Large Family Small Entryway

  What to do when you have a large family and your entryway or foyer is severely lacking in space? This seems to be a big question among large families. That, along with managing socks, cupboards, beds, clothes, etc. There's certainly a lack of ideas on Pinterest, so here's my contribution!

  We have a 3ft wide, T-shaped entry. People wait outside for their turn to come in. The winter fun aftermath is all sorts of chaos. We have plenty of hangers and hooks for coats. What we lack is area for people to enter, sit, and store their shoes. I fixed the shoe part, but the rest requires a remodel. And we all know that ain't happening.

 

Section 1 is where the door swings and the stairs start. Kids pile on the stairway to tie shoes. It is what it is.

Section 2 is the garage entry door and closet. This area has toddler coat hooks, key/purse hooks, a memo blackboard/corkboard I made, and our main storage. In the winter, boots melt off here along the wall. Otherwise they go in the garage.

  The closet is about 5ft wide and 2 ft deep. We used 1x3s on the wall as support for laminated wood shelves spaced 7-8 in apart. Enough to fit a high heel shoe and see what's shoved a the back. The wood rod is up as far as it'll go to hook up the kids coats. We've got Dad & Mom with 4 boys and 3 girls, so we just split the closet half boy / half girl sides. Our adult coats are in the garage or on the hooks. Each child has a church coat, rain/lightweight coat and a winter coat.

Section 3 of the T is part hallway to the downstairs. So it's critical this stays a walkway. When you add coats and hats to the hooks, good luck! Here we have a 8-square Cubby that holds each of the kids snow pants, hats, scarves and mittens. We ran out of space, so Dad & Mom get the bins on top.

Section 4? Well, Dad & Mom have more coats than the kids. Especially with dress coats, work coats, hunting gear, etc. So all those go out in the garage. One long pole with shelves above for misc, and a shelf below for winter/rain/work boot storage. Another area has storage bins full of coats and shoes for growing kids.

I know some people with less space than ours. I simply can't imagine, since we have no spare room in our bedroom closets. Others throw shoes into baskets, which wouldn't work for us either because shoes would be ruined and we have limited floor space.

 

I hope that sparks some ideas for you and your gathering space! Please share your links and ideas in the comments.