Kickstart Your Fall With an Organized Entryway

The fall season typically brims with activities such as back-to-school, holiday preparation, festive occasions, and sports events. A pristine, well-arranged entryway sets the right ambiance for exiting and reentering your home during these busy times.

According to Ashley La Fond, the founder of Of Space and Mind, "Entryways and mudrooms are crucial areas to declutter before an action-packed season like fall. Proper storage systems and regular habits are essential for maintaining order during such a busy period."

La Fond, together with other organization experts, have suggested these essential things to clear from your entryway as fall commences.

La Fond warns that an attractive rug by the entrance may not be practical for fall. With the potential for rain and muddy boots during the fall season, carpets can be quickly ruined. She recommends temporarily stowing them away for these rainy months. Instead, consider a rubber shoe mat to safeguard your floors from dirty, wet shoes.

Emily Maiocco, owner of Next Level Organizing, advises to shift any outdoor, gardening, or sports gear from the entryway with the seasonal changeover. Summer items should be stored away with bulky in-season items possibly relocated to a larger area, like a garage.

A decluttering process involves discarding seldom-used items, items that already have a proper storage spot, or disposable items like old mail and expired coupons. Forgotten shoes also count in this category. To prevent clutter from accumulating, Maiocco recommends frequently checking for unused items. According to her, "Taking a few minutes every day to return things to their rightful place grants immediate relief to this high-pressure space."

As summer concludes, beach-related items such as beach bags, flip flops, and sunscreen lose their place in the entryway and should, therefore, be removed. This creates room for fall essentials such as backpacks, homework, boots, and jackets.

La Fond suggests that wicker baskets, though popular, may not be the best choice for high-traffic areas like entryways as they tend to shed. Heavy-duty options, like plastic bins or cubbies, are the better solution.

Experts suggest removing all summer clothes and décor as the season ends. "At the inception of a new season, I always propose evaluating and possibly eliminating each family member's shoes, accessories, and other outerwear," states Maiocco. Freeing space for fall essentials requires relocation of summer clothes and shoes to storage.

La Fond proposes switching out random decorative items for practical ones. "Swap miscellaneous décor with functional pieces such as a calendar, a pinboard, or a family command center, which will provide more usefulness in the bustling fall season," she suggests.