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melaniehedi

Drop Off Zones

10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago


Always loosing your keys? tripping over your shoes in the living room?

We all have busy lives - how do you make coming and going easy.

Hillside Farmhouse · More Info

What tips do you have on making your busy life that little bit easier!

Tell us what you do do to keep yourself organised around the house?

Do you have a drop off zone at the front door? How do you organise it?

Comments (43)

  • 10 years ago
    It's not at the front door (too messy) but I have a set of hooks that holds the kids backpacks, library bags, lunch boxes, swim bags etc. It is the best thing in out house.
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  • 10 years ago

    Hooks for hats opposite the front door, plus a shoe rack underneath, plus a shoe rack on the porch for muddies, then as well there's a coat closet, then there is an arts and crafts hall stand! For keys, there are hooks, give all money to Mum!!!!!!

    after all that, they should be able to put their stuff away, huh!

  • 10 years ago

    just after the front door I have hooks for jackets ..back packs and hats ..then on the landing there's a shelf for keys ..coins ..myki cards etc..right next to it underneath are our built in shoes drawers ..and even then sometimes they can't be bothered to put their shoes in..

    project for this weekend after hubby sober up is another rack with hooks for their school bags for the study..already bought the hooks and timber he needs to just saw it to desired length and screw in the hooks I'll sand and wax it..

  • 10 years ago

    School bags these days are so heavy!!

  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    yes and they leave their bags everywhere ..they've got one school bag each then they have a casual back pack each for tutoring /music then their guitar and violin all strewn all over the study..so the only way is to hang them all up ..

  • 10 years ago
    Hang up the bags, or the kids...........?
  • 10 years ago

    or both ? lol

  • 10 years ago
    That could work if he hasn't cut the timber to length already, make it a bit longer, add a few more hooks and hey presto! problem solved :)
  • PRO
    10 years ago

    As a professional stylist I know how the entrance to a house sets the tone for the way you want to live through the rest of your house. If you aspire to live without clutter and invite a clean and organised life then designated areas for the whole family to use are important. Try a beautiful wooden bowl on the hall table for everyone's keys, a large floor pot behind the door (out of site) for umbrellas, a posh letter rack for today's post, and a dropdown shoe rack unit that hides the shoes.

  • 10 years ago
    I have a spot for keys on the hall stand and I'm on the lookout for the perfect pot for umbrellas as I live in a wet winter wonderland. As for shoes and bags I have a rule that family members simply take them to their room (or laundry if wet) - as its just not that hard to take care of your own stuff - and I hate clutter as you walk in a house. There's room then for friends and visitors to leave their belongings by the door if they wish but I don't insist on it as it feels unfriendly and I hate making someone feel as if the are just a visitor.
  • 10 years ago
    My partner and I are terrible for clutter, paper and general crap lying around. We are currently designing some designated 'crap spaces' in our new house to help to keep it a bit more contained (and off the kitchen bench and dining table!). We are going to put magnetic chalkboard wallpaper on a small wall in our kitchen too hoping this will give us another way to remember/store paper (we will see how well it works!) And a 'nothing on the kitchen bench' rule...
  • 10 years ago

    Impress interiors..took your advice went and decluttered my drop off shelf..lol looking heaps better..

  • 10 years ago

    Our bedrooms are all smallish, so no outerwear is allowed in them.

  • 10 years ago

    our rooms are tiny too..Ikea bedroom sizes..

  • 10 years ago

    In new development house plans, the bedrooms seem to be small. They should add mud rooms to the plans.

  • 10 years ago

    we had no choice..the terrace is only 5.6 wide..

  • 10 years ago

    But the trade off was lifestyle in the city, and not spending half your life in your car, right?

  • 10 years ago

    trade off was the convenience no school drop offs or pick ups..though some days I wished we had more space or walls lol getting hubby to make me a rack for their school bags today only got two walls to choose from lol

  • 10 years ago

    he's forgiven for leaving the toilet seat up lol

  • 10 years ago

    Looks great!!

  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    thanks Tribbletrouble bought the hooks awhile back for the beach house never used it..very happy ..

  • 10 years ago

    So, I googled "Hang it up" signs for your kids. Not much luck with that wording, but there was this


  • 10 years ago

    A compact shoe cupboard and under stair storage has been a bliss for a very busy family of four!

    Mosman NSW Home · More Info

    Mosman · More Info

  • 10 years ago
    We are about to renovate and I've created a zone in the laundry - which will be the closest entry from the garage for riding boots, coats, bags, keys, etc. a slat seat to sit on to remove boots or shoes, a space below it for them. You can also dump bags there temporarily. Hooks on the wall above the seat for coats, etc and a place for keys. I'll use it. If I'm exceptionally lucky so will everyone else.
  • 10 years ago
    This is my drop off zone. It is near the back door as it does get messy. I made it out of an old silky oak casement window. Keys, sunnies, school notices and things that don't have a home!
  • 10 years ago
    Leaving your keys on the front hall is not a good idea. If you are broken into, and plenty are when they are asleep, then the thief can easily take your car. Car should be locked in the locked garage too.
  • 10 years ago

    kym2650..but then where would you hide it? I find it an inconvenience having to back track through the house to find keys

  • 10 years ago
    Somewhere else but always in the same place. I had a bowl that I would empty my pockets into. It was not too obvious though.
  • 10 years ago
    Leave the car keys visible. If you're asleep and visible car keys tempt the burglar to leave, then its a good deal as far as I'm concerned. Once they're in your house while you're there then you've already lost the battle.
  • 10 years ago

    Any burglar who breaks into our house is going to have to deal with the dog who sleeps on a double layer of carpets and doggie futons by the front door. Best burglar alarm ever. I figure leaving our keys for him to guard is as safe as it gets.

  • 10 years ago

    jmm hopefully he's not a King Charles cavalier..lol we used to have two and all they do is lick the visitors to death lol

  • 10 years ago

    We are about to build & I have allowed the first drawer in the kitchen to take keys, wallets, glasses & another small cupboard for handbag. Just need to be able to train husband to use it!

  • 10 years ago

    Vy - nope, this is him at his alert best;

  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    jmm a dog who sleeps during the day is a lucky dog..

  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    One of our jack Russells sleeps on the car in the sun. He gets tired out barking at passers by.

  • 10 years ago

    Keyless front door solves the key dilemma...have to know the code to get in!

    Car key always in bedroom in handbag & prefer no clutter in entry so during reno lots of new storage went in. No more school bags thankfully!

  • 10 years ago

    @LouieT - still struggling with keyless car entry. There's only so much tech a brain as old as mine can absorb.

  • 10 years ago
    I so neeeed a keyless entry. Spoilt with keyless car and hate trying to dig for key aand juggle everything trying to open front door.
  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    bigreader lol hubby bought a keyless entry for our rental thinking it was either key or code seemed you needed both not one or the other lol

  • 10 years ago

    jmm lol I wouldn't mind a card system like at work can carry my coffee breakfast and still be able to swipe to get in..


  • 10 years ago
    I love the keyless entry to my car; as long as my car key is in my wallet, my car door will unlock when I touch the handle. Are there equivalent locks for houses?
  • 10 years ago

    telperien I don't think so..keyless locks involves either swiping with a card like hotel rooms or a 4 number code etc

    we were going to get it for our beach house then decided it was too much hassles better to just have a key safe and then if anyone wants to go down the key is there or if like me slam the door and deadlock it accidentally or the kids going to the beach they don't have to bring the house key with them