How to Declutter An Entryway — 6 Ways To Impress Guests With a Clean, Capacious and Clutter-Free Space
This notorious clutter zone doesn't have to be a trip hazard any longer with these smart expert tips

- 1. Figure Out Why Your Entryway Gets Cluttered
- 2. Look for Items That Land and Stay Stagnant
- 3. Eliminate Surplus Mail and Packaging
- 4. Remove Anything From Near or on the Stairs
- 5. Relocate Off-Season Items
- 6. Think About Items That Will Help Maintain Order
- How Often Should You Declutter an Entryway?
- FAQs

Entryways can rapidly become a dumping ground for all kinds of things, from clothing to mail and empty grocery bags. Often being the first place a person walks into when they arrive home, it's incredibly easy to set things down and continue going about your day, forgetting the items are even there.
A cluttered entryway can be quite stressful, as well as a trip hazard waiting to happen. But if you know where to start and have an understanding of how to declutter your home, you'll be able to avoid mistakes later down the line and have an area that brings you peace.
I asked professional organizers to share their decluttering secrets to restore order to even the most cluttered entryway spaces and maintain that new sense of order. Here's the magic they imparted.
1. Figure Out Why Your Entryway Gets Cluttered
Decluttering with long-term results is more than just going around space and throwing away anything you don't like or want anymore. It goes deeper into analyzing your lifestyle, thought processes, and home.
Are you someone who gets home from work late and is prone to setting your belongings down as soon as you enter the door? Or perhaps you're someone (like myself) who gets easily stressed, and you may simply forget to tidy up while feeling those emotions. Maybe your kids leave their mucky shoes on the doormat... which in turn creates a mess.
As noted by Bo Hellberg, CMO of String Furniture, a Scandinavian furniture brand known worldwide: "There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to entryways, but the entryway usually grants the first impression of your home. It's best kept simple and uncluttered for all."
So, get clear on the reason behind your "why" for decluttering your entryway and the reason behind the chaotic clutter. Once you have a better picture of this, you'll be better equipped to declutter your entryway mindfully, which is more likely to be maintained over time, and fend off entryway feng shui mistakes.
2. Look for Items That Land and Stay Stagnant
Want to know how to declutter when you are overwhelmed? A good place to start in the decluttering process of your entryway is by standing in the doorway and observing the space.
Are there items that have stayed in a specific area for too long and were never there originally? These items have found a new home in your entryway, and you're now so used to seeing them that you've become clutter blind.
Mindy Godding, certified professional organizer, owner of Abundance Organizing and president of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO), says, "It's important to keep a critical eye open for anything that clogs up your entryway space. Entryways are dynamic spaces by definition, where things flow in and out, so you may not notice the ebb and flow of stuff."
Start by removing items from the entryway that never belonged there and returning them to their original homes. If you're struggling to find space or a home for an item elsewhere, stop to ask yourself whether you truly need it before either creating a new home for it or placing it in a pile to donate.
3. Eliminate Surplus Mail and Packaging
There are a few things people with uncluttered entryways always do, the first being getting rid of surplus mail and packaging. Mail is one of the most common forms of clutter in an entryway, from flyers to empty cardboard boxes and discarded packaging materials.
Cheryl Arzewski and Jordan Marks, co-owners of It's Organized, LLC, told us, "Boxes make their way into this space, often get unpacked, and sometimes things get left there only adding to the clutter."
It can be easy to let mail and packaging pile up on the floor or in a corner to take to the recycling center, so it's important to implement a rule in your home to keep the amount lingering in the space in check. "For example, if you store the week’s mail there — come Sunday, have a reminder on your phone to open the mail and remove it from your entryway," say Cheryl and Jordan.
Having a designated area in your entryway to store mail, such as a large basket like the Better Homes & Gardens Extra Large Round Poly Rattan Storage Basket with Handles from Walmart, is definitely helpful. You can tuck this into a corner of your entryway or sit a smaller version under another piece of furniture and place your mail in there. Then, at the end of every week, empty it of the week's worth of unaddressed mail.
This works to help keep you accountable and prevent mail from accumulating on the floor.
4. Remove anything from near or on the stairs
Oftentimes in a home, a small entryway is located near a staircase, and although it can be very tempting to combat the limited space by hanging extra coats off of the banister — this should be avoided! The sooner you break this habit, the less cluttered your entryway will look.
"Often, if the stairs are near the entry, we leave things there to bring upstairs," say Cheryl and Jordan." To combat this, the experts "recommend investing in a stair basket like the 14 inch wicker staircase basket with handles from Amazon to contain these items to one place and help prevent clutter."
Once your basket is full, take time to return all of the items in there to their original homes. You could set a timer to see how much you can tidy away before it ends. The options are endless. Just don't leave it there to become an ever-daunting pile of clutter in the space.
5. Relocate Off-Season Items
The great thing about entryways is they tend to store all of the things we need when we're about to go out: hats, coats, gloves, bags, keys, etc. But if you have a smaller entryway, having all of this stuff in the space year-round may make it feel cramped and, in turn, cluttered.
Relocating your seasonal items when not in use is an efficient way to combat clutter. It also helps make your entryway more useful, giving your entryway an injection of breathability and making it far easier to find everything you need before hopping out the door. Do your best to keep the items that remain in there tidy, though. Otherwise, you'll struggle to find them, and the space will still feel cluttered.
"Most of what comes into the entryway are things you will use the following day, such as coats, bags, keys, and sunglasses," say Cheryl and Jordan. "If you put them back where they belong and utilize the right storage products, you will have a decluttered entry and be ready for the next day."
The Container Store sells a vast range of storage totes ideal for stashing away your off-season goods. These include Our Long Under Bed Box with Wheels and the Grey 16-compartment Under Bed Shoe Organizer, which doesn't have to be stored under the bed. These containers will keep your items dust-free and ready to enjoy in the warmer months.
6. Think About Items That Will Help Maintain Order
Organizing and decluttering are not considered to be the same thing, but they often go hand in hand. If you fail to organize your entryway space or do not have a clear decluttering method at hand, your space can be cluttered quite quickly.
Think about what practical and stylish storage pieces you can add that will help boost the practicality and functionality of your entryway space without impacting the space's visual. The prime choices of furniture for a little entryway are narrow and optimize ways to use vertical storage instead of placing things on the floor, as floor space is limited.
The Friesen polyester blend upholstered storage bench from Wayfair, for instance, is a great entryway seating idea, as it is relatively small and will double up as storage.
Along a similar thread of thought, if you have storage in your entryway space already that isn't being used, ask yourself if it's the correct piece to meet your family's needs. There's likely a reason why you aren't using it, so items instead accumulate as clutter in your entryway.
How Often Should You Declutter an Entryway?
Mindy Godding, certified professional organizer, owner of Abundance Organizing and president of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO), recommends carving out time to give your entryway a deep decluttering seasonally.
"Entryways should be decluttered at least once a season, including at the beginning and end of the school year or any time that you notice clutter building up," explains Mindy. "Because your entry is the launching point for everyone’s day, you want this space to be efficient and clutter-free."
However, as noted by Cheryl Arzewski and Jordan Marks, co-owners of It's Organized, LLC, it's good practice to keep on top of your decluttering day-to-day to the best of your ability. "If you take the time to declutter your entryway as you go with that little bit of daily time, you will probably start the next day off in a more efficient manner."
FAQs
How can I make my entryway more welcoming?
If you want to make your entryway feel more welcoming, keeping the space tidy and inserting some decor or furniture pieces with character will warm up the rooom, cultivating an inviting, cozy feel.
"Incorporate fun decorative details that evoke the spirit of the season and make you smile," says Mindy. "Add wall-mounted items like a mirror or art to liven up your entryway, or perhaps natural elements like plants to make the space more inviting."
Cheryl and Jordan gave the following product recommendations as well to add an elevated decorative touch and extra storage space for guests' possessions to make your entryway irresistible:
- This Shoe Rack Bench with Cushion from Amazon, which Cheryl and Jordan describe as "A cute bench to sit on and put shoes on".
- An entryway mirror with a shelf and hooks, like the multifunctional ARTPOWER Wall mirror with shelf & hooks from Amazon.
- A decorative bowl for keys and sunglasses, like the shelf and nook travertine decorative bowl from Amazon.
- A pretty chandelier that adds light to the space, like the modern pendant light from Amazon.
- A mail box and valet, like the key and mail holder for wall from Amazon.
- Some extra hat hooks, such as the simple 2 pack of hat racks from Amazon.
Be The First To Know
The Livingetc newsletters are your inside source for what’s shaping interiors now - and what’s next. Discover trend forecasts, smart style ideas, and curated shopping inspiration that brings design to life. Subscribe today and stay ahead of the curve.

Ciéra is a writer and regional laureate with particular passions for art, design, philosophy and poetry. As well as contributing to Livingetc, she's an Editorial Assistant for Design Anthology UK and a contributing writer for Homes & Gardens and Apartment Therapy. Previous commendations of hers include being Highly Commended by The Royal Society of Literature and receiving a prestigious MA Magazine Journalism scholarship to City, University of London.
-
People Don’t Write Songs About Just Any Sheets — These Egyptian Cotton Ones Live Up to Their Legacy
Here’s what makes Egyptian cotton sheets so special (and the sets that warrrant the hype)
-
The 12 Best Silk Pillowcases — From A Style Editor That Packs At Least One in Every Travel Bag
Silk may be a beauty secret, but it’s also a design detail. Here’s why the most beautiful beds (and sleepers) never go without
-
Plants in Test Tube Candelabras? There's a Stylish New Way to Show Off Your Propagation Skills
If you're tired of leaving your plant cuttings on your window sill, you'll love this fresh idea for a plant propagation candelabra.
-
Which Spring Home Scent Matches Your Star Sign? This Is What Your Home Should Smell Like Right Now, According to the Zodiac
Choosing a home scent that matches your personality is the best way to create a space that feels perfectly your own. So find your zodiac and the scent to match.
-
I've Discovered This Floristry 'Recipe' That's the Trade Secret to Elevating Your Grocery Store Flowers at Home
Commonly used to create the perfect color palette in interior design, this rule also works in floristry. Here's how to use it for your spring arrangements.
-
These Are the Dos and Don'ts of Bamboo Plant Placement — Follow This to Avoid Bad Feng Shui
By following the experts' guidance on where to place this houseplant you can usher luck, wealth, and prosperity into your home
-
Is It Okay to Have a Mirror Facing a Door in Feng Shui? The Verdict Is In and It Just Might Surprise You
Decorating your home with mirrors calls for intention if you're dressing your space in accordance with Feng Shui. Here's what you should know.
-
4 Things to Unpack as Soon as You Move House — For a Comfortable and Organized Fresh Start
If you have a major move in the works and you're looking to prepare in advance, this is the starter kit you need to properly set up your new home.
-
10 Decluttering Challenges to Have on Your Radar This Year — For a Tidier, More Mindful Home
If you're interested in transforming your home for the better, here are 10 decluttering challenges I recommend for a professionally tidy space.
-
Biophilic Decluttering — What to Take Out of Your Home (and What to Put in) for a More Natural Home
Try your hand at biophilic decluttering to ground your interiors, connect to the environment, and cure chronic clutter in one go. Here's how.