Bring all of the Elements of a Great Entryway into a Narrow Area.
Many homes and apartment units have really tiny entrances or a very small foyer with little to no storage. The problem with these areas of the home is that all of the things we bring in and out of our home with us every day, several times a day, end up living here!
It’s amazing what these little spaces can hold, but also it can be challenging to create organizing systems that both look nice and offer a lot of function. Organizing a narrow entry requires a lot of imagination!
Even if you don’t struggle on a daily basis with a narrow entrance in your home, keeping this area organized is very important for many reasons, both for the practical side of life, but also for the psychological impact clutter has on us. This post will help you keep your entryway organized whether you have a small or large entry area.
During an ongoing project, I started searching for solutions to make life simpler while organizing a narrow entrance for my busy client and her children.
Here is a list of what we’d like to have in this “perfect” entrance:
- Great lighting – nothing worse than entering the home and it’s dark. When we open the door, we really want to be able to spot the space, move around without bumping into things or each other.
- A landing space – at minimum a place to “land” the wallet, car keys, and your purse. Of course, if we can fit more, we will!
- A mirror, if possible.
- Hooks for jackets, coats, and hats.
- Bins for small items like gloves, scarves, and other accessories.
- A rug to keep dust to a minimum in your home.
Take a look at some of these great entrances and find some inspiration to make landing and taking off to and from daily life a feel good experience in your own home!
A very long and narrow entry accommodate a bench and a mirror. The closet will hold all your seasonal items.
A long and narrow shelf with small drawers underneath was installed and serves as a console for arriving and placing your keys and wallet. This really keeps the entryway clean of clutter.
An entrance without a closet can be very challenging but adding a bench and baskets will create the seating and storage for small items you need.
A coat hanger can be added for jackets, umbrellas and other seasonal gear.
A bright and clean narrow shelf serves as a console to the entrance and a small bench gives you a seat. Image BHG.com
Want a great way to create both sitting space and storage at the entryway: Bring in a bench with hidden storage! Image: BHG.com
Beautiful wallpaper was used to create the mood in this entryway where the drawers under the seat and the shelf above it hold all you need for a perfect take off! Image: BHG.com
Here is a very creative way to bring storage into a narrow entryway for all that’s being used during different seasons. These pastel knobs let you get creative with where you hang items and you can group them at different heights so even the littlest family members can stay organized!
From the always great: marthastewart.com
Again, creativity creates a unique entrance and a beautiful one! A bench, hooks, and under the bench basket storage gives you all you need to give everything a place to be.
This is the mother of all entryways for a busy family! This super functional piece of furniture has all the room you need to keep the space clear of clutter and houses what you need when you need it.
Conclusion
With a few simple additions, such as benches, mirrors, hooks, shelves, and baskets you can create n organized narrow entryway in virtually any space that you have to work with. Remember to try and make a home for those items you use everyday and swap storage solutions out seasonally if you need more or less of a certain kind of storage.
Did you find this post on organizing a narrow entry useful? What tips and examples will you use to organize your entryway? I’d love for you to share in the comments below!
