9 Things to Declutter From Your Entryway or Mudroom Right Now

So you can walk right into a vision of peace.

There's just something relaxing about walking into a fresh, tidy home. If you open the door and find yourself entering your home through a chaotic pile of thrown-about items, then it's time to simplify your living space by decluttering your entryway.

"Keeping a tidy entryway is essential because this is usually the first place you see when you leave or enter your home," Jamie Hord, home organization expert and founder of Hordely, says. "You don't want to be welcomed with clutter or scramble to leave through a cluttered mess, which will set a stressful tone for your day or night."

Clutter is known to cause increased stress and anxiety. So, why not declutter your entryway or mudroom and set a stress-free mood as soon as you open your front door?

Related:A Clean and Tidy Home Can Boost Your Mental Health—Here's Where to Start

Not sure where to start or how to keep your space tidy? Here are the top things to declutter from your entryway, plus tips for keeping everything organized, according to home organization experts.

Trash, Junk Mail, Random Items

"The entryway or mudroom is a high-traffic area that can be a landing spot for almost anything," Hord says. "The main thing people should declutter from their entryway or mudroom is first any obvious trash, like junk mail, and anything that doesn't belong there that should be living somewhere else in the house." She also suggests unsubscribing from junk mail so it doesn't even come into your house.

So, throw out any trash and old mail first, then gather up random items that are rarely used and find a new place for them.

Related:How to Declutter Every Room in Your Home—Fast

Shoes

The first thing many of us do when we get home is kick off our shoes. However, shoes can quickly accumulate in the entryway, and there are often more pairs piling up than really need to be there.

"Shoe shelves are crucial," Rachel Winter, home organization expert and founder of Happy Home Organizers LLC, says. "You always want to go vertical so you can maximize your space. If you really want to put shoes in your entryway or implement a 'no shoes' policy, you just want to make sure you have a nice, organized place and products for people to put their shoes, such as a mat or a pretty basket."

Related:15 Shoe Storage Secrets Only the Pros Know

Rather than leaving multiple pairs of shoes at the door, pick out the pairs you wear the most and keep it at that. Put the others away so you don't have a pileup of various pairs of shoes lying around.

Jackets and Coats

With cold, bitter winters come various jackets, coats, and outer layers, and these bulky items can lead to chaos in an entryway. Like choosing the most used pair of shoes, pick one or two jackets you wear the most and hang them by the door.

Try to keep your entryway seasonally appropriate as well. "Put away the knit hats and scarves in the summer, and during the winter months, don't keep out sandals and umbrellas if you live in a snowy climate," Carrie Ypma, expert organizer and founder of Clutter Keeper says. "Only keep out the items you actually use on a daily basis."

Hats and Beanies

Hats and beanies are fantastic accessories that keep us fashionable and warm, but they seem to pop off our heads and onto the table or wherever else as soon as we enter the door.

Another simple way to declutter the entryway is by collecting all those baseball caps, hats, and beanies and putting them back where they belong. It's nice to have one or two accessible in the mudroom or entryway but keep it to a minimum to prevent clutter from piling up.

Scarves

Whether you're a fashionista or just have a build-up of scarves from various family members, these are also a common culprit of entryway clutter. Again, the point here is to keep out minimal items that you use frequently and put the rest away.

Keeping your bedroom closet organized can also help you to more easily find clothing and keep them from accumulating in the mudroom.

Sporting Gear

If you have kids who play sports, you're probably familiar with watching them coming home from soccer, football, or baseball practice and dumping all their gear by the door. Or, maybe you tend to come in from a bike ride or tennis scrimmage and leave your equipment in the mudroom. Sporting and exercise gear can be bulky and take up quite a bit of space.

So, gather up all that sporting gear and create a dedicated space for it—whether that's a basket for balls and protective equipment, or dedicated hooks for racks and bats—so you can keep the entryway looking tidy.

Backpacks, Bags, Purses

Most of us are probably guilty about dropping our purses, bags, and backpacks down as soon as we walk into the house. Backpacks and gym bags often need to be cleaned out anyway, so make it a habit to get them out of the entryway right away and put them back where they belong to repack for the next outing.

Umbrellas

Umbrellas are a particularly useful item to keep close to the door—but you probably don't need more than a few of them. If you have a big household (meaning lots of potential umbrella users) you may find that it's worth it to purchase an umbrella organizer, but you don't want to clutter up your entryway with another item if you don't have the space or need for it.

Excess Furniture

"You can also consider getting rid of any furniture pieces that aren't functional," Hord says. "For example, if you need or want an entryway table, consider one that has drawers or a shelf under to put baskets."

Even the most organized space can look cluttered if there is unnecessary furniture sitting around. The key is to find pieces that are functional rather than just aesthetically pleasing.

Tips for Keeping Your Entryway or Mudroom Tidy

Now that you've cleared the clutter, use these top tips from the experts to keep your space tidy going forward.

Make Tidying a Daily Habit

"Once your entryway or mudroom is decluttered, you need to make an intentional choice and yearn to keep it tidied up," Ypma says. "I recommend getting into the habit of tidying up as soon as you walk in the door rather than just dropping everything into a messy pile. Make this super easy for you and your family by ensuring each item in your entryway or mudroom has a definitive space where it belongs, and then always put it back there."

Instead of kicking your shoes off and letting them land wherever, take a second to put them on the shoe rack or in the closet, Ypma says. Or, instead of absentmindedly hanging your coat over a chair, hang it up on a hook.

"The first week or two, you'll have to think about it and be intentional about it, but after a while, it will become second nature and get easier for you and your family to put items back where they belong," Ypma encouraged.

Create "Homes" for Your Things

Making sure each of your items has a dedicated space is a great way to keep tidy. "Organizing is one big puzzle," Winter says. "It's a matter of figuring out where everything should live. Then, the important part is that when you use something, put it back where it lives, in its proper home. The most essential concept in staying organized is that every single item in your house must have a home."

Hord also recommends giving items a home and making those dedicated spaces as clear as possible. "For example, use baskets for outerwear, a drawer for tote bags, and hooks for helmets, and label everything," says Hord.

Utilize the Right Organization Products

Once you declutter the entryway, you can make it much easier to keep organized if you invest in the right products and furniture.

Related:7 Smart Entryway Storage Ideas for Any Size Space

"To keep an entryway tidy, I find it's important to have plenty of available hooks for coats, purses, backpacks, umbrellas, baseball hats, and whatever you may need to grab and go on your way out the door," Ypma says. "If you have small children, make sure you have hooks available at their level, too, so they can be responsible for their own items."

She also suggested having other essential items for an entryway or mudroom, such as a shoe rack for the footwear you and your family wear the most often and baskets for hats, gloves, and mittens. Shoe racks that do double duty as a bench are a great way to make effective use of the space. A table with drawers or spaces for bins to put items in can also reduce tabletop clutter.

Remember that the entryway is the gateway to your home. By decluttering your entryway, you'll walk into a calm environment that will give you a better sense of control and peace in your home.

Related:20 Inspiring Entryway Ideas That Make a Great First Impression

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