A few months ago, I was at frustration point with our morning routine of trying to get myself and my 2 children out the door on time without feeling frazzled and rushed.
We didn't have a central place for everyday essentials like keys, sunglasses, jewellery, hats... And I was sick of running back and forth between different rooms to grab things for the kids, such as shoes, hats, coats, water...the list goes on! So I asked hubby if he could build a console - basically a stylish piece of furniture for the entryway that could serve double purpose as handy and functional storage for all the essential bits and bobs.
About a month after my request was placed (after many nights working in the freezing garage at night after work!), this is what he produced, along with the matching mirror. Now I am totally loving our new entryway, and a much more relaxed and efficient routine when it comes to getting out the door on time.
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Let me give you a little guided tour of our entryway... When you walk through the front door you are directly in the living room, so I wanted something stylish but quite slim so it didn't take up too much space in our narrow entryway.
In terms of functionality, I had a few requirements - I wanted drawers for all the items we needed to grab as we were walking out the door. I also wanted a holding spot for shoes and coats (we keep our bags in a big basket next to the couch, although I'm not totally loving this set-up.... another project looming for hubs?!).
We also considered adding a coat rack to the left of the console, but because it is right in the living room, I'm not sure I could stand the cluttered look of coats and bags. #neatfreak
We got this lamp from Freedom, and taped the cord to the leg of the console so it couldn't be seen.
These cute birds sit atop a few coffee table display books and my children's baby books - I still like to flick through them from time to time as they hold such wonderful memories.
But let's get down to the good stuff - the console organisation and the homes for our essential items! There are 3 drawers in the console (which I plan on lining with drawer liner when I get the chance). The first drawer holds reading glasses, glasses, earphones, lip balm, asthma puffer and a little box for the jewellery I take off at the end of each day.
The middle drawer holds a box for spare change, a bowl for keys that we do not use regularly (i.e. window locks, bike rack etc), and then our everyday keys which we just throw in there (note the washi tape on my house key so I can easily find it!)
BONUS: Create your own super-organised entryway with my FREE planner! Click the button below to grab your copy...
The final drawer holds the kids' winter hats, which will obviously be swapped with summer hats as the weather warms up. It also holds laminated lists for when we are packing their bags for a sleepover or day out so we can remember everything!
At the bottom of the console are two baskets (also from Freedom a few years ago). One holds winter coats for the kids, along with any odds and ends that might need to be returned to friends or family, delivered to the post office, or put in a donation bin. I always seem to have these little jobs to do, so it's great to have a place to hide them away.
The other basket holds the shoes that we wear on a regular basis. I like that we can just throw them in the basket and put the lid on... things don't need to be too neat if the basket lid is on!
It is incredible how much all this organisation has made our morning routine so much more efficient. It is also so much easier to walk in the door after an outing with the kids, and quickly put everything back in place rather than having it strewn all over the living room.
