Organize + Energize: 6 Tips to Organize & Energize Your Entryway

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Kristin MacRae, GoLocalProv Organizing Expert

The entryway is the first area of the home that your guests see when they arrive. Are you tired of always stuffing items into the hall closet when you know guests are on their way? Are you tired of tripping over shoes when you walk in the door? Get organized and create a simple, peaceful entryway that will set the tone for the rest of your home.

Take inventory and organize your entryway. Here are 6 tips to get you started:

1. Seasonal clothes. It’s summer. Are your winter coats still hanging on hooks in the hallway? Are your winter boots still in view when you walk into the house? Gather all of your seasonal items. Organize and store them in labeled seal tight containers. When the seasons change, rotate the clothes.

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2. Shoes. Are your shoes thrown in the hallway closet? Are they in clear view when you walk in the door or stuffed in bins? How long does it take you to find a match to a shoe? Shoe racks are available in all shapes and sizes. Choose one that will hold what you need. Maximize your space and get your shoes on a shoe rack.

3. Sports equipment. Does your hallway look like a sporting goods store? Contain and organize sports equipment. You can organize the equipment in the hall closet. If you are short on space, think of another area in the home that is convenient for when you need to grab and go.

4. Odds and ends. These are things you drop by the doorway when you walk into your home. If there is a table or bench near the door, try not to make a habit of letting clutter take over. This space is great for keys, glasses, or other items that you grab and go on your way out the door. Take inventory of what is being dropped there. Think about developing a system for what is there and get all family members on board to not use this space as a drop spot for clutter.

5. Paper. Is paper one of those items you found at the entryway? Do you have a filing system in place? How are you functioning with the mail that arrives in your home? Get on track with your mail and get the paper under control by creating a filing system. Handle your mail as soon as it arrives. Your paper will never pile up again.

6. Décor and organizing products. Everybody gets excited when they are getting ready to organize an area. Just remember not to rush out and purchase furniture, wall hooks, shelves and other organizing products. Take inventory of the area. Declutter, organize, and then figure out what you need to purchase. You may think a shelf might work in the space, but realize after you take inventory that a shelf probably might not be the best option. Think about what you have, maximize the space and then purchase your products.

Take inventory of your entryway. What do you like? What do you want to change? Can you maximize your space? Ask yourself these questions and then create a calm, not chaotic entryway in your home.

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. She has appeared on air on Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio and her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start. She is also available for organizing workshops. Tune into her weekly radio show, Organize, Energize! on Mondays at 8:30am on http://www.talkstreamradio.com.

Organizing Products For Your Closet

Flip flop organizer

How many flip flops do you own? Are they thrown all over the closet floor? How long does it take you to find a match to one of them? Bed Bath and Beyond has a $9.99 flip flop organizer that holds 6 pairs of flip flops and hangs nicely in your closet. This is a must-have if you have more than 5 pairs of flip flops. I’ve purchased these for my clients and they work great!

Scarf organizer

You love your scarves, but it takes you forever to locate one and you have to throw 5 around to find the one you are searching for. Use a scarf organizer and you will be able to see all your scarves and find them at a moment’s notice. Bed Bath and Beyond has a few different types of scarf organizers, including this one for $9.99.

Belt organizer

How are you storing your belts? Are they in a tangled mess? Purchase a belt organizer for a cheap solution—they can be as inexpensive as $6.99 from the Container Store.

Tie organizer

Keep your ties organized and hanging on a tie rack, or keep then rolled in a drawer organizer. Whichever way you choose to organize them, treat them with care. To take care of both your belts and your ties in one fell swoop, check out this organizer from the Container Store.

Drawer organizer

This is a must for your underwear, socks, bras, nylons, etc. Drawer organizers will help to maximize space in your closet. You won’t believe the amount of space you will have once you contain these items in drawer organizers!

Jewelry organizer

Are you always trying to detangle your necklaces? Think about how you grab your jewelry and then purchase an organizing system according to how you function. Before you purchase your container, take inventory of what you own and purchase accordingly.

Shoe rack

Did you know people who didn’t own shoe racks were 7 times more likely to show up late for an event? Are your shoes in piles on the floor? Get them off the floor and contain them in a shoe rack. There are many options out there, like this one from Bed Bath and Beyond. Choose the shoe rack that is going to fit what you need to hold and fit in the space you are working with.

Hangers

Are you hanging your clothes on the wire hangers from the dry cleaner? Those hangers will ruin your clothes. Get rid of them and store your clothes on the hanger of your choice, but be consistent and stick with one type of hanger.

Handbags

How are you storing your handbags? Are they stored all over your closet? Are they in bins or crumpled up on the floor? It’s time to organize your bags. There are many options depending on the space you are working with. You can stand them up on a shelf, you can hang them, or if they are small, you can store them in a canvas bin. The choice is yours. Think about how you function and develop a system from there.

Baseball cap organizer

How many baseball caps do you own? How are they organized in your closet now, and how long does it take you to find one? The Container Store (pictured here), Bed Bath and Beyond, and other stores sell this baseball cap organizer. I have a few clients that have purchased them and they love them!

Function over flash

There are many variations on these products. Choose the product that is right for you. There are some organizing products I would never use, but other people might choose to use them. Choose the one that is going to be the most efficient and productive product for you and your family. Don’t choose a product because it’s pretty, choose it based on functionality. Search online for different products before you rush out and purchase a product. You may find that one store is more expensive than another. Don’t forget if you are going to Bed Bath and Beyond to use their 20% off coupons. If you don’t want to purchase these items, get creative and re-purpose items around the home, or make your own!

Kristin MacRae

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. She has appeared on air on Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio and her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start. She is also available for organizing workshops. Tune into her weekly radio show, Organize, Energize! on Mondays at 8:30am on www.talkstreamradio.com.