An area as small as a cluttered entryway table might not seem like that big of a deal. However, professional organizers warn a messy entrance could be why the rest of your home feels stressful.
So, what happens when you declutter your entryway table every day? Here, the experts reveal the unexpected benefits of clearing this clutter-magnet area daily and how to stop clutter before it starts.
What happens when you declutter your entryway table every day
Although there is certainly such a thing as decluttering too much, leading to the signs it’s time to stop decluttering, this high-traffic zone needs constant maintenance to stop clutter from leaking into the rest of your home.
Not only does a busy entryway table make an entryway look cluttered, but it is the first thing you see when entering and leaving your home. If your first impression of your home is messy, the more likely it is that the rest of your home will fall into chaos, too.
As Dr. Leah Kaylor, licensed psychotherapist, explains, ‘Clutter creates visual stress and cognitive overload, even if you don’t realize it.'
That is why she always suggests prioritizing decluttering high-traffic areas, such as entryway ideas, to reduce overstimulation and make a home more relaxing.
How to declutter an entryway table daily
Keeping your entryway table neat makes leaving and arriving home easier.
When we suggest decluttering an entryway table daily, we don’t mean go all out and attempt the ‘one bag a day’ declutter challenge – you will run out of items quickly and end up with decluttering resentment.
Instead, you should use a little and often approach to make sure your home is always clean.
Professional home organizer Amanda Rivera, owner of Tidy Red, says an entryway table often becomes a drop zone because of its prime location. As a result, we need to ‘be intentional about what stays – like keys or a dog leash – instead of letting clutter build up.’
Using strategic organizers, such as this Studio McGee marble key tray, from Target, can help create boundaries to contain clutter and stop it from spreading.
It's the smallest changes that usually have the biggest impact.
Her suggestion? ‘Spend a few minutes daily tending to your entryway table as part of your normal daily routine. Keeping an entryway table tidy is essential to ensure that overflow doesn’t continue to pour into other parts of your home.
‘If your entryway table has storage, use it for items that naturally land there. Don’t force items to land somewhere that is inconvenient; find a way to make it work for you using decluttering methods such as the desire path decluttering method.’
The same applies to setting a decluttering schedule. For example, Amanda breaks tasks up into different days, dealing with mail on Monday so that it’s out by Tuesday for the trash collection. ‘If daily sorting doesn’t work for you, set a 10-minute timer once a week to tackle it,’ she adds.
Keeping a small analog timer, from Walmart, in an entryway table drawer can encourage you to stick to this habit.
Most importantly, ‘Have your entryway table reflect you and what’s best for your family,’ Amanda urges. ‘I feel mentally clear entering my house, seeing my entryway table with only essentials.
'Try to avoid comparing your entryway tables from different stages of life,’ she adds. ‘Before I had my daughter, my entryway table was bare. Now my entryway table has edge hooks [available at Walmart] for diaper bags and a seasonal section with sunscreen, bug spray, and wipes.’
What to shop
Perfect drop zone
This large, shallow basket is the perfect multi-functional drop zone for all entryway essentials, from mail, to keys, to gloves and hats.
Keeps mail in sight
If, like me, you're someone who will forget about an important letter if it isn't in your line of sight, this letter tray is perfect for your entryway. It stops mail from being buried beneath other entryway clutter.
Amanda says, 'Entryway tables are the first place germs land when you come home. Keep cleaning wipes and antibacterial sprays there to stop germs from spreading further inside.'
Keep a few microfiber cloths with your cleaning spray to make disinfecting quick and intuitive.
Two sizes
Baskets are the best go-to for creating drop zones. Be they in your entryway, living room, or hallway, they can quickly corral clutter making it easier to put away at the end of the week.
With space for slotting unread mail and five hooks for keys, this handy mail organizer is the perfect dropzone for common entryway clutter to keep your table clear.
FAQs
Do I need an entryway table?
Although you do not need an entryway table, having a space to set down keys and bags when you enter the home, or when taking off shoes and coats can be practical. It can also serve as a space to store other essentials, especially if it features built-in storage.
Meet the experts
Dr. Kaylor has worked as a licensed psychologist specializing in sleep for six years. She has a book coming out in late 2025 on healthy sleep, called The Sleep Advantage.
Amanda is a New Jersey-based professional organizer with a passion for creating personalized solutions. she has spent 10 years working in customer service, before switching to home organizing after having her first child.
Reducing visual clutter in an entryway is just one of the ways to make your home feel calmer. Adding some things to do daily to keep kitchen counters clear can also help to stay on top of clutter before it infects the rest of your home.
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