Do you struggle to keep the clutter organized? I sure do. And with three kids things can sometimes get pretty cluttered.....shoes, coats, backpacks, toys, books, you name it. My dream is to have an official mudroom for everyone to just drop their stuff off on their way into the house but unless we get a new house that just ain't happening.
Soooooo, I decided to work with what I have, namely, a bench (whose seat lifts up for storage) that we use to drop our stuff on when we walk in the door. Remember my bench revamp? You can see that here. Our house's floor plan drives me crazy sometimes. Have you ever said, "What WERE those builders thinking?" I ask that all the time. I'm left with a bench kind of out there in the middle of the room. Luckily I can ground it somewhat with the couch behind it but still it's awkward.
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To the right is the door to the patio and to the left is the door to the garage, our main entryway. So it's a very busy area of the house. Lemons into lemonade, people.
I picked up two baskets at 40% off at Jo-Ann's that I thought would fit perfectly underneath the bench. For the third basket I bought one made of corn husks for a bit of contrast. (Note, corn husk baskets are not really strong, just sayin'.) For the little signs on each basket I used: 1) a small unfinished picture frame that came as part of my son's in-school craft that he never finished (which I painted with acrylic paint and turned into a mini-chalkboard) and 2) two adorable unfinished mini-chalkboards that I found for like a buck ninety-nine at World Market. I love that place. Oh, and I painted them, too.
I don't know about your house, but at my house at any given time we have a bunch of stuff that has to "go back" (be returned) to various stores. I hated looking at the stuff, piling up mainly in my tiny quaint laundry room. Sooooooo, I labeled the signs on the baskets in code. No. 1 means "Target returns." No. 2 means "Wal-Mart returns." and No. 3 means "Other returns." Not too crazy, right? At least for now that's what the baskets will be used for. But believe me, they can just as easily be filled with all those shoes, coats, backpacks, toys, books, you name it. (See the baskets on each side of the bench? They're currently FILLED with shoes. Crocs, sneakers, garden shoes, flip flops, sandals, etc. How can five people have so many pairs of shoes? I guess that's fodder for another day...)
So I really do like how they turned out, and how they give me a false sense of being really organized. I mean, a girl can dream, can't she?
How do you organize your family's clutter?
xoxo
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I think you look perfectly organized now. Those baskets look really good under your pretty bench. (My bags are piled up on my dining room table. Hmm. Maybe I can find a basket to disguise them.)
I think baskets are a great way to stay organized, Kathleen. I use them all the time at my house to hold so many different things. I love that bench!
Cute way of labeling the baskets. Right now, I am not doing a very good job of organizing it all. I used to be a very organized person, but that side of me seems to have disappeared. :-D
Hope you are enjoying your weekend.
this is almost exactly that I do! i have a bench where the "dump" their sports stuff first in the garage and a second bench where they dump their book bags as soon as they enter the house...it works....keeps all everything in one big pile!!
I had to laugh at that first sentence, Kathleen. I struggle every day! Your baskets are pretty cool. Great bench too.
Hi Kathleen,
I love the baskets and the cute bench. My kids use to drop off their backpacks in our small foyer with their shoes. I mean drop....... until one day I tripped over them and broke my hand. I wish I had thought of your pretty baskets......
Dee
Kathleen,
I know the feeling! Our home doesn't have a mudroom or an entry. So, I've really had to improvise our entry space to organize all the shoes, coats, and backpacks. And this particular room has 4 entrances, one on each wall.
I followed you over from the HomeStories linky party. I would love if you stopped by my blog.
Thanks for sharing,
Laura
Here from Home Stories A to Z, and now following you. Love the entry organization, thank you for sharing the wonderful ideas!
Tanya :)
Awesome storage idea Kathleen and so nice to look at too. I remember your bench project and I think this is a perfect spot for it.
I must admit that I'm the only one accumulating clutter. Most is out in the garage which is never organized. It sure looks better after I've sold a lot of it, but then I find a good yard sale and the pile starts growing again:-)
I'm visiting from Decor and Harmony. Using baskets under your bench is a great organizer. I have a bench in the hallway that everything lands upon. I may just have to steal your idea!
I love your solution for organizing your children's stuff. Great idea!
Mary Alice
Excellent way to stay organized! Definitely like your numbering system... I'm visiting from No Minimalist Here and I'm now following you. I would appreciate it if you could follow back. Thanks
That looks so great! I love the basket idea! Even though we have a shoe organizer bench in our entry...it seems like shoes just keep multiplying...I don't know where they all come from lol! I think I need a basket! Thanks!
I love those baskets. Such a cute idea! I am having a Feature Friday linky party and I would love for you to link this up.
Danielle @ Blissful and Domestic
http://www.blissfulanddomestic.com/2012/05/feature-friday-linky-party-southern_24.html
YES, I say that
all the time! Also,
"This place was
obviously designed
by A MAN!" as a
woman would have
thought of a better
layout, surfaces, etc.
I think you made
lemonade from your
lemons, though ~ looks
fabulous!
xo Suzanne
It looks great and totally will keep the clutter away. I love the use of the storage baskets underneath. We'd love to have you share your fabulous creativity at the linky party.
Hugs,
Patti
Clutter is a constant challenge, but you found a great way to deal wuth it! Love the bench and your pretty baskets!
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