Shoe Racks Blog

Shoe boxes get a much needed makeover with these elegant Canvas Shoe Boxes! 

If you are a shoe collector (and aren’t we all, really?  at least anyone who is reading this must be), then you know that you can’t just keep your best shoes in cardboard shoe boxes.  You’ve invested in a great pair of shoes, one that you swear you will wear for years to come, and this pair of shoes needs somewhere very safe to be stored.  There are many options out there for permanent style shoe boxes (for long term or seasonal storage).  They range from clear plastic, which are great for seeing what’s in them and certainly keep the dust off, but they are not much sturdier than their cardboard friends.  Wood shoe boxes are wonderful but more on the pricey side.  Well this week’s featured product lands right in between these other options.  Safe, sturdy, affordable and stylish.  These canvas shoe boxes are soft yet sturdy, with sides that won’t collapse on you when you stack them sky high.  The canvas is contrasted nicely by a stylish brown border for looks.  They close up completely, with a cute little door on the front to keep dust and insects out, and, believe it or not, you can still see what’s inside, even though the box is opaque.  A transparent vinyl window on the front allows you to get a good glimpse of what shoes are hiding in there so that you don’t have to open dozens of boxes to get to the right pair!  And, best of all, when not in use (??), these boxes collapse completely for storage and are great for travel!  Use them for shoe storage, or for crafts, scarves, accessories and other items around the home.  Enjoy this new and improved shoe storage box!

This Week’s Product of the Week proves that shoe racks do NOT have to be dull.  Read on for what is probably one of the most luxurious shoe racks you’ve ever seen.  And, it’s more affordable than a custom built shoe organizer.

All I can say is WOW! This shoe organizer packs a punch in terms of style and function!  You choose your wood tone, your size and your configuration to make a custom shoe rack that fits your needs exactly, at a fraction of the cost of a real custom built model.  The Shoe Traps Modular Shoe Cubby System is one of the coolest shoe racks I’ve seen on the market.  There are three different sizes of shoe boxes to choose from, large, medium and small.  Each shoe cubby has a glass door on the front with a magnetic closure, it couldn’t be simpler to use!  The glass doors are cool for three reasons.  First, they look beautiful lined up next to one another, each framed in a wooden box.  Second, they allow you to see what’s inside, and show off your colorful and beautiful pumps, flats and men’s shoes.  And third, they keep dust, moisture and insects off of your shoes.  A Spanish cedar lining offers the benefits of aromatic cedar, which acts as a natural insect repellent and also a natural deodorizer.  So choose whatever variation works best for your shoe storage needs, and simply stack them together using the provided adhesive strips – very easy to use and looks great in the closet or anywhere in the bedroom or hallway.  The wood choices include cherry, mahogany and maple finishes.  For a more finished look, each color also has a platform available that can hold a couple of your choice of cubbies.  All in all, I would say for the price, this is one of the best high-end style shoe racks available!

A tilting Shoe Cabinet is a stylish and discreet option for Shoe Storage!

A Shoe Cabinet is a great choice for shoe storage.  It is roomy enough to hold a large collection and, best of all, it hides clutter.  This is particularly useful if your shoe rack has to be out in the open, in the bedroom, hallway, or entryway.  You can close the doors on your shoe rack and no one will even know what’s inside!  There are many different types of shoe cubbies and shoe cabinets.  A traditional cabinet with doors looks like it could hold anything, but when you look inside you will see built in shoe cubbies.  These are available in a variety of finishes, usually made with a sturdy MDF design.  An alternative to the traditional shoe cabinet is a tilting cabinet.  These hide shoes and organize them at the same time, just as the old fashioned shoe cabinets.  But, instead of opening doors fully to access shoes, on these cabinets the door tilts down and brings with it rows of shoe organizers.  These are very handy for use in the closet or out in the open!  The doors don’t have to open as wide as the other cabinets, so it’s also a great choice in awkward spaces and small homes.  Best of all, you can find these tilt out shoe cabinets in a stackable form. This Triple Shoe Cabinet is a great example – it’s available in five different finishes, and also in different sizes.  Choose from single level and double level models.   Made of sturdy MDF, these are an affordable shoe organizer choice.  Each cabinet holds 12 pairs of shoes, so three cabinets equals 36 pair storage capacity – plenty for even the best shoe collector!  Next time you are looking for a new shoe rack, consider one of these tilt-out style shoe cabinets!

Shoes:  Front and Center!  Give your shoes a prominent location in the closet to avoid clutter and damage. 

A custom closet allows you to design a closet organizer that fits your needs exactly.  Custom closets, though, can be pricey.  But now you can buy closet organizer kits to give you the “custom” closet of your dreams, at a fraction of the price.  If you have a lot of shoes, pick one that has a tower capability, so that you know that your shoes will be front and center, ready for putting on, taking off, organizing and keeping neat and tidy in general.  This shoe tower kit is made of laminated MDF which is a great choice for shoes, as it is a very easy to clean material, so you don’t have to worry about scuffing, dirt and mud.  Another good choice would be wire, although of course then the dirt can fall through to the floor, but hey, that’s why vacuums were invented, right?  Some of these closet kits have adjustable shelves, if you choose one that does have adjustable tower shelves, you might want to take a careful look at what types and sizes of shoes you have before you build it.  For example, high heels can lie flat on the shelves, so that’s not a problem, but high top shoes (your husband’s) will take up a lot of room vertically, so you’ll want to plan accordingly when setting up your closet.  The nice thing about a shoe tower is that it is perfectly suited to this important piece of apparel, because it is narrow and tall, making the best use of what is usually wasted vertical space in the closet.  Some closet organizers allow you place the tower anywhere you want.  If you would rather look at your shirts and dresses hanging than stacks of shoes, you might put the tower in the corner or back of the closet.  If you are like me, then you will love to put your shoes away every night and pick out the next day’s, meaning the shoe rack should go front and center!

A True Celebration of Spring Starts with Cleaning out Your Closet

Yesterday was the first day of Spring!  To me, spring means the start of my favorite time of year (the sunny, warm part).  I enjoy fall somewhat and the holidays are fun, but by the time February comes around, I have just about had it with clouds, low sun angles and wearing socks.  Spring cleaning is a time to start fresh, open up the windows and let fresh air in while you go through each room of your house and give it a thorough cleansing.  While cleaning with a sponge, soap and water is imperative, organizing is just as important. 

The places that need organizing most are the places where you tend to “store” things – that is, you put things somewhere that you don’t have to look at them (for the moment, anyway).  This usually starts in the closets, followed by the office and the garage.  Since the garage fortunately is not my problem, and the office is not fun, I always like to start with the closet.  And somewhere in that closet is a shoe rack, begging for attention. 

Here are some tips on how to organize your shoe rack and clean it, if need be. 

• First, sort through your shoes and decide what can stay and what has to go.  If I find a pair of shoes that I neglected to wear through an entire season (sandals in the summer, boots in the winter, etc.) I donate or sell them.  The rest of them I take down in preparation of cleaning the shoe rack.  Even in the closet, shoe racks can get dusty and dirty and, in turn, make your shoes dusty and dirty.  Get a wet cloth and wipe it down, getting inside each corner and crevice.  TIP: Baby wipes work really well on this (and many other) cleaning jobs, as they are thin and thus easy to get into hard to reach places. 
• Now you are ready to put your shoes back on the rack and enjoy another year of shoe wearing!  (Bonus:  If you get rid of a few pairs, then you have space for a few new pairs throughout the year!) 

Here is a helpful article about organizing shoes.

Footlockers are a Traditional and Fun Way to Store Shoes!

What is a footlocker anyway?  (And, let’s clarify from the start, I’m not talking about the athletic shoe mall store here.)  I’ve heard that word, footlocker, my whole life, and generally thought it was a large metal chest.  I feel like usually I have seen these chests in the trunks of the cars of rock bands, and also, for some reason, associate them with magicians. 

Anyway, I also used to sell these in a retail store and I can’t tell you how many different ways people actually use them.  And, truth be told, people did purchase them for their shoes.  But more on that later.  First, a definition of a footlocker:  NOUN: A trunk for storing personal belongings, especially one kept at the foot of a bed, as in a barracks. 

And, with more investigation I have learned that the term footlocker was, originally, a military term.  Soldiers used these boxes at the foot of their bed, hence, a “footlocker”.  Go figure!  I think they originally were very plain, made of plywood, and then as pressed board was developed they turned out that way.  Officers and superiors got deluxe models with metal frames and leather handles, and were allowed to hang pictures in them.  Anyway, I do think this would be a fun way to store shoes in the house, a great alternative to a traditional shoe rack for shoes that are out of season, probably not a good idea for ones you use each day, as that would require a lot of digging. 

Here are some other fun things to do with footlockers (and check out the pink one I found, above!!!) 

• Kids Trunk – Store toys for young kids, and let teens decorate the inside of the box with their favorite posters. 
• Keepsake box – Keep your children’s keepsakes throughout their life – artwork, school papers, blankies and give it back to them when they get married!

Stacking Shoe Racks Provide Customized Shoe Storage

Let’s talk about Modular Shoe Racks.  But, first, a definition of “Modular”:  designating or of units of standardized size, design, construction, etc. that can be arranged or fitted together in a variety of ways.  In the furniture and organizing worlds, modular means that you can customize your storage or furniture in some way.  For furniture, you use modular styles to choose the pieces that you need, for example, on entertainment centers, you might only need certain media storage pieces.  And, in storage and organizing, modular means that you can maximize storage, creating a storage rack as large or small as you need it (always paying attention to certain restrictions such as weight limits and tipability). 

Modular shoe racks can come in many different forms, from specially designed racks that are sold singly, to bins and boxes that aren’t necessarily shoe racks to begin with. 

Here are some great products I’ve found to help you design the right amount of shoe storage for your shoes, some tips on how to use them and where to find them! 

• Stacking Shoe Racks: This is a great option because these shelves are designed to hold shoes, nothing else.  Choose from simple metal and wire shelves, cedar cubes and more.  A natural finished modular stacking shoe rack is a nice choice as it is both decorative and functional.  Another great choice is a plastic starter kit that comes with six cubbies, and then you can purchase more shelves to add in increments of 3 cubbies at a time – these are very affordable, too. 
• Other Bins and Boxes:  Stacking bins are also a great way to create modular shoe storage.  They are very inexpensive and usually sold in singles or sets of three.  The only drawback?  Since these tend to be larger bins, you may have to do some digging to find the right pair. 

And, a fun DIY shoe rack project I found.

Imagine having a million pairs of shoes, just piled up in the closet, some in the kitchen some in the living room and a few by the bed. You get the occasional “would you pick up your shoes!” and even you get a few stubbed toes from your own shoes. The truth is, you know that when you put those shoes back in the giant pile in the closet, you may never find them again.

The answer to this problem is simple - a discrete shoe cabinet.  I love the whole idea of shoe cabinets. Not only does it keep your shoes out of the way, it keeps them organized and eliminates that scary pile in the closet.

This particular shoe cabinet is from StacksAndStacks.com. It holds up to 36 pairs of shoes and has three separate pull out sections. The sections open allowing you to easily see your shoe selection.   The best part about a shoe storage option such as this one is that your shoes are out of sight. There is no clutter in the closet, no expensive storage units to keep stacking - just one unit that would actually be able to go anywhere in your house.

There are other styles that are smaller in size or different styles. Not only does storing your shoes keep them off the floor but it also keeps them in good condition. By storing them in a unit such as this one, you keep the shape of the shoe, they get proper ventilation and they stay clean. When your shoes are in a giant pile in the closet they scuff each other and get in weird shapes from laying in every direction.   Shoes are not cheap, so invest in a storage system that will help you maintain and take care of your shoes.

Hall Benches:  A Place for You (and a place for Your Shoes)! 

I love the idea of a hall bench in general.  They give your home a refined look, defining any space with a suggested place to rest.  Hall benches can be used in the bedroom, hallway or entryway.  They are a great place for you to sit, and many of them have built in storage, too. 

This is a sneaky way to get in some extra shoe storage in the home without taking up any extra space with a shoe rack, while still sticking to your favored decorating style.  Speaking of style, hall benches are available in every type, from antique style gossip benches to elegant woods and even clean, contemporary style models.  Oak, Cherry, Black, White, whatever bench you are looking for to match your home, you will have no problem finding it! 

Here are different types of hall benches, and some tips on how you can use them as an [unexpected] shoe rack. 

1. Bench – A plain old bench is great for sitting while putting on your shoes.  Keep this simple style at the end of your bed or in the entryway, with your most frequently used shoes underneath.  Since this bench doesn’t have storage, you will need to protect the floor with a rug or even a thin sheet of clear plastic. 
2. Bench with drawers – This is nice for keeping purses, wallets and shoes handy by the front door – make sure to check interior drawer dimensions to see if they will fit your favorite shoes. 
3. Bench with Cubbies -  Cubbies are always great for shoes, why not put some seating on top (After all, who doesn’t like to sit while putting their shoes on?)  This one is designed exactly for this purpose – Shoe Cubby underneath and Bench on top.  And, as I always say, kids love cubbies so you just might be able to get them to take their shoes off at the door this time!

Need a New Year’s Resolution?  Nike Offers Another Type of Shoe Recycling

Almost everybody is getting on board with the environmental movement, including big name athletic shoe maker Nike!  A great way to start the new year off right is to clean out your closets.  Donating what you don’t need anymore is great for your family and it’s also great for thrift store shoppers. 

So, if you are starting spring cleaning early this year, as I am, you may run into a few pairs of running shoes in your shoe rack.  Some shoes can be donated for reuse around the world (see my Holiday post about shoe donating charities) or even sent to the goodwill.  But, some gym shoes are just too warn (a good sign that you are getting your exercise, right?) for use by anyone else.  In this case, resist throwing them in the garbage, where they will pile up with others in landfills for decades to come. 

Nike Grind has been collecting shoes (22 million and counting) for almost twenty years, and the results are amazing.  And no, they don’t have to be Nike brand to be recycled – any brand of athletic shoe is accepted!  Basically the shoe is sliced into three pieces and each piece is used for a different product.  Track surfaces, gym tiles, basketball court cushioning and consumer products like zipper pulls are just some of the many things that your shoes can become in their next life.  It couldn’t be easier to do – there are many dropoff locations around the country and they will handle the shipping for you.  Read up on more of the benefits and details about donating at http://www.nikereuseashoe.com/. 

There are some great products available at StacksAndStacks.com that use recycled products:  Recycled Aluminum Doormats, Recycled Office Organizers, Recycled Plastic Luggage.  Do your closet and the world a favor by having your shoes recycled.