Day Two :: Get Your Home Decluttered in 28 Days

 

Today we will work on the front entryway – inside the home.  Yesterday we worked on the front doorstep – raked leaves, pine needles, and cleaned things up front so when you come home the first thing you see is a shiny and clean front area.  If you are inclined, why not get some inexpensive flowers at Home Depot or Lowe’s and plant them next to your door so they are the first thing you see when you leave the house and when you come back to the house.  I really believe this sets the tone for your day!  With this in mind – let’s do the front entryway inside your home.  We don’t have much of an area but there are a couple things we did to freshen up the space.  And we are planning on doing a couple more things (like paint the inside door) over the next week or so.

 

 

 

Step One:  Organize the space.  If you are like most families, the entryway can be a drop off place for most things.  We had a small wooden container that was overflowing with stuff.  When I cleaned it out – I found in no particular order:  LEGO pieces, old keys that we aren’t sure where or what they go to, nails, rubber bands, coins.  You name it – we probably had it in this rather small container.  I ended up switching for a larger container I had in the kitchen because it could fit our dog’s leash in it nicely.  A cute container is a great addition to the front entry to “catch” all the things we use day to day.

 

 

 

 

Step Two:  Add some artwork.  We had a nice framed piece of African clothe that I had purchased at Marshall’s years ago.  The piece was nice but I wanted something more colorful.  That has been my goal in reorganizing and decluttering our place – more color and fun.  We have some rather serious pieces I have collected over the years from estate sales, eBay, travels, etc.  So I wanted to freshen it up a bit (not as much neutrals and more pops of color).  I brought down this wonderful giraffe by artist Jennifer Mercede from my bedroom and put it here so it is the first thing you see when coming into the home.  I think it really represents our family and I absolutely love it!  That is key – find a piece of artwork that you adore and place it at the front entrance so you see it everyday.

 

 

 

Step Three: Add some plants or flowers. I had received some flowers in this pot from a friend for my birthday and I added some succulents and placed it on the front mantle.  I love that it is the first thing I see when I come through the front door.  And this color is amazing!

 

 

Step Four: Paint the door.  I plan to paint our inside of our door one of the greens in the painting by Jennifer.  This would add a fun touch to this area!  Go to your local hardware store and see what colors would make you happy to see everyday. Tape them on the door and live with them for a week to see what color is calling to you.  Also, paint any spots that need a touch up.  This could be done in an afternoon and will look fresh!  We have to keep this kiddie door up to keep our dinosaur from going upstairs but I think it might be time to take it down!  Hmmm, just might be going down this weekend!  Thinking of putting the coat tree up on the wall as a place to hang purses – but want to sit with the idea for a bit.  Try moving things around to see what works for you!

 

Steps to Take it Further:

 

 

Add some baskets.  This is a great idea from Better Homes & Gardens if you have the space in your entryway!     Purchase a new rug for inside.  I was just at Marshalls yesterday and they have some really great and inexpensive rugs.  Until we figure out what we are going to do with our floors – either a dark stain or go for Pergo – I am holding off on getting any rugs.  But this is a nice way to add some color to the area plus helps keep the dirt out of your home.

 

 

 

Add some pictures to the wall.  I saw this on Pinterest and love this idea from Sada Lewis!  A good place to add something fun.  We have our green coat tree there for now as I am thinking of hanging it up and putting hooks on it so people can place their bags and/or purses on it when they come through the door.  Add little surprises in your house keeps it interesting for you and your guests!

 

 

Add some stick-on words.  This is another fun idea that would not cost very much but would be a nice addition to this space.  Little reminders about enjoying life and being in the moment before you head out into the world!  Image found on Lushlee and can be purchased on etsy here.

 

Now enjoy your new area!

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