Let me guess –
Your closets, entryway, garage and even your kitchen is busting with clutter.
You’re scrap-piling and stacking up your stuff in any space you can find and you’re fed up.
*raises hand*
The solution: putting a drop zone in a house.
And you know what? You can even put in more than one drop zone throughout your place.
Oh yea!
It’s time to go from cluttered frenzy to organized zen by having drop zone areas throughout your house.
So, let’s check out your plan for the best drop zone and some ideas to get inspired by!
What is a Drop Zone?
A drop zone in a house is a spot where you would drop any items from your pockets, purse or jacket.
You know – your keys, receipts, phone, makeup, money, sunglasses and even backpacks.
This type of drop zone is perfect for all of that homeless clutter – clutter that doesn’t have a home.
But with a designated area, your clutter DOES have a place. Win-win!
What’s the best type of drop zone then?
One that you actually use!
So let’s say bye-bye disorganization chaos, hello neatly placed clutter!
Your Plan for a Drop Zone in Your House
I’ll be the first to admit that a lot of my clutter is homeless clutter.
And if you live in a small house or apartment, you just can’t have clutter like that.
There’s no room for clutter!
That’s why when I learned about drop zones, I IMMEDIATELY deep dived into this topic and made it a reality in my house!
Drop zones are key to staying organized in any house.
THE KEY is creating a system that helps keep your space clean and efficient.
This means drop zones in the entryways, mudrooms, the kitchen countertop, and even the bathroom.
Here’s your plan for each area of your home.
Entryway Drop Zone Plan
Besides a place to organize your shoes, the entryway is the PERFECT spot for a drop zone because they are near the door or at least close to it.
Go ahead and set up shelves or bins here to store items like hats, coats, shoes, umbrellas and whatever else you want to keep by the door so that it’s easy to grab when leaving the house.
A wall mounted shelf with hooks for jackets and little bins for keys will do the job nicely!
If you have limited space in an entryway, use hooks on the wall for hanging bags and hats.
You can add some style to your drop zone with:
Mudroom Drop Zone Plan
Do you have a mudroom?
I have a makeshift mudroom for the back entrance of my house.
A mudroom is great for storing outdoor gear like skates, hockey equipment and cleats for sports games.
And if you have children (like me) then you definitely NEED a spot for sports equipment!
A hall tree is the absolute BEST type of drop zone for your entryway.
There are shelves you can label onto bins to give a place for each person’s things without cluttering up other areas of the house.
To make sure everything stays contained in one spot, you can add cubbies with baskets labeled “gloves” “hats” etc., so people know where everything goes when they get home from an outing; this will help reduce clutter all around the house too!
If it’s only you, then you can customize it for your needs. Fore example, I would place small bins for the top shelf to store my keys and sunglasses.
I’m OBSESSED with this Acacia hand-carved wood bowl set! In LOVE!
Kitchen Drop Zone Plan
The kitchen countertop is another messy place for setting up a drop zone – especially if it’s right next to the main door you enter through each day.
I like to use a mail organizer here to store mail and important papers like bills; this way they can be easily found when needed instead of ending up buried at the bottom of drawers or folders deep inside cabinets!
If you have room in your kitchen, wall racks provide extra room to hang utensils or tools as well as spices and condiments that don’t need refrigeration (think salt & pepper packets, flavoring oils & vinegars etc.).
Bathroom Drop Zone Plan
Bathrooms can get messy!
Often times towels end up in piles when there isn’t a place to store them!
To avoid having wet towels everywhere after using them in showers & baths, opt to place towel racks within reach so that everyone has their own designated spot for keeping towels dry and folded nicely after use (this way there will always be enough towels available too!).
Try adding an over the toilet organizer to provide storage without taking away from floor space.
This is one of the best types of drop zones because it’s highly functional and can hold a lot of toiletries like creams, soaps, sprays and more.
Garage Drop Zone Plan
Creating a garage drop zone plan might sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be.
I know for me, I’m always trying to find ways to organize and remove clutter in my garage.
But with a drop zone in the garage, there is no thinking about where to put your bags or bins!
First off, figure out what items need to be stored in the drop zone.
This could include things like boots, sports gear, tools, or any other items that you use all the time.
You want these items to be easily accessible when needed but still stored away neatly when you’re not using them.
Once you know what needs to be stored in your new drop zone, it’s time to think about which products will work best for organizing everything.
For example, if you have lots of boots and shoes, consider getting either a wall-mounted shoe rack will free up space and make sure all your shoes are out of the way but easy to find when you need them!
Use a rack that’s durable and that can stand different types of weather or else you’ll be having to buy newer racks and you don’t want that.
It’s a good idea to create this drop zone near the doorway to your home.
Make a section to put your shoe rack wall hooks to store heavy jackets.
They take up next to no space and would make grabbing jackets a breeze!
Finally – now that everything has been sorted into its own dedicated storage spot – make sure that everyone knows where their things should go by labeling each product.
Not only does this help keep everything neat and tidy but also saves time as everyone knows exactly where their item lives within the garage drop zone plan!
Drop Zone Ideas That You’ll Fall In Love With
Are you feeling inspired to create drop zones all over your house?
I sure am! Let’s look at some fabulous Pins to get even more ideas and more inspiration!
OMG!
This drop zone looks built in but it’s not!
These are 16 inch deep Ikea cabinets! Genius.
Don’t you just LOVE these entryway drop zone ideas?
The small baskets are cute! I like these bamboo wicker type baskets for a drop zone.
How simple is this drop zone idea?
Let’s check out some kitchen drop zone ideas next!
If there isn’t a place for a drop zone, then build one! Here’s a built in drop zone complete with doggie bowls!
In LOVE!
I like the cork board for school notices and flyers.
If you don’t want to show your drop zone, then hide it behind a cupboard door!
Use bins, small hooks, and a cork board to make your hidden away drop zone.
Of course, don’t forget to have a charging station for your devices!
I love how this pin shows a drawer turned into a charging station to drop your devices into!
Small Drop Zone Ideas (Perfect for Apartments)
So, what if you have an apartment and a small area to work with?
How do you create a drop zone then?
The best drop zone to have for an apartment is just to have one MAIN drop zone.
This would be in your entryway or living room area.
A minimalist approach is this mail organizer.
I really love this look!
So polished and clean!
Using bins and mail organizer you can create this drop zone for your apartment!
For a simple drop zone idea, why not just use a three shelf cabinet, install hooks underneath and get nice looking baskets and bins for extra storage.
Drop Zone Organization Ideas
Okay –
So now with all these wonderful ideas for a drop zone in a house, how do we actually organize it so that it doesn’t get cluttered and something you use?
Cabinet Ideas
I don’t know about you but the best cabinet ideas is to start with is using a pull-out organizer.
With plenty of space for storage, an organizer can help create an area that’s perfect for tossing keys, mail and everything else that needs to be sorted or put away.
It’ll also add a chic and stylish touch to your space.
If you’re tight on floor space, opt for wall-mounted cabinets instead. I’ve showed you a few wall mounted ideas so make sure to find one you like!
They come in all shapes and sizes so you can find one that perfectly fits your space and style.
Many of these wall-mounted cabinets even feature hooks for hanging items like coats and bags – which makes them your choice if you tend to come house carrying lots of stuff!
If you have more room for a drop zone, use a cabinet with cubbies or drawers.
You could go with a simple wooden design or choose something more decorative with glass doors or intricate carvings.
This type of setup is incredibly useful when you need quick access to things like wallets, phones and any other objects that are essential for day-to-day living.
If you’re feeling creative why not spruce up your drop zone with an armoire?
An armoire will give your place a posh look that’s vintage and cool.
Plus, it will give you plenty of options for tucking away possessions in style!
Such an easy way to bring personality into your area while still keeping things neat and tidy.
Modern Ideas
Now, let’s look at some modern ideas for a drop zone.
A sleek, minimalist design with plenty of storage features is key.
You can try a modern farmhouse look for your house.
I love this look when you pair it with a strong color like this green. You can even create a shiplap wall in the back if you want to make it more personalized.
Anther modern drop zone idea is to use wallpaper.
A boho modern look incorporates wallpaper with natural elements like leaves and nature.
It also uses other natural fibers like wicker or bamboo for pillows and baskets.
The Best Drop Zone in a House
There ya go!
Don’t you just LOVE LOVE LOVE these ideas for a drop zone in a house?
I can’t wait to start building my entryway drop zone for my home.
Have fun and don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest for more organizational ideas!
