Okay, so you don't think of door mats as an organizing issue... but how about as a time saving or time management issue?

I once read that the single biggest thing you can do to keep your home clean, make your hardwood shine last and your carpets last was have quality door mats. This is the first stop for tracking in sand, dirt and more.

How much time is spent cleaning because the dirt wasn't caught just inside the door or outside the door? Here in Florida, the sand gets in the tread of your shoes and is soon everywhere.

So, maybe you need to organize your door mats to save cleaning time!

Several people I know ask visitors to remove their shoes upon entering their homes. DD#1 is among them. I don't minde if I am wearing socks but am a bit uncomfortable walking around in my bare feet.

Have them both inside and out, at each door!

I too, have them outside, in the garage and at the front door.

What kind do you think traps dirt the best?

I have two rubber mats outside, one in front of the other. One has holes, the other, nearest the door, is made up of strips of rubber, looks like old tires. They must be doing something as I am always having to pick them up and sweep underneath. Inside I just have a woven mat.

I have to accept that nothing totally stops the influx of the gravel driveway, pine needles, sand etc.

The best answer is to live upstairs in a city apartment so that what little comes off the concrete outside wears off before you even get to the door! I tried it for 3 years and forgot what floor dirt was!

Well I guess I don't live up high enough, I still have dirt coming in my second story apartment!

I have coco fiber mats, outside, which helps get the dirt and big particles of mud out from under shoes and boots. Inside the mats are rubber on the bottom with commercial grade carpet on top. These prevent water/snow from ruining the hardwood floors and get most of the leftover dirt off our shoes.

I think, Bubblegum, that Canadian dirt must be different, more friendly somehow, anxious to share our living space! But we didn't have snow for months when I lived in Europe and that helped.

Bushlady I tend to agree with you! Up at the cabin which was more up north, we would also have to deal with sand and that was a real pain every day!

We have large cocoa mats outside each door, a huge indoor-outdoor mat in the garage that is the most used entrance as well as a commercial grade, rubber back hall runner. We have always taken shoes of at the door because my mom believed bacteria was tracked in on the bottom of shoes and boots. We also have a basket of knit slippers, fuzzy socks and down 'booties' at the door. Since I prefer to wear shoes when doing housework, I designated 'home trainers' never worn out the door.

I've noticed that guests take their cue from us and take off their shoes at the door. I make it a point to encourage them to choose knit slippers or booties. It's obvious that they are freshly washed. I'd never expect anyone to use unwashed stuff. Don't you put out fresh towels for guests?

I recently bought a cheap box of mesh 'spa' slippers as summer replacement of booties.