By Joy at the Southern Schoolhouse
Quick Sort:
One thing I have learned as a mama living in a smaller space with a larger family is that you cannot organize clutter, especially hallway clutter. Too much stuff, is too much stuff; no matter how many cute containers you buy. You must purge and purge often. You must think critically about what items should take up precious square footage in your home. I always think through the lens of the following questions: Is it useful?…Is it pretty?…Do I love it? If any of these questions are a no, it needs to go. Rarely do I miss what has been purged and the feeling of space and peace is well worth the sacrifice.
As I organize or reorganize a space, I always start with a quick sort: Keep, Donate, Trash and Move Elsewhere. I try to set up boxes or garbage bags for this quick sort so I can immediately take things out of my home.
Storage:
Once your quick sort is complete, evaluate your storage and space. I like to choose storage that limits the visual clutter of a space. For my under the stair hallway space I used cubby shelves and natural baskets. The baskets were fairly inexpensive and set up quickly. They are sturdy and can fold back when not in use. Here I keep hats, sweatshirts and sports accessories. Everyone has their own cubby and the items are typically shifted between seasons.
Coats:
Coat hooks are a must for my hallway. These are easy to install in any space, giving a place for extra coats and purses from guests. If you do not have a coat closet, a coat tree, a stand alone small wardrobe or lockers can be an answer. In my space, lockers were also installed to contain the visual clutter. These were ordered from Amazon. I am pleased with the way they look in the space and are my answer to years of visual clutter. The hallway was one space that I constantly battled with. Now I feel like I can breathe when I walk in my door.
Shoes:
This is a BIG one for my family. We all love shoes (check out some of our shoe boards) and there are a lot of us. I use a shoe storage unit found years ago at IKEA. There are so many cute versions available on Amazon. Here is the one I would get if my current shoe cupboard ever needs replacement. I also put out a shoe tray and layered door mats. This keeps our muddy garden boots in check and my floors a little neater.
Command Space:
Creating a family command center or assigned areas for tasks is helpful for family organization. For example, I use clipboards to house weekly grocery lists. The hallway chalkboard is used for family updates or inspirational sayings. Shannon uses a magnetic calendar on her fridge to house family schedules. See her magnetic calendar system article. Regardless of what system is used, it is important to have these areas designated to keep all activities and responsibilities flowing, especially as the school year begins.
Having a designated space for charging phones and holding extra chargers keeps all communicating. I always label my chargers using a tag of tape or sharpie. This is important because chargers seem to disappear often. Now with my label and charging station they stay put.
Catch All:
At the bottom of my stairs I have placed a catch-all basket. In this basket goes the things that have found their way downstairs that need to be returned. This makes for a quick way to pick up our shared spaces when guests are coming or during my evening freshen up. A laundry basket or empty drawer or cupboard could also work. The take away is think through a catch-all system to keep your transition spaces neat and organized.
Keys:
Within my entry I use a big bowl for car keys. This is a pretty way to contain the keys and make sure they are easily accessible. Other key systems also work great. In the past I have used hooks and hung each key. I changed to the bowl to cut down on what I call “visual clutter.”
Now it is your turn! First do a quick sort. Organize your hallway spaces utilizing the tips and inspirations above. You will be so glad you did!
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