Create a Family Landing Zone
Keep your kitchen table and counters clear with a place designed for mail, bags and keys
Is your island countertop cluttered with weeks-old mail? Or is there another countertop in your kitchen designated as the mail, key, bag drop? Create a family landing zone that gets everyone out of the house faster in the morning and keeps your kitchen clutter-free at the end of the day. Here are some sensible-style tips for de-cluttering your family drop zone.
Base Cabinet Pullout Single Wood
If you're creating a landing zone from base cabinetry, consider incorporating roll-out trays. Instead of using it for a liquor cabinet or pans, turn one into drop-zone storage. This is especially beneficial for heavy book bags and any family members with back or flexibility issues.
Antoinette Sideboard
If you don't want a built-in landing zone, a cabinet with cupboard and drawer space for each family member can work equally well. Choose one that has base room and a single drawer for each family member. Before shopping for a piece or specifying cabinetry, measure the bags everyone uses to be sure they'll all fit inside. Ideally, each household member has his or her own base section.
Over the years, I've had dozens of clients ask me to remove the desks that came with their kitchen; it just isn't where they want to do their work. They can still get the storage and mail sorting capabilities a desk area provides! Built-ins and a bulletin board above your landing zone base can be valuable add-ons.
Rattan Utility Baskets - Set of 3
Your landing-zone cabinetry or furniture could be topped with a basket for each family member's mail. To keep the look clean, the baskets should be opaque and identical. Each basket will top that family member's drawer. Open handles let you run the cord from each person's charger into the basket from the back.
Refresh Charging Station
Be sure your landing zone is equipped with a charging mechanism for everyone's daily gear. This could be a charging station as shown, or a surge protector tied into the nearest outlet.
Mesh Drawer Organizer
Drawer organizers can be helpful additions to your landing zone. They can help each family member easily find essentials in their drawer.
Rugby Stripe Bins
Add a container next to your landing zone that matches the room. This will ensure that waste papers brought in from the mailbox, school or work get easily recycled, rather than tossed into a drawer or trash.
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