i’ve mentioned before how our move included a pretty significant downsize. we purged a lot of our stuff (steve and i are both really happy to get rid of, which is great) but still… there are things that must stay, particularly in the cold massachusetts’ months. like jackets and boots and all of the other paraphernalia that goes with snow storms and temperatures dipping below freezing. we have two closets on our first floor but none are right by the doors entering the house, and one we reinvented into a small (so small!) computer room–complete with a rolling chair that goes out of sight, under the desk, in order to close the door. so… not useful for storing stuff.
thinking outside the box!!
so, really we have one closet on the first floor and again, not by any of the doors entering the house. we moved in the summer months but i knew come winter with all the winter stuff (there is so much winter stuff!), it was going to be a problem. see that top picture? real winter hadn’t even hit yet!! we had to do something. (this all happened in the fall, but i’m about three months behind schedule on blogging.)
with a dash of pinterest-ing and some conversations with my dad and steve, we came up with a plan: some tavern-style wainscoting with hooks. high hooks, low hooks (parker can hang his own jacket!), a boot tray, and a hanging basket of sorts for all the mittens and hats.
between the two of them, plus a little help from quinn and parker (really, those two shouldered the majority of it.), the problem was solved. thank heavens, the struggle was real.
editor’s note: it never looks as neat as it does in the last picture. we usually have about five more jackets and six more pairs of shoes there, but we can pretend…
also, like the placement of the italy map in the first picture? guys, we’re all way overthinking the hanging of things. just get some tape, close your eyes, and go.sources: boot tray
/ market tote (similar) / hooks
also, like the placement of the italy map in the first picture? guys, we’re all way overthinking the hanging of things. just get some tape, close your eyes, and go.sources: boot tray
/ market tote (similar) / hooks
This is gorgeous! Even if it is more cluttered in the day to day, it is so functional – beautiful job!
'we usually have about five more jackets and six more pairs of shoes there, but we can pretend…' –
Thank you for that, I was a bit more ashamed of the mess we have here with all that winter stuff, to be honest 😉
I really love the idea, beautiful job! If you ever come to europe again I'd love to lure you with some good italian food, vine and coffee so you can work some magic with our lack of stowage 😉
Where are the hooks from?!? This looks perfect!
lowes! here they are: http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=46400-1277-837724&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=3356284&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1
This looks amazing! Totally out of a Pottery Barn page! I need some sort of this in my house, we have a mud room with 100 hooks, but it is on the opposite side of the house from where everyone enters tracking in snow….and mud!
This looks so pretty! It's the perfect solution 🙂
Also that wickery basket is completely dreamy! I have to ask…where did you find it?
xoxo
i wish i could tell you – they were the shopping baskets at a local boutique and i asked her if i could buy one!
this looks identical! though mine was $25!
http://www.whitenestmarket.com/products/french-market-basket-short-long-handle
This is amazing! Such an ingenious solution. It looks great and saves space. I think one of the biggest challenges of EVERY home is managing the entry-way. You nailed it!
Circus & Bloom
Wow I LOVE this! It's functional and it adds pretty detail and character in the woodworking. So creative!
Always, Anita
I just love your blog! It really seems like you enjoy life and your family. The before and after looks awesome. I wish we had a space in our house to do the same thing!
http://shannonolson.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-stack-shack-giveaway.html
Looks fantastic!!!!!!! For reals.
Beautiful job! Love how you added all the molding and kept it a simple white with black hooks. Great idea with low and high hooks and LOVE the big black "H"!
This looks beautiful and functional! We are in the midst of trying to decide whether to move or not (and downsize). My husband is all for it but I have my reservations. I feel a bit attached to this house and our neighbors are our friends. But, I know it would mean a lot of other great opportunities… like me staying home with our son! Tough choices. Thank you for sharing your journey. You guys have done it so gracefully!
Even if it doesn't look like that majority of the time, it does look awesome!! Great idea & great job… Parker & Quinn!
This is really beautiful and so functional! I love the clean lines and big H. I'd love something just like this in our entryway, although it would not fit. Isn't this part of the house one of the most difficult?!?!
Wow, it looks fantastic! Thanks for posting the steps, that's helpful for us DIYers at home 🙂
Where is the Italy map from?? I've been looking for a nice one that looks kind of vintage-ish!! 🙂
its actually a sheet of wrapping paper from the paper source!
Nice! Thank you!!
Love this look! Pinning now 🙂
Ok, this really makes me wish we did not rent. We do not have the need for all the winter stuff living in Texas, but perfect for hoodies and jackets just the same!
I've been on a blogging sabbatical so I'm just now catching up. I LOVE this idea. Especially the part about downsizing 🙂
LOVE this! We just bought a new (to us) house that doesn't have much of an entryway and I'm hoping we can do something similar in our space!
Brava! That looks amazing.
This looks amazing! I just moved a month ago and am going through a big purge as well. Feels great but definitely needed a bit of a kick in the bum about it and have been following Marie Kondo's book on tidying. Have you read it? It's actually a good read and has interesting perspective on streamlining, surrounding yourself with what you love and trusting yourself and the process of making space in your life.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/23/garden/home-organization-advice-from-marie-kondo.html?_r=0
Hello! I love your hook layout and would like to do something similar in our garage. Would you be able to let me know the height of the tall row and the height of the short row, as well as the horizontal spacing in between each hook? I would be so grateful!