This area tends to be one that is always a challenge to figure out. Piles of shoes, jackets, winter gear.... The most unsightly of items, yet a crucial place in our home. Many times, this area just isn't big enough and space both on the floor and the wall is somewhat limited. Which typically requires some critical thinking!
Elisabeth had a similar situation, and shared her story with me:
Hi!
I am totally new to your blog. I found it from a friend of a friend of a friend's blog. You get the idea, right? Anyway, a while back i used one of those over the door shoe organizer thingies in our hall closet and it changed my life! You can read about it here: http://bovagoods.blogspot.com/
Love your blog and can not wait to spend some time devouring it!
XO,
Elisabeth
The key sentence that stood out for me was, "Changed my life!" That's what it's about! Finding simple solutions that make a positive impact to your life and your home.
Elisabeth blogged:
If there is one thing I would change about my house it's that we don't have a mud room or a downstairs laundry room. We have a tiny coat closet and some peg boards that my husband crafted, but that is it. The door from the garage enters right-smack-dab into our kitchen. We typically take our shoes off when we come inside and it ends up looking like this:
This is our "shoe corner". It's barely even a corner and resides in the main traffic area of our kitchen/family room. You can see that i made an attempt with a cute market tote but alas...the shoes end up spilling over onto the floor. The other day I was at Walmart and spotted this. A basic over-the-door shoe rack {it's cheaper in the store than online}. Why didn't i think of this before? Brilliant! Now our shoes are nicely organized and hidden away in the coat closet. I love this solution because it doesn't take up floor space, the shoes are easily accessible - no more digging through the market tote looking for a lost shoe, they are hidden away from sight, and Lucy and Eloise can easily reach their shoes on the bottom four rows. When Eloise walked in the door from school the other day she yelled, "What happened to the shoe corner?" I was happy to tell her it is no more!
I seriously had to look back and forth at those pictures to see if it was the same space! All the difference one shoe rack can make. It's the finds and solutions like that, that make my day. And it's why IHeart Organizing! You can feel the difference that one investment will make for her family!
And don't you just adore those pegs her hubs installed? Genius. And the blue walls... pitter patter! And if you think she did a great job here, wait til you check out more of her blog, she is an organizing guru. She even did a major clothes organizing overhaul that had me mega impressed!
So let's talk entrances today. How in the world do you keep yours in order? IHeart Organizing, but entries can be a thorn in my side... well, maybe I am bitter since our front door opens to the top of our stairs and gives us a landing that's only 3 feet 3 inches wide. Yep. And it's the first impression when you walk into the home... one little landing and one wall.... urg. So I really gotta snag up some additional insperation from you fabulous friends!
And a button for you!
And what's your favorite part from today's Reader Space? The incredible change one quick update can make? The lovely colors in her home? Those pegs on the wall? What simple solution was a life changer for you?
P.S. Have an awesome organizing story to share? I am looking for projects that have made a positive impact to your life. Please send your story and photos to iheartorganizing@gmail.com and I would heart to feature them right here, on the blog!! Photos should be high resolution and un-editted. Please include a description of the project, including any costs, inspiration, and how it has changed your routine for the better is so helpful! Oh, and no worries my friends, we will NEVER judge "before" pictures because that just wouldn't be nice! Only love goes on at this blog!
Jen I have a very small landing too. We have a Hi-Ranch, so I completely understand the thorn in your side, because I have a thorn in my side too. No "hall" coat closet either. I can't wait to see what your reads come up with. All we have behind the door is a coat hooks and that is it. It does help with the coats though.
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome! I think it has inspired me to go buy one of those over the door shoe racks also... great idea!! I will have to take pictures and link it up here!
ReplyDeleteI also have no closet yet our entry is right into our kitchen - there isn't a real space for shoes so I'm hoping I see some inspiration to help me out.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! We have no front hall or back hall! We have no coat closet either! But I made a little "area" at the back door for shoes and hooks on the door and next to the door for coats and backpacks.
ReplyDeleteIn the front we have shoe mats for messy shoes and an antique coat rack for extra coats. I would love a bench or something but I cannot for the LIFE of me figure out how that would fit at either door!
when we moved into our new house, the only eyesore for me was that the entryway is super small - no lobby or area to really place an entry bench or a storage unit for shoes. the coat closet is a little further down into the living room, but i wanted something closer to the door. here's what i have adopted - THE IKEA HEMNES shoe cabinet. I can send you a picture of how it looks in my living space tomorrow. But do check it out, its sleek, really thin and awesome!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing, I can't believe I didn't think of this before, it seems so simple, isn't that what a closet is for!?! My entryway looks just like Elizabeth's, "shoe corner" and all! I can't wait to go home, put the shoes in the closet (that is all of 4 feet away), get rid of the overflowing basket and put something cute in it's place!
ReplyDeleteI love a good shoe-loution =) bahaha!
ReplyDeleteYou inspire so many people Jen! Way to go! <3
xoXOxo
Jenn @ Peas & Crayons
This is my biggest problem area as well, and I can't wait to look through all these fabulous ideas and see if anything will work for my space too! Thanks so much for the great post! :)
ReplyDeleteJo @ Squeaky Clean!
www.squeakycleanlife.blogspot.com
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi Jen!I have been reading your blog and just joined...I am in the middle of a whole "home" re-do and it consumes me but I love it...you offer encouragement and great ideas..I blog about my life and everyday journey at http://mydailyphotojourney.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to sharing some of your "fantastic" ideas that helped organize my life...It's always good to pass on a good word..
Thanks for sharing!!
Denyse...xoxo
Wow the after pics are amazing! Way to go Elisabeth! Thanks for sharing Jen!
ReplyDeleteI love those shoe racks! I have one in our bedroom for my shoes! It's definitely a life saver!
ReplyDeleteI added my link called "Budget Entry Way" that I did a few weeks ago. I've since added a basket for shoes under my bench!
Jennifer B.
thanks jen for sharing my space today! i should tell you...the reason you had to look back and forth to see if it was the same space is because it's not the same space. :) the "shoe corner" was right in the kitchen. annoying! the coat closet and pegs are right around the corner. ahhhhhh....much better! ;) and i am happy to say that this system has worked and worked and worked! as i write this, there are NO shoes laying in the "shoe corner"...yea! thanks so much to you and to your readers for all of your sweet words. i heart you all!
ReplyDeleteJust got my This Old House magazine in the mail today and they are featuring hard working rooms . . . which of course is the mud room or entry. Check it out! Lots of great ideas!
ReplyDeleteIs it me or do Jenn's travel in packs? Thanks for hosting this party! Love your site, just found it and I will be back:)
ReplyDeleteAwesome change.
ReplyDeleteI used the shoe organizer thing from Ikea to corral my scarves/mittens etc. My sister is a knitter, so i always had a lot of sets. They were always getting lost. So I put up one of the organizers and now each set has a slot. In the morning I could just dash in the closet and get a matching set.
Now that i are in a warm climate, I use it for other purposes. The slots are the perfect size for onesies, swim suits, cloth diapers, possibilities are endless.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10185588
Thanks for this inspiration! Our entry is always messy, though we have a small closet with shoe-storage in it! I definitely have to change that this year AND I definitely have to get a "door shoe organizer thingy"! :-)
ReplyDeleteXOXO, Silvie from Germany
I love your blog!
I have the same issue with my shoes! I live in a small single apartment room and I don't have a closet so I found this stackable and adjustable shoe rack www.flexishoerack.com that has saved my floor space! It feels great to see my floor again :]
ReplyDeleteI definitely need to take a picture and post it!
Loving the organized life!
Maria