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Corralling the Entryway Chaos

I’ve mentioned this before, but we have a serious shoe problem in this house. There is plenty of shoe storage in our closets, but that’s not where the shoes live. No, they live by the front door.

entryway in need of storage

The pile of shoes isn’t alone though, it’s always kept company by an ever-changing pile of tools that need to go out to the garage and a couple of backpacks. It’s important that disorganization doesn’t get lonely.

foyer in need of storage

Our new house has cubbies in the mudroom that take care of all this, but in this house there is nothing. We probably won’t sell this house until summer, and I can’t take the craziness until then. We’re going to start practicing our organization now.

First thing I did was buy this Better Homes and Gardens cube organizer and some fabric bins to go with it. The bins come in over 30 different colors and designs, but I kept it safe and boring with tan.

Better Homes and Gardens storages cubes - rustic

There are four bins for the four shoe-wearing members of our family, and the bins are big enough to hold a ton of shoes. It’s perfect.

easy and affordable shoe cubby

My boys are disproportionately excited about the bins, since they each get their own. They are only 19 months apart and share everything. They share a room, toys, clothes…heck, they don’t even get their own underwear. If they are playing outside and yell that they’re thirsty I bring them one big jug and tell them to share. So when I showed them their bins they we’re like “wait…it’s just for me?!” I’m not sure if I feel like a great mom for teaching them to be grateful or a terrible one for not letting them have more things that are just for them.

The cubby system was only $37 and has a really great rustic wood look. I’ve only ever seen them in black or white, and this one is leaps and bounds prettier. It’s not real wood or anything, but for $37 bucks I wouldn’t expect it to be.

entryway choas

I put a basket on top to hold all the tools that need to go out to the garage. I know they are going to end up there anyway, why not plan for it? And even through it was literally 99 degrees yesterday I put out a pumpkin for fall…which lasted about 15 seconds before my kids confiscated it. (I later found it in their room wearing one of the babies diapers).

Now, can we talk about that painting already? Last Christmas I broke the “no gifts” pact between Adam and I because I just couldn’t resist. It was the perfect gift for my husband.

Dumb and Dumber painting total redemption

Is that not the best thing ever? You either totally get it and think it is hilarious, or you are completely confused. Adam says it’s not funny if you have to explain it, but it’s a called “Total Redemption” and is a scene from the Dumb and Dumber (one of his favorite movies). This scene, to be exact…

Haha, Jim Carey’s face….perfection.

Anyway…

To solve the backpack problem I bought these numbered cast iron hooks on etsy.

cast iron numbered hook

numbered cast iron hooks

Adam hung them on an old board, and just like that we had functional storage.

rustic entryway hooks

I don’t know why it took me so long…it’s so nice to have everything up off the floor and is a crazy easy project. Sometimes I just need a good old sponsored post to get my butt in gear.

foyer

functional entryway

Better-Homes-Gardens-Network

For even more inspiration follow Better Homes and Gardens at Walmart on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook.

*This post was sponsored by the BHG Live Better Network. All opinions are 100% my own.

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18 Comments

    1. It’s by Gregory Classics, here is a link to his site. He has a ton of paintings from different movies and they are all great. I bought mine off of Society 6 though, because they are cheaper (you can also get pillows and clocks and shirts and whatnot on there).

  1. Umm, YEAH… I need that painting!!! My first date with my husband was to see that movie, Christmas Day 1994. We have always loved it, and quote it all the time! Love it!

  2. Ooh! I’ve never seen a “wooden” cube like that… very nice! (Meanwhile, have you ever done a post on refurbishing furniture with children? I was just realising the other day that I’m putting off my project but you seem to just do yours with kids in tow… any tips?)

    1. I haven’t ever done a post like that… I really just wing it. It was harder when they were toddlers, but now that they are 4 and 5 I either let them help or just tell them to go find something to do while I work. Setting them up with their own kid friendly version of the same thing I’m doing has always worked well…it results in less meltdowns and longer attention spans. Also, TV. I don’t like to plop them down in front of it for hours on end….but sometimes you just gotta.

  3. Isn’t the aftermath of organising just the best feeling ever? My dumping ground is by the back door, in the utility room, but it too is filled with backpacks and tools….and tins of paint that need to go back to the shed :)

    1. I feel you on the tins of paint! Mine got so bad that we turned the entryway closet (the one you see in the pictures) into my paint closet. It’s full!

  4. Haha, that is my FAVORITE moment of that movie! I cannot count the number of times I have quoted it. The painting just made my day. :)
    Your entryway looks great! What a difference it makes when you have storage that’s actually designed for the particular things that are causing the problem. Brilliant!

  5. I love this whole post! I have a similar system with a cube organizer and fabric bins and it works great! What etsy shop did you get those awesome number hooks? They are substantial and really make a statement, I love them!

  6. Best quote: “It’s important that disorganization doesn’t get lonely.” Love it. I’m an “a place for everything and everything in its place” person, but I live with a “if I can’t see it, it doesn’t exist” person, so I’ll take any organizing tips I can get!

  7. Oh my gosh entry clutter! I hate it sooo much! I love the way you’ve dealt with it here. We also have something like that at our current home (which only kind of works for us, but meh, better than nothing). When we build our own home in a couple years though, one thing I’m definitely going to have is a genkan (japanese entryway). If you google it you’ll find lots of examples. Japanese people (or Asian people in general really) don’t wear shoes in the house so they have an entry space with shoe storage where you absolutely do not for any reason wear your shoes past. Usually there is a step up into the shoes-off part of the house to make it absolutely clear where the dividing line is. And of course one would never step into the genkan area with only bare feet or house slippers. One must slip into their outside sandals or shoes which are left in the shoe cabinet close by. Just thinking about it makes me happy. Outside dirt stays out, inside dirt stays in. No mixing.
    As for the rest of the clutter that accumulates in the entryway at our house….. well, we’ll think about that later :)

  8. Hi! I actually have a dilemma with my entryway. I want to put hooks like that behind my door, but I’m afraid the door will hit them and break the glass. Any suggestions?

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