By Jackie Leffner
Last, but certainly not least in our independence from clutter series, the Meat and Potatoes professional organizers reflected on all the front hall closets we’ve helped to organize over the years and wanted to share some expertise with you! These organization ideas will help transform your front hall closet from frustrating to fabulous and functional.
Front hall closets serve a variety of purposes depending on the home that you are in. We’ve seen it store coats, accessories, shoes, purses, cleaning products, umbrellas, animal supplies, and many other random items. First, we’d like to start off by saying there isn’t a wrong way to use your front hall closet. Second, we will start every project in almost the exact same way. If you’ve been following along with us, you know what the first step is, but we’re going to outline them again below 😊
Step 1: Pull it ALL out.
Anytime you are trying to organize a space, you want to take everything out before evaluating the space. Yes, we mean everything. Removing all the items allows you to better see the entire space and dream of the possibilities of what it could be.
Step 2: Sort & Categorize
You are going to start by putting all your items into like categories. For example, all your shoes in a pile, all your coats, all your umbrellas, etc. This will help give you a really good idea of what items you have duplicates of which will help in our next step.
Step 3: Declutter & Purge
If there are items that you don’t use (i.e. you didn’t even know they were in there) or you or your family have outgrown, put that into a new pile of donate/discard. At Meat and Potatoes Organizing, we are huge advocates for repurposing or donating items rather than throwing them away, so if you can donate gently used coats, shoes, etc. we would highly recommend it! If you are unsure where to donate, we are happy to give recommendations as well – just reach out.
Step 4: Decide What Lives in the Closet
Our professional organizers would recommend you store things in this closet that you need easy and regular access to. If there are things in there that you’re not using regularly, try to think if there’s a different place you can store that item.
Step 5: Ensure Appropriate Hardware / Organizing Supports Are Installed
Is there anything you need to do to this space to transform it into a beautiful, functional space?
You will want to make sure you are optimizing the layout to get the most out of your space. Did you know that Meat and Potatoes offers DIY consulting? We can come in, look at your space, help you dream of your space and then just give you the blueprint to do it yourself? If you like to take charge of your own projects, this could be a smart choice for you!
Step 6: Put the Items Back
As you put the items that are supposed to live in this closet back, think functional for both you and the rest of your family. What is reasonable organization for the entire family? How can I make sure this organization makes sense for everyone? The hardest part of organization is maintaining the system overall. So, involve your family, give them a tour of their new closet, and encourage them to help you keep it neat and organized.
Now you have a good start on organizing that front hall closet. Pro-tip: you can follow these steps for all the closets in your home! Not sure you can tackle this alone? Reach out to schedule your complimentary consultation with one of our professional organizers today! We would love to help spark joy in your everyday life by transforming your home into functional, beautiful spaces, one area at a time.
