Tips On Getting Out The Door
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Last night Papa Tree called me at midnight from his music gig to find out if he had left his wallet at home. I had to check three possible locations before I found it. Though I never lose my purse (it’s the size of a diaper bag!), I do lose my keys all the time. Thanks to professional organizer and founder of Urban Clarity and This Blog’s Expert (check out her Expert page here)- Amanda Wiss- we CAN get organized! Please share any tips YOU have for getting out the door in the comments of this post!
Get Organized at Home: Create a Landing Pad and a Launch Pad
Amanda Wiss
by Amanda Wiss
It is possible to create a functional and attractive entrance space near your front door that sets you and your family up for success.
Whether you use a coat closet or simply a row of hooks with a few baskets, here are some tricks to maximize this spot and make coming home and leaving your abode smooth and relaxing. At the very least, you’ll always know exactly where to find your keys!
Here’s how to get your landing pad and launch pad from chaos to efficiency – with minimal effort.
1. Turn a critical eye on your entranceway. What do you see? If you’re like most young families, you have a smattering of the following: coats, hats, gloves, scarves, umbrellas, mail, shoes, boots, a stroller, a diaper bag, a purse or two, a rain cover, random sports equipment, and perhaps some bubbles and a goodie bag from your kid’s most recent birthday party. Take a moment to survey the scene. Breathe deeply. Imagine it transformed.
2. Determine what isn’t in active use. Find stuff that’s out of season (c’mon, do you really need bug spray now?) or that your child has outgrown (yes, those boots from last winter truly don’t fit!) Your entrance way is prime real estate, and just become something got dumped there originally doesn’t mean that it deserves to stay there. Pare down the overall pile, so that what’s left by the door is what you use regularly.
3. Designate spots for each family member. That generally means that the coat your kid wears most frequently gets returned to the same hook or hanger, your spouse has a basket or drawer for hats, gloves and scarves, and you can regularly find your shoes without digging through a huge pile of everyone else’s. Having ‘homes per person’ really helps conquer the chaos.
4. Create a consistent spot for keys. They’re always in your hand when you walk in the door and you need them again when you leave. Make sure you habitually put them in the same place, so you can quickly locate them on your way out. Hooks on the wall (assign each family member a specific one) or a bowl, if you have a surface, are excellent options.
5. Don’t let the paper take over! Mail, newspapers, and magazines – it all tends to pile up. Have a spot to dump it upon arrival, and make sure to regularly transfer it to your desk, magazine rack or wherever you keep up with it on a regular basis.
6. Designate a prominent home for stuff that’s in transit – like your dry cleaning, library books, and those pesky items to be returned to Target. If you’re prone to trip over it, you’re apt to remember to grab it on your way out. And that’s a good thing. Keep things flowing – it’ll create good energy in your space!
7. Make it possible for your kids to help. Give them a set of low hooks so that they can hang their jacket or sweatshirt up when they get home from the park. If they know where things go and they can reach that spot, they’ll love to contribute.
8. Make restocking easy – have juice boxes, granola bars or whatever snacks you take with you in a small container so that you can replenish your diaper bag or your child’s backpack as you’re heading out the door. To minimize boredom while you’re waiting somewhere, keep a rotating stash of “restaurant kits” – art supplies, some books or a mini puzzle to grab as you head out the door.If you have to search high and low you might not take it, so leave it in a prominent place.
9. Tweak it! Nothing works perfectly the first time, so play with this space as the season’s change and your family’s needs evolve. The overall goal is to make your entrance-way flow. When you find that clutter is building up there again, or your gloves have lost their mates, it’s time to devote some additional attention to maintain the area.
Hope that you enjoy your streamlined space!
Amanda Wiss, Founder of Urban Clarity, is a professional organizer and mom of two toddlers. She helps families who are feeling overwhelmed simplify their space and set up systems to support the chaos. To check out Amanda’s resource listing on the blog and reviews of her services, click here.
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