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Need Entryway Ideas
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Hashem_Yaazor




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 9:47 am
Prerequisites: won't cost a lot of money, will be effective

Context: The entryway area in my house is a tiny tiled floor with a coat closet on one side, no wall on the other. I covered that tile with an area rug (though some still shows). The rest of the floor is hardwood. On the wall past the coat closet, there is a enough of a wall to do something with it. On the opposite side, it's just an open area that we are using as a living room. I configured the couches in an L shape, so it does create somewhat of a boundary.

Our coat closet has sliding doors (you can only access half at a time), and very deep. I have small children who will not be hanging their coats in the closet, and I want to install hooks. My original idea was to put hooks inside the closet, but my husband feels that the closet is so deep and hard to access that they won't really get used. He's right, but it's a shame since we do have that closet.

So I want to put hooks on the wall, somewhere. 6 cute kids' hooks. If I do it on the wall next to the coat closet (where it's already hardwood floor), I have plenty of space, but I'm afraid it will end up looking cluttered. My other idea is to use a small corner of the living room wall (before the couches) which is the same side as the door, but in a very obviously different room, and that way we'll have a little entryway corner in the living room area.

Which do you think is better?

If I go for the latter, what do I do with the wall next to the coat closet? I was thinking of some bench or storage unit, but I'm not sure if that's funny being so separated from the coats.

Another idea I had was to put a small bench like this http://www.target.com/p/closet.....bench (or with a cushion) and then putting the hooks above that, along the long wall next to the coat closet, but I'm not sure if it will be hard for my kids to access the hooks.

Here is a rough outline of the space I'm talking about http://potterybarn.icovia.com/.....80B96

The door and the coat closet in the upper right with an area rug. The entire shaded floor is hardwood. Next to the coat closet is a wall and then a hallway.

Next to the door is a small corner, then my L-shaped couches with an end table in between (also a lamp on both sides, but I didn't show that), and a window behind the long one. Bookcases on the further wall, and directly opposite the living room is the dining room, but no real boundary for that, a very big open area since the wall ends just about where the small couch begins...I hope this gives you a better feel, and my interior decorator friends here can help me minimize the messy look it is so prone to become Very Happy

Have fun!

And thanks Wink
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Rubber Ducky




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 10:11 am
You say that the closet is very deep. How about simply removing the sliding doors so the closet will be more accessible? Then you could put hooks on the closet sides and cubby storage at the back.
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IMHopinion




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 10:21 am
You can put a rod at the very far back of the closet, where you can hang stuff which you're not currently using, like seasonal stuff or outgrown coats, or something you rarely use (raincoats etc).

Then another rod in the front of that for your reg every day use coats.

On the 2 side walls id hang some hooks for the kids, maybe a narrow shelf on top of those hooks for umbrellas and stuff.

And id also change the doors to reg doors that can be pulled open. Much easier access.


I'm not sure if this is all in your budget, or if this is even what you had in mind, bit maybe you can use some idea![quote]
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mummiedearest




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 10:57 am
I would definitely work on reconfiguring that closet. get some big buckets for the kids to dump their shoes in when they get home. hang an additional rod in the back for off-season items. move the current rod back a bit so the kids can walk into the closet without having to push coats aside. hang some hooks on the side of the closet for the kids' coats/knapsacks. put some cubbies on the floor for scarves, hats, mittens, etc. put in a shelf above the rods for extra school supplies/baby supplies, etc.

I would put a kids' bookshelf on the extra wall. you can keep some cheap throw pillows in another bucket in the closet, the kids can take them out and make a pile of them to read on when they want. they can put the pillows away when reading time is over.
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cbg




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 11:21 am
I agree try to use the closet in some way that works for you.
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Hashem_Yaazor




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 11:22 am
Rubber Ducky wrote:
You say that the closet is very deep. How about simply removing the sliding doors so the closet will be more accessible? Then you could put hooks on the closet sides and cubby storage at the back.


I was thinking that, but my husband really wants doors there to cover up all the extra stuff (cleaning supplies on the top shelf, extra not used at the moment coats, bins of winter stuff when not in use). I thought and he agreed to try folding doors instead, but then he decided knowing our kids, they won't take the time to actually open the doors and walk in to reach it. Oh, also one side wall is the mailbox slot right away, and the other is much further in (you have to essentially try to walk in to reach that side wall), so we'd only have the back wall which is deep.
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Hashem_Yaazor




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 11:25 am
IMHopinion wrote:
You can put a rod at the very far back of the closet, where you can hang stuff which you're not currently using, like seasonal stuff or outgrown coats, or something you rarely use (raincoats etc).

Then another rod in the front of that for your reg every day use coats.

On the 2 side walls id hang some hooks for the kids, maybe a narrow shelf on top of those hooks for umbrellas and stuff.

And id also change the doors to reg doors that can be pulled open. Much easier access.


I'm not sure if this is all in your budget, or if this is even what you had in mind, bit maybe you can use some idea!


I don't really have a lot of money to create a whole new closet system. I don't think having a rod for my kids is going to work. The only thing that will work are hooks, and the easiest place in the closet to fit all of them (B"H for many kids, not like the ideas I see online with a max of 3 kids Wink) is way in the back Sad
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saw50st8




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 11:29 am
What about using a nice looking curtain as the door instead? It doesn't really need to be opened, just pushed aside.

I would try to prioritize money for this because IME, having spots for everyone to easily put things makes it much easier to keep clean.
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Hashem_Yaazor




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 11:30 am
mummiedearest wrote:
I would definitely work on reconfiguring that closet. get some big buckets for the kids to dump their shoes in when they get home. hang an additional rod in the back for off-season items. move the current rod back a bit so the kids can walk into the closet without having to push coats aside. hang some hooks on the side of the closet for the kids' coats/knapsacks. put some cubbies on the floor for scarves, hats, mittens, etc. put in a shelf above the rods for extra school supplies/baby supplies, etc.

I would put a kids' bookshelf on the extra wall. you can keep some cheap throw pillows in another bucket in the closet, the kids can take them out and make a pile of them to read on when they want. they can put the pillows away when reading time is over.


Is there anyway to make the closet less deep without paying a lot of money for a new "wall"? There is enough space to not utilize the entire rod we have, and just keep off season hanging items on the side. I was even thinking of doing them on either side, with the middle available for the back wall, but my husband said it's too deep.

The small bookshelf is a cute idea, but we already have a "kids' library" in the playroom. And I'd like to keep it there Smile
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Hashem_Yaazor




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 11:32 am
saw50st8 wrote:
What about using a nice looking curtain as the door instead? It doesn't really need to be opened, just pushed aside.

I would try to prioritize money for this because IME, having spots for everyone to easily put things makes it much easier to keep clean.


Agreed -- I can spend some money, but not a whole new closet system from professionals which probably runs in the hundreds I am guessing? We aren't major DIY in terms of design, but my husband can do basic installation of stuff (drilling, shelving units, etc). So if I can get ideas of what we can do ourselves to make the closet less deep with easy access to hooks, I'm game.
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Hashem_Yaazor




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 11:35 am
http://www.organizinghomelife....../2568 like I love this idea, split in thirds vs half (with the middle third being the easiest to access for the hooks) but my husband said our closet is really just too deep to reach in and hang up in there.

Should we remove the closet rod and put up walls to be able to put smaller ones on each side? Would that make it easier to walk into it?
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busydev




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 11:43 am
can you build shelves in the back part for storage (of whatever you may need-long term stuff you wont need to access more then once or twice a year) and thereby make the closet not as deep and then do the divide into thirds thing? wont help with hooks along the back wall- but can do hooks on the side walls- or one of those rods that hang halfway down for the kids coats.
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mummiedearest




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 11:50 am
can you remove the sliding doors, put in a single door (extend the wall for this) and turn the closet configuration sideways? use the new part of the wall for hooks, and organize like the link you like.
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saw50st8




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 11:52 am
you can install something like this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Clo.....Zc89l

Its much cheaper than wood.
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Hashem_Yaazor




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 11:57 am
mummiedearest wrote:
can you remove the sliding doors, put in a single door (extend the wall for this) and turn the closet configuration sideways? use the new part of the wall for hooks, and organize like the link you like.

I'm not really picturing how to turn the closet configuration sideways? Extend what wall?
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Hashem_Yaazor




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 12:00 pm
busydev wrote:
can you build shelves in the back part for storage (of whatever you may need-long term stuff you wont need to access more then once or twice a year) and thereby make the closet not as deep and then do the divide into thirds thing? wont help with hooks along the back wall- but can do hooks on the side walls- or one of those rods that hang halfway down for the kids coats.
I don't care if it's deep in theory, just for the purpose of putting in hooks, so I am not sure what I'd gain. I also have to figure out if I have enough space on side walls for the hooks since we need so many. I was in a house recently where they built cubbies in their coat closet which sounds like a dream (I think they have another one though for real hanging coats), but my kids are not as big as theirs to be able to have 2 levels (which they did to have enough cubbies -- each kid gets either a top or bottom one)...
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librarygirl




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 12:00 pm
How about replacing the sliding doors with regular doors and putting kids hooks on the back of the doors? They don't have to navigate the closet and you can move the existing rod back if necessary to make room for their puffy coats.
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amother


 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 12:02 pm
If the closet is really so deep and unreachable then maybe you can use that section of the closet to store pesach dishes or something else you hardly use and put the hooks in the living room
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saw50st8




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 12:02 pm
Can you post a picture? That might help us visualize it.
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Hashem_Yaazor




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 11 2014, 12:03 pm
saw50st8 wrote:
you can install something like this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Clo.....Zc89l

Its much cheaper than wood.

That's what they installed in my master bedroom closet and I hate it, hate it, hate it. I can't reach the top (shorty here Wink), the lower level is too close to the floor for my skirts, and the part that goes behind the wall (after the door) is impossible to see what is going on there so I have no good access to my clothing Sad

And this won't help me for hooks, because there is no way my little kids will have the patience to get a hanger and ever so gently hang up their coats. Hooks are more prone to be used (though that's not 100% of the time either Wink) And I need their backpacks also hung up!
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