How to Organize Your Entryway: 21 Fun & Clever Tips

Source: The Homes I Have Made

With school in full swing and the weather getting colder, you may notice that more and more backpacks, papers, coats, boots, mail, pet supplies, and other items are piling up by your door. If incoming mail and clutter are taking over your entryway, one of the best ways to corral and organize it all is to create some sort of dedicated drop zone.

Whether you have the space for a full-fledged mudroom or need to carve out a nook near your main entrance, here are 21 clever tips for how to organize your entryway and make the space you do have more functional, orderly, and family-friendly!

If you need more entryway organization ideas, check out this great post here! And when you’re done, don’t stop with the mudroom. Get great garage solutions here and closet ideas here!

Benches & Cubbies

One of the best things to include in your drop zone is some sort of bench for putting on shoes and placing things down. To get the most bang for your buck, add cubby storage to hold pet supplies, seasonal items, first aid items, and more. No matter your space or style, there are lots of different ways to add bench seating.

1. DIY Mudroom Bench

Source: Honey Bear Lane

If you’re handy and want to carve out a customized mudroom for your home, use this two-part tutorial for creating the ultimate seating and storage station.

2. Built-In Bench

Source: Being Home

Are you puzzled by how to use a small empty nook in your home? Add a custom bench and some charming shelving to create a cozy drop zone. Customize the height and size to suit whatever you need to store above and below.

3. DIY Farmhouse Bench

Source: The Apron Blog by Home Depot

Even if you have to squeeze a drop zone into a tight entry, some sort of bench is still nice to have. Learn how to make a simple yet charming farmhouse bench in any size and color you need.

4. Simple & Clean Bench

Source: DIY on the Cheap

If rustic isn’t your style, this sleek and modern version can be made to fit into any floor plan and décor scheme.

Coat Hooks

Hooks are another must-have item in any type of mudroom or drop zone. Without them, coats, scarves, leashes, and bags will pile up on the floor. Hooks are an easy addition even when there’s no obvious place for a dedicated mudroom. Thanks to the endless options of hardware, you can surely find something to fit your needs and style!

5. Reclaimed Wood Hooks

Source: Jenna Sue Designs

In a tight entryway, you can still provide a place to hang coats and bags with a simple stretch of hooks. A reclaimed wood backing gives the hooks a more intentional look and adds charm to the basic hardware.

6. Modern Coat Hooks

Source: Inspired By Charm

White wood with large brass hooks provides a modern spin on the same concept. Hooks are small and easy enough to place near almost any entrance and keep jackets accessible as you and guests come and go.

Shoe Storage

Shoes can quickly and easily make a mess of a mudroom without a smart and dedicated place to store them. Bins, baskets, and shelves are all great solutions for keeping shoes in order.

7. Floating Copper Shoe Rack

Source: Fresh Crush

Make use of an awkward corner while keeping the floor free and clear with this clever floating shoe rack. The copper piping is not only sturdy, but adds a great metallic element to the entryway space.

8. Shoe Peg Organizer

Source: Sawdust Girl

Basic pegs are a simple and inexpensive yet quite effective way to keep shoes off the floor. Not only do pegs let wet shoes dry out, but they make it visually easy to keep pairs together.

9. Rolling Shoe Bin

Source: I Can Teach My Child

If you have a bench in your drop zone, craft up some crates to fit underneath them. Casters and handles make them easy to access, and you can dedicate one crate to each family member.

Mail & Key Organization

Mail and keys are two of the things that come in the door and can be easily lost track of without good systems in place. Try out one or two of these simple DIYs to keep track of these home necessities!

10. Home Sweet Home Key Hook

Source: Jenna Sue Designs

A simple trip to the craft store can yield everything you need to make a charming key hook. Customize the in-laid artwork with your family name or favorite patterns and colors.

11. Customized Mail File

Source: The Homes I Have Made

Having a tough time keeping track of mail? A wall-mounted file system with pouches for each family member makes sorting a cinch. Customize file folders to match your décor by wrapping them in pretty contact paper!

12. Mail & Key Hook

Source: The Apron Blog by Home Depot

This sleek and simple entryway organizer is made with just wood and off-the-shelf knobs and pulls. It’s the perfect mail and key solution for the small and minimalist home.

Memo & Calendar Boards

When important papers, mail, or reminders come in the door, a wall-mounted memo or dry-erase board can help you keep track of it all. Cork, magnetic, or dry-erase…the options for customization to your family’s needs are endless!

13. Magnetic Memo Board

Source: The Homes I Have Made for I Heart Organizing

Simple sheet metal and wood 1x2s from the hardware store get a glamorous makeover in this preppy magnetic memo board tutorial. Use paints and vinyl to customize one to match your décor!

14. Framed Dry-Erase Board

Source: Love Grows Wild

Sheet metal can double as a dry-erase board and magnetic surface. Amp up the charm by adding a frame that matches your style.

Storage Solutions

Even with benches, hooks, and mail storage systems in place, other items such as seasonal clothes (hats and scarves) and pet supplies can make a mess of a mudroom without proper storage solutions. These projects will help you create order out of everything you need to store and more!

15. DIY Custom Cubbies

Source: Sawdust and Embryos

This tutorial walks you through every step of making a super handy and functional set of cubbies. Perfect for storing a variety of items, make them as big and tall as your space will allow!

16. Family Charging Station

Source: Driven by Décor

In your drop zone, consider dedicating a place to drop and charge electronics. A centrally-located charging station makes finding a cord quick and easy, and having electronics in view at all times is a great idea for kid- and teen-filled households.

17. Rolling Toy Benches

Source: This Little Street

If space is at a premium, create a one-stop seating and storage solution with these adorable rolling benches. Make one for each child to fill with their own bags, coats, shoes and more. Line them up against a wall, tuck under a console or store in a closet for an out-of-sight solution.

18. Flipped Shelves

Source: Homemade by Carmona

Create simple and streamlined cubbies by placing traditional brackets on top of a shelf rather than below. The simple dividers keep items sorted and categorized by family member while keeping everything in plain view!

Clever Solutions

If your home doesn’t have an obvious nook or room to create into a mudroom, you can still carve out space to hold coats, shoes, mail, and more. Look around your house and/or entryway to see if a simple wall, corner, or closet can be put to a different and more functional use.

19. Family Command Center

Source: The Homes I Have Made

Instead of placing a cubby shelf up high, placing it at counter height still gives you hanging functionality while also offering a place to create a family command center. The counter is great for dropping keys and mail, and the various boards on the wall keep important papers and dates visible and accessible.

20. Mudroom in a Closet

Source: The 36th Avenue

Build or buy a bench-and-cubby combo to fit inside a standard front hallway closet to create a compact yet fully-functional nook. This solution still leaves enough space for hanging coats and storing seasonal items, but the bench provides extra storage and a place to sit and put on shoes.

21. Simple Shelf

Source: The Homes I Have Made

Even in the tiniest of entryways, a drop zone is almost always possible. Here, a simple wall-mounted shelf, set of hooks, and bulletin board come together to create a fully functioning drop zone on a tiny footprint.

Investing a bit of time and money into establishing a functional and organized mudroom can help create order and reduce frustration around the home. Keep the messes at bay with smart hooks, benches, and cubbies, and track important mail, keys, and paperwork with functional, wall-mounted ideas. Get creative by using store-bought items in unconventional ways or customize a solution for your space with some of these from-scratch projects.