The rule that keeps Paula’s entryway organized: “We focused especially on shoe storage”
Paula Nygård, mother of a blended family with nine children, pared down the belongings in her home when some of the kids were moving out. She says that a limited number of items and good storage systems are the most important aspects of a functional entryway.
I used to be a shopaholic, and shoes have always been my weakness. Over the years, I’ve made an absurd number of impulse purchases that have then gone unused because they didn’t fit well, for example. My daily life has become much easier since I changed my shopping habits.
We are a blended family with nine children ranging from 9 to 26 years old, five of whom are already adults. When the kids were little, we lived in a large detached house with two entryways. Having plenty of space was convenient when the children were small.
When some of the kids began moving out, we realized we needed less space. We first moved to a two-story row house home, and a year ago, to our current apartment.
During the first move, I realized that I had to pare down our possessions. I began with the simplest things—socks and underwear. Once I had tackled items of less sentimental value, it was easier to move on to more challenging ones. In the end, I went through the whole house.
Having done that, I wasn’t worried about whether we would have enough storage space in the new home, even though our current entryway is long but narrow. The most important thing is that every item has its own logical place.
Nowadays, we have two school-aged children living with us, and every other weekend, two of my partner’s children. The entryway stays tidy when the kids know where their belongings go and can easily reach them.
We focused especially on shoe storage. Each of us has our own IKEA shoe cabinet mounted on the wall, which holds two pairs of winter shoes. Below the cabinet is a tray where you can put your wet shoes to dry. Everyone has their own identical box for hats and other accessories. The kids hang their coats on their own hooks, and the dog’s towel and leash have their place right by the door.
“I move winter clothes into under-bed boxes for the summer; they can hold a surprising amount of stuff.”
My rule is to only keep the items and clothes that are currently in use in the entryway. For instance, there’s no point in storing formal coats with everyday wear because they would unnecessarily take up space. I move winter clothes into under-bed boxes for the summer; they can hold a surprising amount of stuff.
Sometimes even our entryway gets out of control. Shoes are scattered everywhere when we have many visitors at once. I’d also like to have our coats hidden away in closets. On the other hand, I think that order wouldn’t be maintained as well if the clothes were out of sight.
The children’s sports bags and balls often pile up in the entryway, so I’ve been planning to get a storage basket for the sports balls. I also have a habit of piling items in the entryway when cleaning if they are in the way elsewhere.
When I only have items that I actually like, I don’t feel the need to gather more. I still love shoes, and last fall I bought two new pairs. But now, I always give away the same number of items I buy.
Whether it’s the entryway or any other room, I want our home to look cozy. Items scattered all over used to give me anxiety. Now I feel inner peace, as our home is in order and everything has its place.
