Picture this: you have had a long, exhausting day at work and you walk into your home where you are greeted with a pile of junk mail including unread magazines and random household items all over the floor. Maybe you aren’t the type of person would stop in your tracks and clean everything immediately – perhaps the sofa and a bowl of popcorn sounds better. Sure it does. However, you do not realize how moments like this in your day even if you are a messy person affect you. This is where function plays an important role in your home. It’s little details and changes to our every day that create a better life.
Now, Picture this: you have had a long, exhausting day at work and you walk into your home where you are greeted with a good smelling candle, keys and mail in their place, fresh flowers and your favorite magazines stacked and ready for you to read. You decide to grab that stack of magazines, go make a cup of tea and relax on the sofa for the rest of the evening feeling more peaceful now that you are home. Walking into your home was not an additional stress in your life and it has ultimately created the medicine for your bad day.
This is all easier said than done, right? This is where I disagree. Function in your home can be really simple when you have the right road map to get you there.
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9
So, here is how to create a successful catch-all entryway table. Let’s begin with the table. This table is the base and support for all of the items you come home carrying, wearing, etc. You will then need something to hold your keys (see #2 or #4). I suggest a tray or even a decorative box so they always have a home – no one enjoys that frantic search for their missing keys. It’s also important to have some type of lighting in the entryway – a chandelier or pendant is great but you can also add a simple table lamp. You never want to be stuck in the dark at night tripping on shoes and what not. From there, you can add in some personal touches like a couple of framed family photos or a candle.
One touch I just recently added to my entryway table is a Welcome Book (see #5) where my friends and family can sign as they visit (maybe this is something you open when you have had a bad day). Finally, one of the last things you will need is a basket or bin (bonus points if it is attractive) to house all of your mail and magazines (see #7 and #9). I try to sort out the mail I don’t need right when I walk through the door that way it doesn’t pile up and it takes literally two seconds. With all of these items you should have a system down right when you walk through the door to keep everything organized and stress-free.
Feel free to send me any questions on how to create a better welcoming space at your home!
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