When you approach a home or a business your first impression is colored by what you see.
When I was involved in competitive ballroom dance my coaches made a point of letting me know that judges start marking your rating when you first put your foot on the floor. How you present yourself as you walk on to the floor was very important. Then your first steps set the tone. If you messed up there you were pretty much done no matter how well you performed the dance later in the routine.
Think of the walk that people take coming to your front door as their first impression of what to expect.
First impression of your home
When people come to your home, they start getting vibes about what to expect even before they come through your doorway. If they must duck under overhanging branches, walk past lawn clutter or left out toys, or past pots of dead or almost dead plants their first impression will not be stellar.
Go outside and take a walk up to your front door with a critical eye. Note the things you can change to make the walk welcoming. Decide if you need to clean the door and any side windows or to invest in a good quality door mat.
A welcoming entry
Then when the door is opened the entryway imparts the next impression of your home and sets the tone for the rest of your home. This is the area that welcomes you and your guests.
Most homes have two or more entrances. The main entrance is at the front of the home and usually there is a second entrance on the side or back of the house, often off the garage or carport.
Your entryway may be a formal foyer or a mudroom area. It might be an apartment layout that immediately opens into the living area with the kitchen visibly off to the side. Whatever layout you have, you want the space to be functional and to create a welcome area as soon as you walk in.
My two entrances
My front entryway opens right into my living room. Right outside my front door I have a hanging glass mosaic tree of life. I have a pot of red flowers and this area is well lit. As soon as my guests walk through the door, I greet them and take any coats, hats, or umbrellas around the corner to the side entrance which is only a few steps away.
My side entrance has a runner that acts as an inside welcome mat. I have a bench to sit on to remove shoes or boots or to put down packages or purses. I have hooks for hats or coats. There is a lot of whimsical art in this area.
Things to include in your entryway
There is no one “right” way to set up your entryway. You work with the space you have.
For your entrances consider a rug for an inside welcome mat. Something that will make people comfortable when they step inside. A small table with a bowl is a great place to put keys. A few hooks or a coat tree can also hold keys as well as a hat, a coat, backpacks, and pet leashes. Perhaps have a mirror on the wall to reflect light and open up space.
You want to make your entrance welcoming and practical. It is best if it tells something about you and reflects the vibe of your home.
In conclusion
There is no right way or any set rules to making a good first impression with your entryway. It is about creating a welcoming space that embraces the person coming in, either you or a guest. The space not only looks good but feels good. This is a place that makes you smile, relax, and exhale.
If you are ready to develop a plan for sprucing up your entryway or any other part of your home join Diane Quintana and me in our Clear Space For You clutter support group. The group will offer ideas, support, and gentle accountability for working on developing plans or projects.
Jonda S. Beattie, Professional Organizer owner of Time Space Organization, and co-owner of Release, Repurpose, Reorganize. She is based in the Metro-Atlanta area. As presenter, award-winning author, as well as a retired special education teacher she uses her listening skills, problem solving skills, knowledge of different learning techniques, ADHD specialty, and paper management skills to help clients.
Very few people use my front entrance because there is a second (smaller) entrance that you literally walk past from the driveway on your way to the front door. I also have a back door! Near the entrance that most people use (including us as we come in from the garage) I have, as you suggest, a small dish, as well as a lamp. I also switch out seasonal decor there that is welcoming.
The back door enters into our mudroom, where there are cubbies that I make available to all guests. Admittedly, I sometimes have to clear out some of our own things, but it’s nice to have that option.
Great tips! My entryway has evolved over the years. It is still organized, from storing my kids’ backpacks to storing just my shoes. I found that revisiting and revising the area worked well for my family to ensure it wasn’t cluttered.
Ahhh. Curb appeal and beyond. It’s so funny because my husband dug up one of the front flower beds yesterday and planted three gorgeous hydrangea plants. It was a huge job (all that digging and earth turning!) He’s going to finish it off this week by adding mulch. Even without the mulch, it looks wonderful.
In addition to the front flower beds, I have brightly colored ceramic pots with colorful flowers and a blue bench next to the front entryway. When you enter the house, you’re greeted by a colorful entryway (only the ceiling is white.) There are storage cubbies, a bench to take off your shoes (with storage below,) storage cabinets, artwork, fresh flowers, and my Pez collection
Our home has tall ceilings, but the entryway has the lowest ceiling. The space opens into the hallway on one end and the kitchen on the other. You see big windows from either space that look out into the woods.
How fun that you were a competitive ballroom dancer! I was a competition dancer too and was taught the same thing! So, now, with that in mind, it is time to look around my house and try to see it from other people’s eyes. I haven’t paid much attention because we have a gate at this house, but investing some in our front door might make our family feel better about coming home. Thank you for the suggestions!