Since it's the first stop when someone steps across your threshold, the entryway tends to attract clutter. It's also often overlooked in terms of organization and decoration—but it shouldn't be. You have an opportunity to welcome your guests (and yourself) with a clean, warm space. Here's how to revamp your entryway.

1. Enlist a boot tray. When it's raining outside, the natural thing to do is slip your shoes off as soon as you enter your house or rental. That may save your carpet, but it tends to clutter up your entryway pretty quickly. Fix this problem by buying a boot tray designated specifically for muddy shoes.
2. Make use of hooks and bins. Jackets, purses, and book bags are a few of the other items that tend to get slung over a chair (or, if you have kids, simply dropped on the floor) when you first get home. Instead of scattering odds and ends all over the apartment, hang a few hooks for coats and designate a bin or crate for each member of your family where he or she can toss the odd pair of gloves or sunglasses.
3. Hang a chalkboard or bulletin board. If you usually leave a note for your significant other when you leave the apartment, do away with the paper and hang a chalkboard instead. It's a good place to posts notes and reminders. You might also want to try a bulletin board for hanging everything from bills to save-the-date cards.
4. Never underestimate a good key rack. If you're someone who loses his or her keys on a regular basis, mounting a key rack in the entryway will help you get organized and also add a little something to spruce up the existing decor.

Entryway Ideas [Martha Stewart]
5 Tips for a Clutter-Free Entryway [PopSugar]
Organizing Your Entryway, Hall or Mudroom [Dorothy the Organizer]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr Eyad Elbayoumi