5 Things To Think About When Organizing Your Entryway

As seen on Huffington Post

I don’t know about you but if my entryway isn’t tidy and free of clutter it doesn't matter how clean the rest of the house is, it just feels messy.  Call it what you want, the vestibule, mudroom, foyer, it’s the first impression you have of a home and if you don’t have a good organizational system setup that works for you and your family you will constantly be fighting a losing battle.  

Much like any other room that needs organizing there are many factors that come into play that will help determine what is going to work for you.

Who are you organizing for?

Do you have an adult only home? A few small children? A very wide age-range of people living with you? Do you have visitors over often?  Really stop and think about the needs of the room and the people that pass through there.

Think Vertical

Using the vertical space in a given room is a great way to increase your storage space.  This is especially true in the entryway.  A row of hooks on the wall for extra jacket storage, a shelf to store baskets; both can really help you get the most out of your space.  Just be sure that your are factoring in the height of the people who live there.  Hooks at the right level for children can really help encourage them to hang up their coats on their own and  easily get them before leaving the house.  If you don’t have a lot of wall space, think about the vertical space you do have.  Look at the inside walls of the front closet. You may be able to put some hooks there.  You can also try using a closet doubler (basically a rod that hangs from your existing closet rod)  for increased coat storage.

Accessibility Based on Frequency of Use

You really want to try to make items that are used frequently as accessible as possible.  In the winter this means your hats, scarves, gloves.  In the warmer months those items will switch over to the sunhats, sunglasses and sunscreen.  You can store these items out of the way while not being used. While they are in high demand you can try open basketa or bins or even cute bags on wall hooks.

Have Defined Spaces

Try to think of defined spaces for your things in the same way that directions help us to get from point A to point B.  When a path is clear it is easy to follow.  This can be as simple as having a mat for shoes and boots, or labeling the storage containers.  It is hard to blame the members of your house for leaving stuff all over the floor when they come in if it isn’t clear where to put it.  For your older kids, whose school bags end up all over the house, having hooks with their names or open-concept lockers may do the trick.  Pinterest is my go-to website for inspiration. You can find all kinds of ideas depending on your decor and budget.

Don’t Forget Your Guests

When organizing your space don’t forget to have a bit of storage wiggle room for friends and family.  This can be as simple as extra hangers (and enough space for what you will be hanging) in your front closet. I’m a “no shoes in the house” person.  I blame it on my microbiology background and knowing how easily gross outdoor bacteria can get tracked inside and then directly into my children’s mouths as they drop their food on the floor and then eat it.  For that reason I keep a basket of slippers in the front closet in varying sizes for guests.  That way I have something to offer them when I kindly ask them to remove their shoes before coming in.

When it comes down to it, this high-traffic area is just like any other space in your home.  You want to try and think through how you are using it and what specific organizational issues you are having.  Try not to go against your natural tendencies.  Instead, find a way to work within them.  If junk mail ends up in a pile near the door, then perhaps that would be a good place for a wastepaper basket.  If your kids take off their socks as soon as they walk in, then consider having a small laundry bin handy.  Organizing is personal and unique to each space and family.  You just need to find what works for you and it will be nearly effortless to maintain.

Happy Organizing!

5 Easy Ways To Manage Your To-Do List

As seen in Huffington Post

To-do lists.  Some people swear by them, some hate them and some obsess over them.    

They have become synonymous with being organized.  I personally have been a to-do list flip-flopper for most of my life.  I go through periods where the physical process of writing things down really helps me to be focused, yet there are other times when I find them a giant waste of time. I know what I have to get done, and in the five minutes I’ve taken to sit down and write this list I could have spent it actually getting one of my tasks done.

Fortunately or unfortunately (I’m still not sure which side I’m landing on) I’ve been going through a to-do list phase.  I blame this phase entirely on my pregnancy.  While not a complete disaster, my brain is indisputably functioning at a slightly lower level than what I’m used to.   On more than one occasion I have gotten into the car with my home phone and wondered why my bluetooth wasn’t connecting.  This is just where I’m at right now.

I always have a list in my head of what needs to get done in a given day or week, but lately I’ve noticed that’s where it stays.  In my head.  Stuck in some foggy part that knows something needs to happen and yet I’m just not quite sure what it is.  Hence the reason for my to-do list phase.

Like most of you out there, the list of things that need to be done is very, very long.  If I were to combine all the tasks I would like to accomplish for work, for home, for my family and for me, I would end up sitting around for days writing and completely aggravate my carpal tunnel (thank you pregnancy for that one too!).  I would also lose my mind by the end of it because the list would be so daunting that I would never able to move forward. With this in mind let’s look at a few ways to make your list manageable.

Be realistic with your time

Unless you are writing down every single thing you need to do in a day (like brush your teeth and put on socks) you have a limited time to get these “extra” tasks done.  If it helps try jotting down how long each task will take, try to be realistic.  “Clean out closet” isn’t a 5 minute project.  Scheduling time into your day to actually accomplish these tasks can also help.  Set aside 30 minutes (or whatever works for you) in the morning or the evening to tackle your list.  Defining a realistic amount of time can help you to stay on track.

Differentiate between long term and short term

Again, you need to reign yourself back into the real world.  Paint room, clean out garage, organize photos and replace old sofa have no business being anywhere near your to-do list.  If it helps, have a separate paper or place to keep track of long term projects.

Prioritize

This is where the difference between wants and needs comes in.  Be critical of what you have written down.  Do I really NEED to get this done today or would it just be nice to cross it off my list.  If there is a deadline to mail something in or you are out of milk then it needs to move to the top of the list.

Stop making them so damn long

I mean, really, if you’ve read the three above this then you won’t really have this problem but I still feel like it needs to be said.  Having an 8 x 11 sheet full of all the things you plan on doing in a day is just too much.  You’re setting yourself up for failure and you deserve better.  You want to end the day with a sense of accomplishment not inadequacy.   

Don’t Beat Yourself Up

Kids get sick.  Cars break down.  Friends call to chat and it turns into an hour long conversation.  Life happens.  There is always tomorrow.  I have had many days go completely off the rails because of the unexpected.    I had such realistic goals for my day and what needed to get done, yet for one reason or another, it just didn’t happen.  While it can be hard in the moment (and I do still occasionally beat myself up) I try to take a deep breath and focus on what did get done that day.  It’s not the end of the world that the sheets didn’t get changed and the blog post didn’t get written.  I’ve managed to keep my kids alive another day, there is still a roof over our heads, they’ve eaten (relatively) healthily and no bones were broken.  Some days that’s just what you have to call a win.

Happy Organizing (and List Making)!

Get Organized For Baby

Looking for some Baby Organization tips? Check out my interview on Breakfast Television Montreal:   

The Most Important Organizing Step (That Almost Everyone Forgets)

As seen on Huffington Post

I’m sure you've seen  lists all over your feeds claiming to get you organized in just a few simple steps.  Hey, I’ve written the process I go through to organize a space as well (shameless link to my past blog here!).  Let’s face it, lists read well.  People like them and if you throw in some pretty images they’re super-pinnable.  But lately I’ve begun noticing the missing link in all of those posts (mine included), the last step that is so important but doesn’t always make the cut. “Put it back!”

I can often be heard saying that there is no magic wand to wave when it comes to organizing.  It’s not a well kept secret that some of us have neglected to share.  Like anything else, it requires work.  No matter how fabulous an organization system you have set up, it isn’t going to maintain itself.  That super cute new closet system you just installed isn’t going to look quite so pretty a week in if you keep leaving your clothes all over the floor.  

This “put it back” step is something that everyone struggles with.  I’ve had tell myself to take a deep breath in front of clients after I’ve seen all the hard work they’ve done crumble.  I’m guilty of it too, sometimes I’m just too tired, too busy or, let’s face it, too lazy to put something back.  We all have our moments but they need to be just that.  Moments.  Our default reaction after we have taken something out and used it can’t be to just leave it.  All of those little things we leave throughout the day or week can add up to overwhelm fast.

Obviously this is all easier said than done but here are a few tips to help you crush this step.

Make it Pretty

I’m going to use the same concept as “if you look good, you feel good” for this one.  If you have built a beautiful system to keep you organized, both in looks and function you’ll be more likely to maintain it.  So go ahead and line those drawers that no one but you sees with beautiful paper. Splurge on getting new hangers so they are all the same. Make pretty little labels for all of your things even if you don’t need them.  The better it looks the more likely you will be to keep it that way.

Follow the One Minute Rule

I’ve quoted her before, but it works.  Gretchen Rubin urges us that if we have a task that takes less than one minute to just push ourselves to do it. In our fast paced life of list-making and prioritizing this rule takes away the self doubt.  If you stop to think about it you’ll be dead in the water, you’ll spend your time thinking about the other things you could or should do with that minute.  So put the dish away, replace the toilet paper, hang the dress back up, file that paper.  It’s a great way to keep up without feeling like you put too much effort or time in.

Make it a Habit

There are tons of ways to make something a habit or routine.  Just Google it (when you’re done reading this of course) and find the way that works for you.  Sometimes we need to just do something everyday to make it happen.  If you get into the habit of dealing with your mail as you get it instead leaving it in a pile near the door pretty soon you won’t have to think about it, it will become second nature.

Just Do It

Sometimes you just need to force yourself to do something.  It isn't fun.  There are no neat little tricks.  You just have to do it.  There are tasks that aren’t enjoyable and just plain suck but they still need to get done.  So take a breath and pull up your big-girl panties (or boy panties, I guess I’m kind of gender stereotyping who is most likely to read this) and just get it done..

Good Luck & Happy Organizing!