lets reset your entry way
Happy New Year! 2026 is going to be a beautiful year for you I just know it!
After all of the fun and busy-ness of the holidays it feels so good to start January off with a refreshed home. You do not have to reset your entire house at once, I love to use this month to pick a few hot spots to create some momentum.
One of my favorite spots to start with is the entry way, it sets the tone for how you enter your home and welcomes you home with simplicity and peace. So lets reset your entry way together.
Clear the space (remove everything)
Hooks
Baskets
Bins
Misc. items that found their way here
Sort into piles
Stays here
Goes elsewhere (do not put it away, yet)
Trash
Donate
In the category of what does stay here, now it is time to sort it into function (some winter suggestions below) No projects here, it is not time to sort through the piles of mail or paperwork or do, or pay that bill … just sort. Keep it simple and focused.
Jackets
Keys
Papers
Bags and Gear
Seasonal wear
Shoes
Now we are going to create zones for what does stay
Jackets - 1-2 per family member depending on space, the rest can go to their personal closets. These Hooks are fantastic if you do not have a closet in your entry way space.
Mail: In basket or in and out basket, this depends on what your routines are on and what works best for your family.
This is the basket I personally use and have set up in several clients homes.
Pro Tip- Sort through this once a week, set a designated time, put it in your calendar and make it stick!
We have a thrifted baskets in our entry way for keys and misc. items like chapstick and other grab and go items. The two drivers in our house each have our own little basket. I love thrifting these, but here are some great examples depending on the style of your home.
Shoes, oh the shoes. This is a common issue for so many clients, especially if you are a shoeless home. Some clients (especially those of us with ADHD) need to see things for them to exist so open shelving is key, other clients love the look of these items being hidden. Both are correct, it is what works for you and your family.
Pro- Tip: I talk to my clients often about the fact that there is no perfect or right answer, it is what works for your family and most importantly, what you will maintain.
I love to store seasonal items in this area, space willing of course. If you have room for multiple seasons, fantastic. Or you can rotate those seasonal items. I typically use labeled baskets for this category. Putting on a shelf in a closet, or even under a bench.
After all of those items are in their homes, it is now that we put away all the items that do not go belong in this space.
Donate items you are no longer using (put it in your car, and put a reminder in your calendar to drop them off… you know so you don’t drive them around for the next six months)
Trash, well in the trash
Items that have homes, back into their homes
Clothing/Shoes to the person it belongs to,etc.
Items that do not have a home. Do not put them back into your freshly reset space. You can do two things here:
If you are out of time or brain power to keep going, group these items without a home into a basket or bin to return to later. You guessed it, set a calendar reminder to return to this.
If you are on a roll you are going to create homes for them with like items and categories.
What you are not going to do is just shove them all random places.
Now you get to step back and enjoy your newly refreshed space. There is nothing like this feeling, that moment you look at it and are proud of of your effort, the choices you made to let things go, and how you get to welcome yourself and family home. You did it!
From my laptop to your entry way I am so proud of you and excited for this progress! Check back next month as this series of organizing one space each month will continue!
Choose Simple,
Sarah
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