IN YOUR ZONE
I’m a savvy mum – why a drop zone is key to breezy mornings and a tidy home, how to do it for less than £10
ANY mum knows the importance of having a system in place that'll streamline busy mornings, but it doesn't have to take much time or effort to arrange.
And while a tidy home with little effort is a dream for many parents, there's one way you can have it all with very little cost.
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The drop zone is what mum swears by for fuss-free mornings and it's where her kids can dump their school supplies.
"Tweaking the garage to include a 'drop zone' was the key ingredient in getting these kids organised and ready for school and their extracurricular activities each day," the organising expert wrote on Instagram.
"Giving them each a space to call their own and be responsible for has made all the difference….just ask mum."
The area is ideal to store school bags, shoes, sporting gear and books, anything kids need for the day ahead.
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The premise is simple, keep it organised and all in one spot so when you're rushing out the door you can simply grab and go.
It's not just reserved for school items either, but anything you need to free your hands of as you walk through the door.
"When everyone comes through the door, and you've got your hands full, you just want to unload everything," Amanda Cummings, owner of told Public Storage.
"If there's something right beside the door, then you can put everything away."
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What you need for a drop zone
The world is your oyster when it comes to creating a drop zone in your home.
But Anita, a Decluttering & Organising Expert, says there are a few must-haves.
Hooks
"First of all, you need to have hooks for the school bags," she revealed, but they're ideal for hanging jackets too.
Command hooks, which are temporary and relatively inexpensive, have come a long way from the original bulky white plastic look, and you can get them for a bargain price.
Alternatively, pop into B&Q or somewhere similar which will have a whole range of suitable styles and they're always really cheap.
Baskets or tubs
Next, baskets, tubs or boxes will be your best friend as that's how you'll keep your things looking tidy.
Depending on what you plan to use them for, you can pick up a range of sizes that you need.
Anita uses LEKMAN boxes from Ikea which will set you back about £13.
She uses them to store her kids' shoes but they're great for other things too.
An Aussie mum-of-four - who runs the blog - relies on £3 storage boxes she picked up from her local bargain shop to store her kids' clothes.
But hats, lunchboxes, school books and socks are great to store here too.
Hit up shops like Primark or B&M and check out what they have, or be spoilt for choice at Ikea which has a whole range on offer,
Labels
It's all well and good having a system in place, but unless everything's perfectly labelled, there's almost no point.
"Make sure you label probably," says Anita. "You want each kid to own their zone, tidy up and know where to put everything in its place."
The idea here is for everyone to have their own section and to know where things go.
You can write up your own labels for next to nothing, you just need markers on some stickers.
Cabinet/unit
Arguably the biggest upfront cost but it really doesn't have to be.
While Anita uses Ikea's Kallax unit for her drop zone, you can use what you already have.
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Try an old table or another unit you're not using, or you don't have to have one at all.
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If you have wall space simply screw in some hooks and line up some baskets underneath.
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