Find out what a drop zone in a house is and why you should create one.
Do you remember your elementary school days?
When you entered elementary school in the morning, you probably had a specific place for your backpack, and another specific place for your lunchbox. And you most likely had another place where you were supposed to put your coat.
If you had homework to turn in, do you remember getting it out of your backpack and putting it in the correct tray on the teacher’s desk?
The place you put your jacket, the place you put your lunchbox, and the place you put your papers were all drop zones!
Proving once again that some of the most valuable lessons we learned were in elementary school!
The primary purpose of a drop zone in a house is to reduce clutter.
Everything you bring into the house should have a place.
What to Include in A Drop Zone in a House
When you design a drop zone in a house, it should include a place to put everything you bring into the house. This gives you a neat and tidy place to "drop" it.
Your drop zone design should include a place for:
- coats
- hats, scarves, and mittens
- purse
- backpack
- lunch box
- mail, magazines, papers
- umbrellas
- sporting equipment bags (if applicable)
- pet leashes and bags (if applicable)
Basically, anything you bring into your home needs to have a designated place.
When you enter your house, you should know exactly where to put all the things you bring in – just like you did in elementary school!
The second reason you need a drop zone in your home is it helps to reduce the number of environmental toxins that enter your living spaces.
Does your house have a “remove your shoes” rule?
Removing shoes doesn’t just keep dirt and mud out of the house – it keeps environmental toxins out too.
The bottom of our shoes pick up herbicides and tar-based sealants from asphalt.
Shoes also pick up bacteria from dirty floors and public restrooms.
Having a designated place to take off your shoes is an important element in creating your drop zone.
It keeps your home neat and tidy while also keeping it safe and healthy.
If you are lucky, your home has a true mudroom. This is the place where you can easily set up a drop zone.
But, if you are like the rest of us, you might need to create one of your own design.
Which door do you use to enter your home?
In our case, it is the garage. Therefore, I’ve created our drop zone right inside the entrance from the garage to the house.
Your drop zone doesn’t need to be fancy. Hooks and baskets are all you really need.
I included these photos for your drop zone design ideas.
However, if you need more inspiration, I’ve also created a drop zone ideas Pinterest board you can follow.
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