How to Optimize a Small Apartment Entryway
Can you barely squeeze through your tiny little entry? Is it more like a gauntlet of bifold doors? Do your guests have to take turns putting on their shoes, accidentally punching each other as they dawn their jackets!?
What we REALLY need is Hermione’s Extension Charm, but short of that, there are still a few things you can do to make the most of your little entry!
Work with What You’ve Got
Unfortunately this apartment didn’t come with a storage unit, so rather than stashing our shoes and coats in the closets, we had to use one for all our camping / backpacking gear, and the other for pantry / household storage (with a few coats thrown in there too). IDEALLY, we’d be living in a gorgeous villa on the Mediterranean with a FOYER we wouldn’t have to use the following entryway items at all, but REAL-LY, you gotta make do with what you’ve got. Read on to see how we made this 3’-6” x 6’-0” entryway work!
Shoe Cabinets
IKEA Hemnes shoe cabinet.
The IKEA Hemnes cabinet is the entryway’s MVP. It fits 12+ pairs of shoes in the two large compartments, and the small drawer on top is the perfect dropzone for sunglasses, wallets, and other miscellaneous items. IKEA offers several options, but you can find these beauties at Walmart and Amazon too. Don’t forget to check FB Marketplace as well! They come in many different widths, heights, and depths, so measure carefully and grab yourself a game-changing shoe solution!
Small acrylic organizers help corral miscellaneous items.
As high-traffic transition spaces, entryways can easily descend into chaos. The trick, as always, is to have a place for everything — whether that be a series of baskets, shelves, hooks, and/or bins. These acrylic organizers fit perfectly in this little drawer, helping to corral all our bits ‘n’ bobs.
RELATED: The One True Secret to Keeping an Organized Home
Vertical Storage
Over-door hooks are a great way to sneak in extra hanging and storage space.
Over-door pocket organizers add tons of extra shoe storage!
There are SO many genius, over-door accessories to help maximize your storage and organization.
Over-door hooks are an easy, affordable, renter-friendly way to add more hanging room for coats, scarves, purses, umbrellas, etc.
Over-door pockets add SO much extra storage for shoes in an entry, toiletries in a bathroom, accessories in a bedroom — you name it. This one by Whitmor is great because it runs the full length of the door, providing a home for 14+ pairs of shoes!
Letter racks are such a handy place to stash incoming and outgoing mail, receipt, etc. Never leave your A&W coupons behind again!!
Assorted paper products tend to accumulate in entryways as well, like bits of mail, coupons, punch cards, receipts, etc. Small miscellaneous items like keys and masks also need a home!
This cute letter rack is the perfect piece of functional styling — it adds character to the space while holding all those important-yet-easy-to-forget items. We give it a quick glance every time we leave the house, and gone are the days of PANICKING that we forgot the Teen Burger coupons important receipts!
Functional Styling
Functional styling is the best way to add utility AND beauty to your small space.
Functional styling is the best way to add utility AND beauty to any small space. Plants add beauty to any corner of a home while purifying the air and boosting mental health. Small wood elements like the letter rack add warmth, character, and organization. It’s always handy to have a mirror in your entry to bounce light around and give yourself a quick check before dashing out the door. Candles are also beautiful anywhere, and it’s so nice to be greeted with your favourite scent as you walk in the door.
NOTE: I always look for naturally based, naturally scented candles and often have luck at HomeSense! The one pictured is made from soy wax, scented with essential oils. London Drugs also carries affordable natural candles, but if you want to treat yourself, beeswax candles are the crème de la crème.
Bonus Bench Ideas
It’s always nice to have a spot to sit down in your entry, so if you have the space, you could add a hall tree. They’re great for everyday jackets and shoes, and can be part of your functional styling efforts!
Or if you have just a teeny little bit of wall space and a day to DIY, you could make a super simple folding seat using heavy-duty folding brackets.
So there you have it folks! I hope this gave you a few ideas for how to make the most of your small entryway.
Related Articles
Are you wondering how to update your bedroom for under $1000?This may sound like a lot of money, but new bedding alone can cost upwards of $200, most rugs are in the $300-$400 range, and the minute you say “window treatments,” well, that’s another few hundred right there. But with a little patience, persistence, luck, and creativity you can stretch your budget a long way and create a whole new feel!