Managing Clutter in the Front Foyer

Foyers are often an extremely busy area of the home. It can be hard to keep the area neat and tidy with people coming and going all day long. One way of managing the mess in the front foyer is to plan ahead for storage, so that you have a designated place for everything that might people might need to store. Once you have designated storage spots, items that used to end up piled on a table, or worse yet on the foyer floor, will have a neat storage area of their own.

Determining Your Storage Needs

The first step in designing a neater foyer is determining what type of things your family tends to let lying around. Many times coats, jackets, gloves and hats are an issue in the foyer, with piles of clothing forming stacks on the foyer table. Boots, wet shoes and umbrellas are another common problem, not only making a mess in the foyer, but allowing dirt and grime to be tracked throughout the house. If you have children, school papers, books and book bags are also common items that are found in haphazard locations within the foyer, creating not only an unsightly mess, but also a safety hazard. Other common items that can create a mess in the foyer include car keys, brief cases, pet supplies such as leashes, and incoming and outgoing mail.

Designing a Place for Everything

There are several storage techniques that can be used effectively in almost any foyer area, no matter how small. Designating an area to hang coats and store hats, gloves and scarves is very important. If you have a closet in the foyer, make sure there are adequate hangers and space for all family members and guests to hang their coats. Use a hanging shoe rack with fabric pockets on the inside of the closet door to provide a quick and easy way to store gloves, scarves and hats. Assigning certain pockets to different family members can be a good way of insuring good organization. If you have smaller children, assign them the lower pockets so that they can put away their belongings themselves. Decorative wall hooks from your favorite wall art decor store makes the space neat and stylish.

Protect Your Home from Dirt and Water

Dealing with wet or dirty items such as boots, shoes and umbrellas can be easy if you have a boot tray, umbrella stand, or a storage bench that has a shelf underneath for storing shoes. A nice welcoming touch for the foyer is to also keep slippers handy so that when family members come home, they can remove their dirty shoes and slip into their comfortable slippers. Using a boot rack will also protect the flooring in the foyer area, and prevent dirt from being tracked throughout the house.

Organizing Small Items

Using a table in the foyer can be a great way to keep smaller items organized. A table with small drawers is perfect for items such as keys, the garage door opener, compact umbrellas, dog leashes, and other items that you need to grab quickly as you leave the house. Baskets and bins on top of the table are also handy. If you don't have a table, consider adding a wall shelf or use a wall-mounted hook or peg rack, equipped with small hanging baskets to organize small items.

Now that the area is neat and orderly, add some decorative touches like a wall mirror and wall sconces for candles and your front foyer will be more appealing than ever.