Back To School: Our Organized Entry

This week we have been focusing on heading back to school, since my kiddos officially start next week.  Back to school time is a really great time to organize, since schedules change and family needs change.

I mentioned back in May, that one of our top projects this year, was to implement some sort of a designated cubby system for the boys.  We were looking to create a zone in which each boy could place their school belongings and daily gear.  Up until now, they have put their boots and shoes by the entry, coats in the coat closet, and backpacks, school gear, etc... in piles.  It wasn't the most effective setup, and we have been brainstorming ways to manage it for years.  And when I say years, that is no exaggeration.

My original intention was to replicate some of the beautiful and lovely cubby systems, that I often see on Pinterest and BHG.

{source}

We have been dreaming of a similar setup for as long as I can remember, it was just going to be a matter of time and money.

And earlier this summer, my hubs gave me the thumbs up.  He was finally ready and eager to build me my long awaited cubbies.

But as we started talking, project planning, creating a cubby wishlist, etc... we realized our only solution was to place them in the garage.  There is absolutely no other wall in our home, without a major renovation, that would be suitable candidates for the cubbies.  Really wanting to move forward with the project in the garage, in the end, it just didn't make sense.  We live in the Midwest where for about 7-8 months out of the year, we experience cold temps, some extreme.  We get massive amounts of snow and freezing temps.  So boots and gear in the garage in the winter wouldn't be very nice to the kids.  Time to think up a new plan.

Then, the BHG photo shoot happened and I decided that if I wanted to have a cubby system before school, that I might just have to purchase something that would solve our problems, vs. taking on another DIY build project.  I already had my hubs working on finishing doors and trim in the lower level and installing new wood stairs, while also installing some other DIY features to my studio {which I will share in an upcoming post}.  There are times where I just need to pick my battles, and buy something instead of build it; so that is what we did.

When it came time to finding the perfect solution, it didn't take long.  I often roam the display floor at IKEA looking for ideas and at all of their furniture options, and often would stop and admire their BESTA line.  In fact, when readers ask me for awesome toy storage solutions, I often revert to the BESTA line, since it is much more deep and sturdy than typical bookcases.  You can mix and match finishes and features to achieve your desired outcome, I was looking to create something similar to this:

Three separate spaces to keep everything kid related.  Nice and concealed.  I knew I would need room for baskets, backpacks, lunchboxes, their study boxes and boots.  After measuring, we took several pieces home {two units - this one and this one, doors and legs} and assembled it {I will spare you those boring details}.

So, our entry went from this...

To this:

The larger unit absolutely filled up the hip wall space far better than the previous falling apart console table did and provided me with all the concealed storage I was hoping for.  I am beyond in love and smitten for this huge update!

And when I say it packs a lot of storage punch, that is no joke.  Each "cubby" or cabinet is set up exactly the same.  One for each boy.

So what are all of those goodies?  Let's chat about each.

The top blue box is their "study box".  A box that contains everything they need to do their homework each night.  A notebook, writing utensils, erasers, etc...  Each night they can bring their individual boxes to the kitchen table to do their work, and when they are done, the boxes tuck neatly back in their cubby.

The smaller blue basket is for the boys to keep any portable devices.  We do not allow the boys to be on these unless they are traveling, so we installed a cord to each basket to allow for the devices to charge in-between rides.

The lower green basket holds their boots.  Since our entry shoe storage cabinet doesn't accommodate the large, wet, cold footwear, I thought a simple plastic basket would do the trick.

The baskets were from Target a few months back, I scooped them up at the same time I was working on the kids playroom.

Their backpacks and lunchboxes tuck nicely into the remaining area of the cubby.

The clipboards started out as cheapo plain Target clipboards, that I dressed up with some pretty contact paper {found here}.  Updating the clipboards was was super simple, just trace the clipboard, cut and attach the contact paper.  Easy to clean, easy to change!

The reason I wanted to attach the clipboards to the door, is because I wanted an easier way to corral all of the kids current "action" documents for school.  We were keeping them inside of folders in their study box, and my thoughts were that the clipboards would keep things in site and easier to grab in a jif.  After our recent school open house night, we accumulated quite a few papers and I put them to the test.

They hold a great amount of weight/papers and are mounted on the cabinet door with simple Command Hooks.

Soooooo in love!

We are feeling nice and prepared the new school year now!  I am beyond thrilled that the kids have their own designated areas for their belongings in our entry and it is all nicely tucked away and concealed, no one would ever know all of the awesomeness happening behind those doors, which is my favorite part!

As we made the decision to say farewell to the large, built in cubby dream, I was a little disappointed and sad inside, but I insisted on using the ideas and practicalities of the inspiration photos to create something equally as amazing with what items made sense for our home and family.  Although not necessarily a traditional "mudroom" or "entry", it is working well for us.  Smiles all around!

Of course, no project is ever done.  I still have more up my sleeves.  Like finding a creative way to dress up those cabinet fronts, maybe add individual labels or photos... only time will tell!

I am looking forward to checking out all of the great ways you all have been preparing for back to school by scouring through the link party this weekend!  If you haven't linked up your posts yet, you still have a few more days before the party closes.

I also wanted to take a moment to say thank you for all of your kind comments after I revealed my brother's apartment update.  I know I have a few questions to answer, and I will be sure to make time to do that this weekend as well.  You all made my heart fill with warmth and I adore you to pieces!

Have a safe and happy holiday weekend!

UPDATE: IKEA occasionally makes changes to their site and product names.  Below is an updated link list to similar items to create the credenza cubbies.

FRAME
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40299890/
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20245964/#/30245850

DOORS (similar):
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60291845/

TOP:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20196529/

LEGS (similar):
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10293564/