For many parents, just the thought of back-to-school triggers fears of clutter and disarray.
Whether fishing through a pile of shoes in the morning or navigating the dumping ground of school bags at the end of the day, the foyer can be a place of pride or disaster. But there’s no reason to fret, says decorator Laura Boisvert. There are many affordable solutions; it’s just a matter of pulling together the right items to create an organized space.
“When I get calls from clients with children, they are ripping their hair out because the mud room doesn’t work or the front entrance is like a nightmare,” she says.
Children come with a lot of stuff — boots, bags, coats, hats, mitts, shoes, the list goes on. And the key, according to Boisvert, is to focus on keeping that stuff off the floor and nip any chance of clutter occurring in the bud.
“Have a place for everything,” she says. “Because it’s easy for chaos to ensue and everything is thrown into one pile. And there are many different ways that you can do this without having to spend a lot of money.”
Take advantage of as much wall space as possible, says IKEA’s Alicia Zoffranieri.
“This is (especially) important in small spaces,” she adds. “Be smart and prioritize what you will actually need to be part of the entryway, such as a coat rack, hooks for keys or shoe storage. You can find other spots in the home for the remaining items that do not need to sit in the entryway.”
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Boisvert offers some solutions to get you started.
Foot work: “Shoes get thrown in a closet and you can’t see them,” she say. A shoe bag organizer hanging on the back of a closet door allows you to see all of the shoes. If that solution is difficult for smaller children to reach, another option is a shoe cabinet at the front entrance to store the shoes you are wearing that season.
On the wall: A wall-mounted shelf that also has cubby holes in it and hooks underneath it helps control the chaos. Even better: double-hung hooks let you hang more, from umbrellas and coats to scarves and bags. “I use a lot of (double hooks) in my designs, not just for front entrances but for everything,” says Boisvert.
Have a seat: Add a seat that lifts, or a bench where you can put shelving underneath to store baskets, she says. If you want a more open-concept feel, choose floating cabinets or a floating console that has drawers. “It still has storage solutions, but it’s off the floor again, so it has a more open space with a less cluttered feeling.”
Dress it up: Although it’s a utilitarian space, have some fun, she says. “You can get interesting hooks and baskets in different colours with cool patterns on them.” If you have open shelving, put wallpaper on the back of it. Or add your children’s art work from school in frames and put them around the front entrance, she says. She also suggests a cork board to hang everything from your children’s art and photos to school notices and cleanup reminders.
Create a more airy feel with furniture that has function while being open to the floor. IKEA’s HEMNES shoe cabinet offers handy storage in a slim profile for tight spaces.
