Things to declutter in your entryway before fall – according to the experts

Your entryway should set the tone for the rest of your home, and with the beginning of fall right around the corner it's time to declutter your hall to create an inviting atmosphere to welcome the upcoming season.

Entryways are the high-traffic areas that often fall victim to being cluttered with an accumulation of various items, which is why your entryway should be the first area to organize before fall. 

By decluttering summer decor and items, and unused fall items, as well as organizing your entryway to maintain an ordered space, you'll create a relaxing and atmospheric environment with plenty of opportunities to decorate your entryway for fall.

Our experts have recommended the top six things you should declutter from your entryway before fall. 

Things to declutter in entryway before fall

Diana Bazic, a decluttering expert and founder of Minimalism Basics advises, 'In the world of entryway optimization, where space is often at a premium, the golden rule is practicality. So, here's the lowdown: keep only those clothes and shoes that truly pull their weight in your daily routines. Think of a couple of trusty coats, reliable footwear, and a handful of seasonally apt accessories, and declutter the rest.'

Sort through your storage options, such as shelves, cupboards, cubbies, or storage bins in your entryway and remove any items that isn't necessary in fall or for your entryway. Remember, the decluttering process will always be made easier by tackling sections and categories of items one at a time.

1. Seasonal decor

Before you can set up your fall decor in your entryway, any items with summery motifs need to be stored away for next year.

Decor with shell designs, beach themes, summer foliage, and candles with summer fragrances can all be decluttered. Any pieces that aren't relevant for the upcoming season or don't serve a purpose can go. This includes any items that don't significantly contribute to the overall aesthetic and theme of your entryway decor. 

Since less is often more, each decor piece in your entryway should be carefully selected and contribute to creating a purposeful display, so don't be afraid to throw away or donate mediocre pieces.

A method that often makes this decluttering process easier is selecting designated seasonal decorations that you keep in storage boxes and rotate into your entryway decor according to the season. This will make knowing which decorations to take down and which ones to reintroduce to your entryway a speedier process. This rotation of seasonal decor may also keep your decor pieces more exciting since you can look forward to getting out your favorite fall decor items once the season arrives and bid adieu to the summer pieces.

2. Coats and shoes

'Shoes are one of the most common items that clutter the entryway, especially during the summer when we tend to wear more sandals, flip-flops, or sneakers,' says Goodell David, interior designer and founder of Paints Acrylic. 'Shoes can make the entryway look messy, dirty, and crowded. They can also bring in dirt, dust, or germs from outside.

'To declutter your shoes, you can either store them in a shoe rack, basket, closet, or donate them if you don't need them anymore.' 

Goodell David continues, 'Coats are another item that can clutter the entryway, especially during the transition from summer to fall when we may need to layer up or down depending on the weather. Coats can take up a lot of space, block the light, and create visual chaos. They can also trap heat, moisture, or odors in the entryway.'

So, keep select regularly used coats on hand, on coat racks or on hooks by the front door, and store away lightweight summer jackets for the odd warmer day, as well as lesser used winter coats that may not be needed quite yet in cupboards. Coats that you know won't be used again for a few months can be put into storage.

Decluttering may involve considering entryway storage options in order to keep your entryway organized throughout fall. Stefania Rella, interior designer at Standexpo comments, 'If you’re dealing with a cramped entryway, consider adding wall-mounted shelves and hooks. These are a great way to create an organized space and free up floor space.' 

3. Summer gear

In addition to coats and shoes, make sure to declutter other summer items such as beach bags, summer hats, towels and summery door mats, to make room for gloves and scarfs, umbrellas, winter bags and more heavy duty door mats. 

Michael Gottron, owner of Germicidal Maids says, 'We recommend starting with the removal of summer gear, such as beach towels and sun hats, ensuring they are neatly stored away until next year. 

'Also, checking and replacing faded or damaged doormats not only enhances aesthetics but also ensures safety.'

When completing this task it's often beneficial to consider your daily routines to assess which fall items you may need and which you may need to declutter to accommodate for this. For example, for muddy walks, you may want to make room by the front door for shoe-cleaning towels so you don't traipse mud through your house. This will help you decide which items you need to declutter from where to make room for functional fall pieces. 

You can also invest in some baskets or containers so you can organize and store bags, scarves, hats, and umbrellas with ease.

4. Mail, keys and smaller items

During summer it's easy for a random assortment of miscellaneous items such as mail, keys, sun cream, pet supplies, sunglasses and sports equipment, to build up in your entryway, being left aside to be cleared away at a later time which never seems to come around. The same goes for expired items such as old calendars, coupons, and flyers. Well, the beginning of fall is the perfect fresh start to sort through all the various items that are cluttering your entryway and find a suitable home for them.

Interior Designer and founder of The Home Guidance, Mohammad Ahmed says, 'Over the course of the year, it's easy for mail, flyers, and other papers to accumulate.' Goodell David recommends, 'To declutter these items, you can either sort it into categories such as trash, recycle, action, or file, and dispose of it accordingly.'

Whether it's old mail, random keys, or other miscellaneous items, decluttering those items that no longer serve a purpose from your entryway is key to keeping your entryway mess-free and efficient. 'Designate a space for mail, keys, and important documents to prevent them from piling up on surfaces,' suggests Angela Rubin from Hellamaid.

Mohammad Ahmed adds, 'Consider setting up a designated mail organizer or basket and make it a habit to go through and sort these items weekly.' 

Finding appropriate storage solutions that enhance the aesthetics of your entryway is key to organizing any space, and ideal for maintaining a decluttered entryway. We've listed some potential storage ideas below.

Mohammad Ahmed

Mohammad Ahmed is an Interior Designer and Home Expert. He did his bachelors degree in Interior Designing at the University of Minnesota in 2013 and since then has worked as an interior designer in various companies, designing functional and beautiful spaces for clients.  In addition to his interior and exterior design skills, Mohammad is also Home expert with a talent for creating bespoke furniture and other accessories. He has been featured in popular publications such as Forbes, Yahoo, Realtor, Real Homes, Bustle, and Livingetc for his exceptional design tips.

Angela Rubin

Hellamaid is an award-winning cleaning company in Canada that's been featured on multiple global media brands.

5. Summery upholstery and accessories

If your entryway has furniture, like a bench or chair, you may want to consider removing items that don't suit with the upcoming season, such as summery blankets, throw pillows, or sofa cushion covers in summer colors and prints. Declutter these items as well as rugs, lamps, and items on console tables to make room to incorporate fall designs.

You may even consider switching out certain summery furniture items with ones with rich tones and textures to infuse your entryway with fall themes. 

6. Fall items

Decluttering for fall isn't just about swapping out summer decor, but also pre-emptively going through your fall items and discarding anything outdated or damaged.

Sort through all your entryway fall items – from clothing and shoes to decor – and assess their condition, whether or not you'll use them, and their relevance to your entryway during fall this year. You should also decide if you have enough space for everything, and if not which items should remain in storage.

Decluttering expert Diana Bazic says, 'Identify those garments and shoes that have made camp in your entryway for a full year. If these items didn't get the nod last fall, chances are they won't be game-changers this year either. Trust the wisdom of your past self – looking at you, from a year back – and give those pieces their marching orders. It's a savvy move that'll keep your entryway streamlined and your daily hustle a breeze.' 

Finally, ensure any summer items that need mending or replacing are taken care of before putting them away for the season.

FAQs

Brooklyn Daugherty

 Brooklyn is a Registered Architect with a background in Project Management and Organization. She brings structure and efficiency to the Cult Creative team.  She earned her Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.  During her time in L.A., Brooklyn fell in love with the mid-century modern architecture of Neutra, Schindler, and Wright and their simple expression of systems that organize  lives and spaces.  

Decluttering your entryway before fall will help you create a more organized and functional space that sets an inviting tone for the season. Plus, it will make this space more functional, meaning it's easier to find and access the items you'll need as the weather changes.

Angela Rubin from Hellamaid leaves one last tip when it comes to decluttering and organizing your entryway: 'Establish zones. Divide your entryway into zones based on function. Designate areas for shoes, coats, bags, and keys to keep everything organized.'