The foyer is the first impression of your home. What is your home saying about you? Having a space that is decluttered and beautiful will create a welcoming space for your family and guests.
Usually, a small space in the house, keeping it tidy is possible when we have our organization elements in order. It helps us start the day with less frustration as we’re able to grab our bags and keys without looking for them all over the house.
Creating a functional foyer is possible once you have taken stock of space’s existing features and your family’s organizing needs. This entrance often doubles as a mudroom, so you may have to consider storage for sports equipment or winter coats and boots.
How to Start
- The available space is very important, you may have a big space that will allow you to be more flexible with your design, or you may just have to use one wall to organize everything.
- Assess your family’s organizing needs so that you can design with that in mind.
- Keep your design simple and stylish. We want this space to feel open and fresh.
Things to Declutter in Your Foyer
- Welcome mat: have a nice one, replace it when it looks all worn and tired.
- Junk mail: when the mail arrives, sort it out immediately and throw away all of the junk mail, if there are any receipts or mail that you have to address later, then put them in a drawer or in a basket and go through them on a weekly basis.
- Keys: don’t have a jumbled pile of keys, sort them out, put them in their respective keychain and label them. From now on, you won’t have any trouble finding your keys, especially if you have a set place where you always leave them, such as a tray in your entry table or in a decorative hook.
- Shoes: one thing is to have your boots in there for the cold weather and another completely different thing is to have a collection of everyday shoes that belong in your closet lying around the entrance. Keep only 1 pair and store the rest where they belong.
- Coats: donate those that you no longer use or like, and keep the rest on hooks on top of a bench or inside a small closet in the foyer.
- Gloves, hats, mittens: take inventory of what you have and streamline what you use the most and the rest can be stored away where your seasonal clothing belongs.
- Out of season outdoor wear: if we’re in summer, the winter items can be stored away, and if we’re in winter, it’s time to store the hats, pool inflatables, sunscreen, and bug spray. Check for the expiration date in these products before storing them again.
- Umbrellas: you don’t need every promotional umbrella that they’ve given you in every store, keep only a couple that you like and that are in perfect condition.
- Seasonal decor: keep updating your decor according to the seasons and store what you’re not currently using in their respective box or closet. Every time that you’re going to change your decor, ask yourself if you still want to keep it for another year, or if it’s time to donate it.
- Plants: plants bring great energy to your foyer because they represent living energy, that’s why we need to have healthy plants. If you have ugly, dried-up plants or a long stem with a lonely leaf, that would make your entry look very sad. Plastic plants look very artificial, so it’s better to have silk plants because they look more real. Also, prickly plants such as cacti look very aggressive, it’s better to have more rounded leaf plants.
- Hangers: if you have a small closet in your foyer to store boots and coats, check the hangers. Changing all of the hangers for more sturdy ones in a matching color can make a big difference in making the closet look more organized and fancy.
- Lights and lightbulbs: your home should have the same hue of light in all of its light fixtures. I prefer to have in my home a warm light instead of a white one that works best for an office setting. Having warm lights will make your spaces seem cozier. Change the lightbulbs so that they’re all matching and replace the old ones for some energy-saving ones. Take a look at your light fixtures: do you still like them? Are they rusty? Do they fit your style? Changing your lamps will create a great visual impact in your space.
- Bags and baskets: do you have lots of different bags and mismatched baskets to store all the items that you keep in your foyer? It’s time to streamline and get some really nice, coordinating baskets that will be visually appealing.
- Trays and hooks: do you have a tray for your dirty, dripping shoes? Do you have hooks to hang your coats? In what condition are they, do you need to change them?
- Bench or trunk: you can have a bench or a trunk that is fit for storage. Just be mindful of really using the things that you plan on storing there so that they don’t turn into stored clutter.
How to Design and Organize Your Foyer
An entry table: should be a statement piece that’s decorated with a vase of flowers, a sculpture, or a vignette of accessories. This shouldn’t be the catch-all from the rest of your home, but rather a well-curated table. If you need additional storage, you might consider having a console with drawers and doors. Never underestimate the impact that a simple welcome mat can have on the entry of your home, it can be monogrammed with the family’s initials, it can have a funny saying or a seasonal image.
Rugs: are a great decorative accessory that can set the tone for the rest of the home. They can be the inspiration for the color palette that you use, and also reinforce the style of the space: Is it rustic, farmhouse, contemporary or classic? Choosing a rug with the intention to set the tone of your space is a great way to create a beautiful and cohesive entry.
Mirrors: look great because they double the space and reflect the amount of light coming in. If you have a simple mirror, you can get creative and make it look fancier with these tips:
- Frame it with beautiful wood.
- Attach some crown moldings and paint them to suit your decor.
- Glue seashells around it.
- Glue twigs around it.
- Attach small ceramic tiles creating a mosaic pattern.
- Paint some leaves in the frame.
Puddle-proof boot tray: for the winter you’ll need a place to dry your shoes before they make their footprints to your living areas. Fill the tray with stones so that the shoes are able to drain, and clean it regularly.
Add texture: weathered wood, sisal rugs and chunky woven baskets will bring to your space that special warmth that only natural materials give.
Small closet: this can be very handy to have if space allows. You’ll be able to store and organize your bags, shoes, and coats.
Mudroom organizer: if you have a narrow space, a mudroom organizer is a great organizing system. Place a bench towards one wall and decorative hooks for hanging the coats. Arrange coordinating baskets under the bench or on a shelf on top of the hooks.
Maintenance Tips
- Place a mat on the outside and inside the entry door. These mats will catch most of the dirt, and can be easily hosed and cleaned.
- Once you have the furniture in place to cover your family’s organizing needs, all you have to do is return the items to where they belong: hang the coats in the hooks, place your shoes on the tray, use the decorative baskets for the kids’ stuff, etc.
- Regularly clean the boot tray because dirty water will settle in the bottom.
- Add a boot scraper near the door in snowy areas to encourage its use.
- Seasonally, give the mudroom a thorough cleaning to remove mildew and mold and declutter those items that you’re not going to be storing for the next year.
