Front Hall Fixes was written by Alison Wood and was originally published on HGTV Canada.

The front hallway is the entry to your home, a place of welcoming. But this often-cramped space can be anything but. Without organization, shoes, coats, mail and accessories can take over, making arriving or departing a frustrating experience. To create a clutter-free path to your home, Linda Chu, president of Professional Organizers in Canada, offers these tips:

Closet

If you’re scared to open your closet door, why not take it off? Chu has suggested this seemingly radical move to several clients, to great applause. Without a door, the space is accessible to everyone, including smaller children. But it also means the area needs to be well organized. This can happen by taking down the hanging bars and installing easy-to-use hooks for coats and hats. Floor baskets in everything from wicker to seagrass hold sporting goods and other accessories. And for that high, hard to access shelf, try a clear container that shows what’s inside.

Walls

Taking a page from elementary schools, wall hooks offer a great way to organize coats and handbags. Make sure you have enough for every member of your household, plus a couple more for guests and extra goods. They should be high enough that coats don’t drag on the floor but low enough so everyone can access them. Combo units that offer a mirror, shelf and hooks are a space-saving way to hold house keys and other items you use every day.

Drawers

If you’re lucky enough to have room for a hall table, keep it clear by choosing one with drawers. Tuck individual trays inside to contain keys, change, sunglasses and other smaller goods. A vase filled with beautiful blooms is a more welcoming sight than a tangle of transit tokens and receipts.

Storage

Footwear is the beast in every household, says Chu. One way to gain control is to have each family member choose one or two pairs of shoes to leave out, and then store the remainder in their rooms or a separate area of the house. Racks get footwear up off the floor but can get cluttered. A storage ottoman or bench provides both a place to perch and hide shoes (plus other bulky items) beneath.

Corners

Spring means umbrellas and raincoats. A corner coat rack conveniently offers a place to hang both items. (Add plastic mats for the winter to protect your floors from snowy boots.) Or, opt for a separate umbrella stand in a decorative ceramic that matches your style. “Unless you have a special table or another piece of furniture, in such a small space it’s wise to go for a uniform look,” Chu explains. “This way everything looks as it is supposed to be there.”

If you are in need of some front hall fixes, contact Linda Chu at Out of Chaos.

Image by El Elina from Pixabay