Often the first thing you want to do when you walk through the door at the end of the day is drop everything. Is it any wonder your hallway is littered with shoes, papers or bags? Don’t feel flustered by the mess, there are simple ways to fix the problem. Read on for some handy hints to get your hallway clear again.
Draw Inspiration from Real World Examples
If clutter builds up because you simply don’t know how to store everything, it’s time to seek help. Look through online blogs, furniture catalogues or home magazines for ideas on how to style your hallway or for storage ideas. You can also look for inspiration in house and land or online displays from builders such as coralhomes.com.au. Building displays showcase the newest storage products and innovative decorating ideas to keep your hallway (and the rest of your home) clutter-free.
Spring Clean
Unfortunately any good declutter requires some cleaning. It’s time to be ruthless and to throw away those broken toys, old shoes and broken umbrellas that have accumulated in the hall. A good spring clean can be a really freeing experience – you are no longer bound by piles of ‘to-do’ items and don’t have to feel ashamed taking visitors through the hall. Hop to it. You will feel a sense of achievement once you are done.
Make Use of the Walls
Clutter can quickly take over your life and make you feel stressed or anxious. The hallway is one of the busiest areas of your home and needs to cater for plenty of foot traffic. Keep your hallway floor clear by hanging items on a coatrack or on the wall. Install a set of sturdy hooks and start hanging jackets or coats. You can also use them to hang handbags, umbrellas and hats. If it is easy to hang the items, you are less likely to find them laying on the floor.
Choose Furnishings Wisely
A narrow hallway is ten times smaller if there is clutter or large furnishings to contend with. Rather than setting an obstacle course for guests, select one or two key pieces of furniture to use in the hall. A slimline table won’t encroach on your space but instead allows you somewhere to keep keys, shopping bags or other items you need to keep close by. You can also purchase a shoe storage box that doubles as a seat – it will not only keep the floor clear but also makes it easier to slip shoes on each day.
Stop Holding on to Junk Mail
Take the junk mail into the kitchen to sort it and throw out the brochures, flyers and catalogues you will never glance at. Put a ‘no junk mail’ sticker on your letterbox. Most retailers provide digital catalogues on their website. If you can’t bring yourself to stop reading junk mail, remember it has a short life span. Dispose of it within a week or two at the maximum. This will stop it accumulating in your hallway for weeks.
Are you fighting a losing battle with hallway chaos? Maybe you have found a way to tame the monster. What steps did you take to clear the clutter?
