Hallway storage ideas: how to maximise your space

Learning how to organise your hallway is the first step to creating a more relaxed atmosphere for your household and your visitors. We offer some simple tips and tricks for making this often under-appreciated room a genuine pleasure to come home to.

How to organise your hallway

Good organisation in your hallway comes down to prioritisation. If you’ve just arrived home after a busy day, having the most important things right in front of you – hooks for hanging keys and a handy rack for slipping your shoes away – is priceless. Try to store seasonal, or seldom used clothing and shoes away from the hallway as soon as possible. Bulky winter coats take up a lot of room as do muddy walking boots, especially if they’re only used every few months or so. An easy-to-reach bag in the attic or cupboard will take care of these until the next time they’re needed.

One of the simplest ways to organise your hallway is to give each person their own area to store their belongings. This makes it easy for everyone to keep their things neat and tidy and also makes it obvious when certain members of the household could do with a gentle nudge to hold up their end of the bargain.

Assign designated hooks for coats and scarves, a box for gloves and hats and places on a rack for footwear. Our St Ives hallway stand would do the job beautifully. Above all, try to mitigate the risk of things being left there by making it feel like a proper, welcoming room in the house, rather than a passageway.

Hallway storage ideas

The most effective hall storage solutions are those that are relatively easy to set up and maintain. Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Optimise storage space and make your hallway homely with an elegant display cabinet like this gem from our popular Brindle range.

2. Or perhaps go for surface and drawer space with a console table like this solid oak piece from our Original Rustic collection.

3. A great family hallway storage idea is to invest in a box for all the bits and bobs that your family reach for on their way in and out of the house; suncream, torch, umbrellas, library cards, dog leads. Make sure you adapt the box for seasonal changes so it remains useful and you’re not taking things you don’t need.

4. Another nice idea to encourage a young family to get behind your storage ideas is to hang colourful reward charts to celebrate tidy days.

5. Keep a compartmentalised box for items that are on their way to the library, charity shop, post office etc or need to be given back to friends.

6. You might not want all your recycling to be stored in the hallway but it's worth considering a small box for junk mail or wrappers near the doorway.

7. Even if you are limited on room, including a seat is a good idea, especially for when guests visit. A clumsy struggle when taking off their boots is certainly not the first experience you want them to have in your lovely home. You could squeeze in a wooden dressing table stool, which would still give you room for storage underneath.

How to make your hallway look bigger

Hallways are rarely the most spacious rooms in the home, in fact, many can feel a little cramped. Luckily there are a few things you can do to make your hallway look bigger. The simple addition of a mirror can work wonders. Opt for a wall mounted mirror to save any surface space and go for a light and airy colour palette, keeping it a similar, or the same shade, for walls, ceiling and floor. If it feels a little drab and lifeless add a colourful lampshade or wall hanging and consider your lighting choices carefully to accentuate your space. You could also opt for a vibrant runner along the floor to open up the hallway even more.

For narrow hallways it’s a good idea to keep furniture as streamlined as possible and make sure there aren’t too many sharp corners to bump into. Take a look at our full range of console tables, which are just perfect for the job.

Shoe storage ideas for hallway

Shoes are one of the most important things to keep under control in your hallway. Mud, rainwater, tangled laces - not the greatest sight to greet you when you get home - and in our experience, some of the most heated morning arguments start with a lost shoe. Luckily, there are plenty of good solutions for shoe storage.

1. Combine all the storage solutions your hallway needs with one of our wide range of solid wood hallway units. Perfect for storing your shoes underneath, coats on the hooks, and with a comfy seat for practicality.

2. Choose a rack that has spaces for different types of footwear. You don’t want your favourite boots being scrunched up under smelly running shoes after all. The space under a console table is perfect to put your favourite boots.

3. Store larger shoes on the lower shelves and try to opt for a rack design where things don’t fall down the back or off the side.

4. If you have a lot of shoes choose a rack with a taller design to optimise vertical space.

5. If you want to hide away all mess, use a large lidded box just like our practical blanket boxes.

6. Allow space for a good size doormat and any other protective materials to keep your floors looking great for longer. Go for an easy-clean acrylic one and save yourself hours of tedious vacuuming.

7. To some extent, the hallway is always going to be an area that gets muddy and messy. Keep a few cleaning items close to hand, and a bin if space allows.

We hope these tips have given you some inspiration for how to keep your hallway tidy and organised, while still being welcoming and looking great. Why not kick start your journey to hallway heaven and shop our hallway furniture near you.