"Out of Sight, Out of Mind" — 9 Space-Defying Entryway Closet Ideas Experts Say Make Your Life Easier

It is easy to overlook the importance of entryway closet storage, yet with a little planning, it's also easy to maximize what is often one of the busiest and most cluttered areas of the home.

By coming up with entryway storage ideas that keep the space just beyond your front door tidy and uncluttered, you're also ensuring that your visitors get a great first impression when they step through the door.

But closets are easily susceptible to clutter. Tucked away and out of sight, they're often spaces you'll cram things you don't want to see, and promptly forget about them. "Out of sight, out of mind," the adage goes.

That's why it's important to have a system in place to keep your entryway closets organized. "It’s important to get ahead of the game, clean up, and clean out the entryway closet so you won’t have to think of that area again," says professional organizer Barbara Brock, founder of Barbara Brock Inc.

So, if you're looking for entryway closet ideas that will keep things organized and set a good tone for guests, here are nine space-defying tricks from the pros.

1. Declutter your belongings

Before you land on an entryway closet idea, you need to think carefully about exactly what you want to store in there — and the best way to start doing this is by having a good old declutter session.

"Organizing doesn’t necessarily mean getting rid of things, but it does mean reviewing what you have," explains Barbara Brock. "Organizing is a way of prioritizing what is important and what is not. But I subscribe to the motto: 'Clear out, clear head.'"

Rather than slavishly following entryway trends, it is a good idea to base your design on the items you need to store right now in your entryway closet if you want them to remain tidy.

"Edit out items which are old, not used, or in need of repair," suggests Barbara. "This frees up space for larger coats and boots. Now is the time to look hard at your entryway closet and prioritize what you like to wear in terms of outerwear and accessories, what you need, and what you haven’t worn in ages. Someone else can use clothing that you don’t need. So weed, weed, weed your closet."

2. Use Hanging Storage

If you are looking for ways to make your entryway more useful, consider keeping smaller items and accessories in hanging baskets or racks — this is a brilliant way to keep them separate, yet close to hand and easy to find.

"One of my favorite items to hang is a shoe bag ($14.99 from Amazon) for scarves, gloves, hats, and umbrellas," says Barbara. "I usually take the next to last row of pockets of the shoe bag and slice it open. This way I can store umbrellas which take up two pockets."

As an alternative to pull-out baskets and bins, search out some stylish woven hanging bags and suspend them in a row, with each being given a different purpose — scarves, boot socks, school ties, and so on. You could even consider labeling them to help smooth out the morning rush.

3. Get the Shelving Right

Shelving plays a big role in how to organize an entryway closet — and, importantly, in whether or not it remains that way. "Always remember that anything that’s folded should be on a shelf, not in a bin, so you can see what they are," says Lianne Levy, owner of California Closets Montreal. "In a bin, you only see the top item, but on a shelf, you will be able to see everything and easily grab it out or put it away."

Aim to include a range of different height shelves in your closet to allow you to store all kinds of handy hallway essentials, including outdoor boots. When it comes to elevating the appearance of the interior of your entryway closet, using matching storage baskets and boxes on the shelves will really help.

"For an entryway closet being used by guests, you may opt for a fancier finish instead of practicality," adds Lianne Levy. "An entrance closet is also a fun place to add a little drama to your home. It is a place to have a little fun — so consider a dark color wallpaper, or a little sparkle to make it totally unique to you."

4. Personal 'Pull-Out' Bins

If yours is a busy household, the entryway is likely to be a chaotic spot at certain times of the day, for example when everyone is rushing out the door to get to work or school, or when everyone comes home at the end of the day.

To make these transitional times of the day a little less stressful, you want to find entryway closet ideas that make it easy for each member of the household to find their own belongings, without having to rummage through everyone else's stuff to get to them. Insert: personalized pull-out bins.

"Make sure that everyone has their own pull-out bin for gloves and hats," suggests Lianne Levy. It can also be a great idea to give each member of the household their own shelf, labeled with their name, or use storage that includes roomy drawers with one allocated for every family member.

5. Use hooks and racks for items you use most

Certain items need to be ready to grab and go as you hurry out and it is these things that need to be super easy to access — and your hallway storage ideas really can help here.

"Skip throwing everything in a bowl and consider installing hooks or racks to serve as an elevated catch-all for dog leashes, umbrellas, or keys," says Liane Levy. "Another great way to make use of limited space is using anything that pulls out (then tucks back in when not needed), such as a shallow mirror or sunglasses drawer."

A fantastic way to keep smaller items visible and easy to access is to incorporate some pigeonhole-style shelves within your hallway closet. These can also double up as somewhere to pop unopened mail.

6. Use the space under your stairs for built-in storage

If you are a little pushed for space and are after small entryway ideas, you will no doubt be keen to find ways to maximize storage solutions without sacrificing circulation space — the last thing you want is for your entryway to feel cramped and claustrophobic.

This is where built-in closets come in handy, particularly if you can squeeze them in under your staircase — a spot that often gets wasted. Bespoke options are usually best here as they can be tailored to make the most of whatever type of space you have available. If you are dealing with a small closet, be sure that you aren't filling your new closet with anything unnecessary.

"Totes, fabric bags, or paper bags that have been collected throughout the seasons to carry items seem to collect in multitudes and often are just tossed in the entryway closet," says Barbara Brock. "By sorting through them, you can determine the different sizes and materials and eliminate what you don’t need."

7. Don't Forget the Closet Lighting

All too often, lighting gets forgotten about when it comes to closet design, yet it really can make all the difference when it comes to how practical and easy-to-use this storage area is — plus it will help make your closet feel elevated style-wise.

There are lots of different ways to light an entryway closet. A cheap and easy fix is to buy a few motion-sensor battery-powered LED lights, either in spot or strip form, and simply stick them wherever needed, ready to turn on when you open your closet doors. This 6-pack of Motion Sensor Lights from Amazon is a brilliant buy.

However, if you have your entryway closet custom-made, it will be easier to have lights wired in from the off. Make sure they are positioned to shine on those shadowy areas at the back of the closet where things can easily get lost.

8. Group items together to make them easier to find

Just like with a walk-in closet in your bedroom, your entryway closet needs some kind of system if it is to function well. "A great rule of thumb for organizing is keeping like with like," says Lianne Levy. "In an entryway closet (or any closet) long coats should be with long coats, short coats with short coasts, running wear with running wear, bike gear with bike gear, and so on."

"Having a place for each individual item, such as gloves, scarves, umbrellas and so on makes it easier to grab and go when things get hectic," adds Barbara Brock. "Having a defined place makes it easier for everyone to put their things back and keeps these areas neater."

9. Include some seating to make life easier

If at all possible, it's a great idea to incorporate some kind of seating within your entryway closet. This really will come in so useful when hauling on thick socks, boots, and shoes — plus it is a great way to make an entryway feel cozy.

If you want to ensure you are getting the very most out of your hallway, design your closet seating with storage beneath. This could be in the form of drawers, or beneath an upholstered lift-up lid. Alternatively, simply leaving space for boots or storage bins beneath will work. Most 'Hall Tree' storage solutions will include all of this.

If you really can't give up any closet space for seating, consider popping a small stool within your hallway layout — or look to see whether your porch could have some extra seating built into its design.

FAQs

What goes in entryway closet?

This really comes down to personal preference, but there are some factors to bear in mind that should help when it comes to designing an entryway closet that meets all your needs.

"As a general rule of thumb, to keep a closet organized, only the things that are in season and currently being used should be within reach," advises Lianne Levy. "Anything out of season or used infrequently should not be in the main space, but rather folded up in baskets and stored on a top shelf or stored elsewhere in your home."

If you need small hallway ideas, bear in mind that, at the very least, an entryway closet should provide somewhere for outerwear, such as coats and jackets, as well as muddy or wet shoes and boots. In fact, Barbara Brock has one final handy tip to share for how to store outdoor footwear in your hallway closet: "Use a grill topper over a pan for wet boots and shoes," she says. "The water drips into the pan."