Seattle's Child

Your guide to a kid-friendly city

Easy in, easy out entryways

Looking for some easy ways to make getting out of the house a little less…dramatic?

Get hooked. The key is to create a special spot for shoes, jackets, and backpacks so everyone can find what they need, when they need it, without (too much of) a fit or fuss. Here are some of my favorite tips.

If you have little ones at home, you know that getting jackets hung up on actual hangers is a nearly impossible feat. One of my favorite tips is to get rid of the rod in your coat closet and do away with hangers altogether. Instead, install hooks in two rows (one for little people and one for big people) along all three walls of the closet. Try staggering hooks so coats don't get bunched up or create clusters of smaller hooks for purses, backpacks, and totes.

I just love the super cute and efficient transformation of this tiny closet space!

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The House of Smiths

Think outside of the closet.

Many of my clients' homes, especially charming, older homes, don't even have a coat closet. It may take a little more work and creativity, but there are lots of options for utilizing walls and corner space. Keep it simple with a couple of coat racks and cute chair:

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Real Simple

Or make it a work of art!

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Jessica Risko Smith Interior Design

Steve Keenan of Seattle's Build+Restore has worked wonders for many of my clients with small or tricky spaces. For this project, Steve transformed beautiful bookcases that my client's father had built by adding hooks and doors. Instant coat closet!

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Houzz – Reber Residence

Put Shoes in Their Place.

These days, it's common to have a "no shoe" policy in the house. It's a great idea, so long as all those shoes have someplace to go.

Brookstone (below) and Ikea  make some pretty functional shoe storage pieces which don't stand out as shoe storage. Both feature pull-out drawers for shoes plus additional drawers for keys, gloves, or other odds and ends.

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You can also re-purpose a piece of furniture by adding baskets, custom shelves, or a cheap, ready-to-go shelving unit like the one pictured here:

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Sara Eizen

Feeling crafty but need a little DIY direction? Blogger Ana White has some amazing, easy-to-follow plans for making your own furniture, including a cool shoe cupboard like this:

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If you are lucky enough to have a big black hole of space under a set of front stairs (oh how I wish that I did!), hire your favorite handy person to install a storage system for all of your entryway needs. A super smart use of space that no one will even know is there!

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Houzz by Lipa Woodwork

I've just scratched the surface here, but hopefully this gives you some ideas for smartening up your own entryway. Like I always say, when you start with a system that fits how you live, ease and order will follow!

Got great entryway ideas of your own? Please share!


Sara Eizen is a Seattle-based interior designer and home organizer with a passion for helping busy families reclaim style and space in their homes on any budget. In a bi-weekly column for Seattle's Child, Sara shares creative, fun, affordable tips and tricks for clearing clutter, sprucing up rooms with minimal effort, creating systems that simplify family life, and much more.

About the Author

Sara Eizen