Want a well-ordered hall that radiates calm? Are you tired of tripping over shoes and bags and losing keys? Then it’s time to get your hallway in shape.

Check out this list of hallway heroes that will help you ace a tidy and organised space. Even just investing in one or two will help you on your way to hall nirvana.

1. Book a table

Photo: Apartment Apothecary

A smart buy for a brilliantly ordered hallway is an offloading bay – somewhere to dump everything from your pockets (this will keep the rest of the house neat too). A console table is the obvious answer, and there are some gorgeous slimline ones on the market complete with drawers and shelves for extra storage. But if space is tight, opt for a smaller table like this square model (pictured). It’s the ideal size for this entrance and has plenty of space for a dish for keys, a stack of papers and even a vase of fresh flowers and other decorative pieces. After all, you do want the hall to look smart too.

In a tiny space, a small shelf will suffice, as long as there’s enough room for a bowl or basket to hold keys, loose change and any other stray items.

2. Hang hooks for everyone

Coat hooks are essential, unless you want a pile of jackets (and bags) dumped on the ground. Choose sturdy versions that will hold a few coats.

The efficiency of coat hooks can fall down when there are children in the household. If the hooks are too high, you run the risk of little ones giving up and using the floor as alternative storage. The easy solution is to install some hooks at a kid-friendly height.

3. Find a place for footwear

A line-up along the wall is fine, but it’s not the most efficient (or neat) method. A shoe rack, a few low-level shelves, or some cubby-holes are good options, as is a large hamper. For something altogether more organised, how about this smart design? Four shallow drawers are just large enough to fit a few pairs of footwear, and the handle-gap allows the shoes to breathe. And it comes with seating. Bonus.

Photo: Lischkoff Design Planning

4. Corral your kit

As well as coats and shoes, an organised hall requires a place for gloves, hats, scarves and other outdoor essentials. A roomy basket is a practical option for keeping all these bits and bobs together. For an even more streamlined solution, go for a series of baskets, as they’ve done here. You could allocate a different type of item to each basket, or give each member of the household their own storage bin.

5. Say yes to shelves

Boost storage with a few shelves where you can perch bags and even your phone and mail. If you don’t have room in your hall for a table, a small foot stool is a good alternative. Make your shelves work hard by opting for a peg-rail design.

6. Bring in a brolly stand

Be ready for the great winter weather by making sure you’ve got an umbrella handy. Tuck some brolly storage next to the doorway to keep your rain covers tidy and ready for use. You could hunt around for a classic tall umbrella stand, or go for an alternative such as a tall basket. It’s not your traditional type of umbrella storage, but it works just as well and looks attractive in a minimalist scheme.

7. Keep your keys in order

Of course a dish on a surface, as mentioned earlier, is a useful spot for dumping keys but there are alternatives that work even more efficiently.

Photo: Torie Jayne

8. Sort your mail

You might have noticed the practical mail rack hanging on the wall in the previous image. A system like this is a great way to collect up the mail near the door, to be emptied and sorted through later.

If you fancy going down the built-in route, consider asking a joiner to design a cubby-hole system like this one. There’s a slot for everyone’s letters, which frees up space on the table below.

Photo: Sims Hilditch

9. Hang up your cycle …

Photo: Nia Morris Studio

If you cycle to work, it’s useful to have your bike handy for a quick exit in the morning. To avoid your bike clogging up the hallway, hunt around for storage options. There are a number of systems around, including pulley designs that can raise your bicycle to the ceiling, or simple wall racks such as the ones here. This hallway is quite large in comparison to others, but these wall hangers can work just as well in a small space. Look out for ones that have a ledge above the rack, so you can hang your bike at a lower level and pop your keys and phone on top.

10. Finish with a mirror

Why? Well, it will create a sense of space in a compact hall, it can bounce light around for a brighter feel, and it will give the entrance of your home a stylish touch. Oh, and it can help you ensure your hair and make-up are as neat and tidy as your hallway now is!

By Amanda Pollard

Read original article on Houzz

Browse eclectic entryways of Australia

Have the right wall hooks in all the right places