Challenge #2 Launch Pad (before)

The second week of my organizing challenge is to create a functional "launch pad" where we have everything we need for leaving the house and for when we return. This challenge is perfect timing because I've slowly been working on this area lately and now is a good time to really polish it up and make it work better for us.

 This rack is actually a towel and clothing valet for the bathroom that we had in our old house. It doesn't work in our new bathrooms in this new (older) house so it's graduated to this location after being in our closet awhile. I've been hanging bags on it full of things coming in or going on, putting my shoes on the bottom and there's a stack of folded grocery bags for the next grocery trip. There's also a Thirty-One thermal tote needing to be delivered.  So much more potential for this area if I had the right organizing piece of furniture.

This is what you see when you first walk in the door. I just recently had these kids shoe boxes in the kids room, but changed it up when I started trying to get the family to remove shoes upon entering the house. The kids are actually good about taking off their shoes - it's me and the husband that struggle with the new "rule." The bottom shelf of coffee table is gifts for upcoming parties. I like to buy ahead and have it ready to go by the door. The shoe boxes could possibly be a different tote. These totes are getting a little worn from the shoes that are getting bigger and bigger every few months!!

Coat rack - was a wedding gift that I really like but kind of not crazy about how jam-packed it gets. Plus I'd like to have it freed up to take along with me when I do my Thirty-One parties. I have that pineapple wall decor thing there to cover up the electrical cords going over the lamp on the coffee table.