Spring Challenge: The Entryway

Here are some before and after pictures of the entryway.  It was hard to get a picture of the whole thing.

But here's some detail views.   BEFORE -- lots of piles -- I keep boxes in here to drop off at the thrift stores when we are in town.  This is what could be called the mudroom, or the foyer -- we call it the airlock since there are two doors -- to keep cold air from blasting right into the living room. 

Here's the shoe cupboard -- I had already emptied it by the time I took this picture.

Here's the dirt inside the shoe cupboard.

Here's the view of the outside from our front door!

Beautifying Touch 

Here is a view of the entryway after I cleaned it up.   I put the winter coats in the closet and weeded out the shoes so only the ones being worn regularly are on the shoe rack.  

The basket is a catchall for whatever lands by the front door -- sun-glasses, keys, wallets, etc.   But I emptied it out so we can start fresh.

 Procrastinated Cleaning Job -- 

sorting out shoes and boots, getting rid of outgrowns and yuckies.

I put the shoes that we need for the future back in the shoe cupboard -- I rubber-banded the little boy shoes to keep them together.   I put the ones they can wear this summer on top -- and the bigger-size ones towards the bottom for when they grow into them.

Also, I got those thrift stores boxes and bags into the car ready to bring down to town next time we go.

Here's the shoe cupboard now:

 After sorting through all the boots and shoes I had 3 bags to put in the trash and a good-sized bag to give away.   Here's the throw-aways.

Hospitality Touch 

-- just getting it decluttered enough so you walk in to a clean space rather than a junk room.  It is so refreshing that I go in there occasionally just to take a deep breath ;-).