, why not sweep and de-clutter the front porch and put out a cute wreath, potted plant, and welcoming doormat? It will give you and your guests a little happiness boost right away!

Here’s mine:

With Heart,

Lauren