As the seasons change and the colors start to pop let's talk about spicing up the WELCOME area of your home: the entryway. No matter how big or small, formal or informal, adding some seasonal personality to the entrance of your home will bring that festive Fall feeling we have all waited all summer to enjoy!

First things first, lets begin with what already exists in your space and tidy up our "palate." Start by analyzing the furniture in the area. Take stock of how items are being stored in, on, or under the furniture pieces. Clear out seasonal summer accessories (i.e. expired sunscreen, old or broken sunglasses, sun hats, sandals, etc). Store these items or discard if they will not weather another year. Next, give the area a good cleaning to prepare for the next season of storage and decor. Once the area is clean, bring in this season's necessities like a warm rain jacket, your favorite scarves and hats for chilly mornings, and your coziest pair of boots. This is where a piece of furniture with drawers is ideal for storing small autumn accessories such as gloves, pet sweaters, and your favorite chap stick!

Fall Leaves Coir Doormat // World Market

Now for the fun part, you have curated and cleaned and are prepped for the cooler days and now it is time to celebrate with the fabulous colors of this season. We like to think that the entryway actually begins just outside the front door. We love a splash of Fall foliage on the porch or on the door. This creates the first warm welcome as you or your guests approach your home. This can be done using a fall wreath, a bouquet or two of mums, and maybe some pumpkins. This does not have to be much, just adding a splash of color outside to welcome the season and your guests. If you are just feeling extra warm and spicy you can add a beautiful seasonal welcome mat like this one from World Market as well!

Once you enter the home, the "simple splash" approach still applies. We love pumpkins, gourds, and your favorite fall foliage strategically placed around the room. A tiny pumpkin on a key tray, a bouquet of vibrant leaves or flowers on a table is all you need to add that little festive pop to brighten up this area. We love how Julie over at Little Farmstead embraced the simple beauty of this season by showcasing her fabulous boots alongside some precious pumpkins. We think this is a "gourdgeous" combination :)

Feeling inspired? Need a little help? Well we would be delighted! Check out our October promotion below to find out how to let us Help You Dwell....for less :)

** Also, this month HYD is offering an entryway/mudroom organization and refresh for a discounted rate of $75 for 2 hours. We'll help you rethink the way you use your entry way or mudroom... including furniture, storage, and decor. This is a great time of year to show this area some love, with lots of friends and family sure to be visiting your home for the holidays!
More details by emailing katie@helpyoudwell.com or calling 865.245.9080**

As much as it would fulfill our perfectly designed and organized dreams of each closet having it's own category of contents, sometimes we are presented just one closet for multiple purposes. Imagine one closet that needs to contain all of your seasonal decor, gift wrapping supplies, crafting tools, and cleaning supplies. We've come up with a few tips regarding each category, to help this closet function as functionally and organized as it can. These ideas can be applied regardless of the size or shape of the closet. Let's work with what we've got & get creative... after all this is why we call it "the art of organizing".

Seasonal Decor.

Snap and stack ornament storage. Or if you have your own boxes, use those! Also try- egg crates or apple cartons for round & fragile ornaments.
Hanging your wreaths vertically with a hanger... what?! Read more on how to.
Use your storage tubs and bins more efficiently. Empty all of your current holiday storage to see it all at once. Let go of the things you no longer like or don't want to use this season. Reorganize the bins into: outdoor decor, christmas tree decorations & lights, serving ware & hosting dishes.

Gift Wrapping.

Use the door for vertical storage.
Gift wrap station in a shower caddy.
Use a mail organizer for bags.

Cleaning Stuff.

Use a shoe organizer for cleaning spray bottles.
Choose pretty containers (clear glass or labeled clearly) to hold all of your cleaning supplies. Like this.
Get rid of all expired or toxic cleaning chemicals. Show your kids the supplies you want them to have access to and where they are to be stored.

Crafting Supplies.

Separate and distinguish between adult and children's craft supplies.
Encourage the kids who will use this closet to help in deciding where things go and how they'd like to set their things up.
Make room by purging items that your kids may have grown out of and would like to donate to another family.
Use vertical storage (this is a common theme in this blog post!) like a hanging shoe container for yarn.
Hanging paint storage: try this DIY trick.

If you love the pretty door image we used for this blog post- google some creative ways to make a bland and boring closet door POP!

Post a photo of the space, room, or nook that you love dwelling in & simply tag us (@helpyoudwell) and one lucky winner will receive a free HYD Canvas Tote! Last week to win.

Also, we're so excited to announce the Fall Flea we're co-hosting with The Hive on November 4 & 5. Watch our Facebook & Instagram for sneak peeks of the collection we've curated coming soon!

Entryways for Fall

the all purpose closet.

Seasonal Decor.

Gift Wrapping.

Cleaning Stuff.

Crafting Supplies.

Also, we're so excited to announce the Fall Flea we're co-hosting with The Hive on November 4 & 5. Watch our Facebook & Instagram for sneak peeks of the collection we've curated coming soon!