Shoe Racks Blog

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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.

A Shoe Rack with Drawers – A Fresh Idea for Shoe Storage

I’ve heard of Shoe Racks.  I’ve heard of Shoe Cubbies.  And I’ve even heard of Shoe Closets.  But I’ve never heard of Shoe Drawers.  The concept actually makes sense – A drawer is just as easy to use as a cubby, and, depending on the style, it can be a lot more affordable. The other nice thing about storing shoes in a drawer is that your shoes will be protected from dust, insects and light.  This is a great idea for storing out of season shoes, or just older shoes that you don’t want to get rid of.

If you have a great collection of shoes and they cost you a pretty penny, it’s really hard to part with them, and this can be a great way to organize them.  If you have an empty dresser or a drawer or two that you don’t use already in your bedroom, by all means, use these for your shoes!  If not, you may want to invest in either a multiple drawer unit, or single, stackable drawers.

Here are some ideas and tips about what and how to make your selection:

• Wicker Drawers – This is definitely the most attractive option.  A nice wicker drawer unit looks great in the corner of the bedroom or hallway, so you don’t have to worry about tucking it in the back of the closet.  Use this stylish storage rack for shoes, purses and accessories that you use frequently.
• Plastic Drawers – It’s very easy to find plastic drawer systems, and they are pretty cheap.  These, however, should be used in the garage or in the closet, so you (and your guests) don’t have to look at them.  A cheap set of printer mailing labels can help you sort by season, designer, purpose or color!  TIP:  Since plastic drawers are not breathable, you will want to use a natural freshener, such as cedar in each drawer to keep odors to a minimum.
  

Find Shoe Storage in the Unlikeliest Places!

Do you feel like you’ve already filled every single inch of every shoe rack in your home?  I do!  If you’re not ready to part with your important footwear, but you are fed up trying to find places to put it, have you looked under your bed lately?  The under side of a bed is a great storage place, but is often overlooked in homes.  You can put virtually anything under the bed for storage, and specially designed underbed boxes make this a cinch!

Here are tips for different types of under bed storage for shoes, how to choose them and how to use them!

1. Under the Bed Storage Boxes – these are storage boxes that can be used for anything, from sweaters and shoes to holiday decorations.  They are usually long and pretty flat, so they will slide under the bed easily.  They sometimes have lids and wheels, some are rigid plastic and others are canvas, or vinyl.  These are all great for holding shoes, except for an underbed storage drawer, because the shoes tend to get caught when pulling the drawer out (the underbed drawer is great for other items, though, including towels and linens).
2. Under Bed Shoe Chest – this is a great box, designed just for shoes.  It holds up to 16 pairs of shoes, each is divided by a plastic divider.  I like the fact that it is crystal clear, so you can see what is in there without opening it.  It is also a nice, flexible vinyl material, which is really easy to pull in and out from under the bed!

Tip: If your boxspring is on the floor, and you don’t have underbed storage space, a set of bed risers can help.  Bed Risers raise your bed, when on a frame, from 4 to 15”, giving you tons of storage options underneath.  Most underbed storage boxes are about 6” high, so you will need to have at least that much clearance.  Check all measurements on the boxes and risers before purchasing.

Additional Resources:
Bedroom Organization Tips

Shoe Armoires and Closets: (Yes, You Heard Right: A Whole Closet Just for Shoes)

I love armoires in the bedroom. An armoire is a beautiful furniture piece that can add style to your bedroom décor, and also gives hidden storage. The most obvious way to use them is to store your clothes. They usually have drawers underneath and a cabinet above that opens up with either shelves or a closet rod for clothes storage.

Another type of that is great in the bedroom is a TV armoire. Many people like to have a TV in the bedroom but they don’t necessarily want to see it (or have other people see it). Most TV armoires even have drawers so you can still get some clothes storage out of them.

But, if you have a lot of shoes that you use (or at least admire) frequently – too many for a regular shoe rack, you might consider giving them their own special armoire – this is what I like to call a Shoe Closet! It’s not literally a whole closet, like a walk in closet that celebrities have, but it’s just a nice place devoted just to your shoes. Maybe you don’t have a built in shoe rack in your closet, but you can still give them the important placement in the bedroom that they deserve.

When choosing an armoire for this purpose, I recommend that you get one that already has shelves in it, instead of a closet rod (since a rod isn’t going to do you much good in this situation). Here is an example of one such armoire, a beautiful espresso bedroom armoire at Stacks & Stacks. If it doesn’t have enough shelves already, you can fix that easily by putting some kind of wire or wooden shelf or shoe rack inside the cabinet, that way you can maximize shoe storage (just make sure you check dimensions of all products first).

Another nice thing about using an armoire is that then the shoes are right at eye level, no more digging around on the ground for the right pair!

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!

Tried and True Kids Shoe Organizers 

It’s not easy to get kids to put anything away, least of all their shoes!  Here are some tips on kids’ shoe racks – how to pick them and how to use them! 

1. Color: We all know that kids are attracted to colorful objects.  Toddlers and young kids love basic primary colors, and teens love to be trendy.  If they see something fun and colorful, they might just be inclined to use it.  So, for your little ones, go for bright blues, reds, yellows and greens.  For pre-teens, tone down the colors a little bit and find something that’s stylish and fits their personality.  Here is a great hanging shoe organizer with trendy stripes and colors.  It goes right over the closet rod and is very narrow, leaving them plenty of hanging room for their clothes.  Is your child about to go off to college?  She will love a more sophisticated look to match her grown-up style, as offered by this black and white damask over the door shoe rack.  
2. Accessibility and Ease of Use:  It HAS to be easy enough to use.  This tip applies to people of all ages – are you really going to put your shoes on a shoe rack that is not easy to use?  Probably not, and neither is your toddler (or your husband, for that matter).  For kids, make sure the shoe rack is within reach of their little arms.  They can probably reach the lower pockets of an over-the-door rack, but an over the closet rod style may frustrate them.  Cubbies are easier than anything, and kids love putting stuff (not just shoes) in cubbies, just like they learn to do at school.  In a pinch, the absolute #1 easiest shoe organizer for a young child is just a big basket or bin.  Here is a colorful tub that no one can argue with as a shoe rack.  It is colorful and also doubles as a toy bin or laundry hamper. 

The Joys of Custom Built-In Shoe Racks:  What to do with Yours! 

We just moved, and were very lucky to have landed in a home with a custom shoe rack built-in to the closet!  Very exciting for me!  A built-in shoe rack can serve endless purposes.  Obviously, it can be used for shoes.  But it can also be used for many other closet-type items, from office storage to bathroom and clothes storage! 

Built-in shoe racks come in many different styles.  Some are slanted (like mine – see picture), and some are flat.  They can be made of wood, which is great, or cedar, which is even better!  (Check out my tips on cedar closet storage items). 

If you don’t have a ton of money to spend on custom closets, as most of us don’t, you may want to check out wire closet shelving.  These are great – they are inexpensive, and a definite do it yourself weekend project (also great if you are a renter since you can easily remove them when you move).  Many hardware stores carry these wire shelves – you simply measure the space where you want them, cut to size using bolt-cutters, and install!  A lot of people use them to make a whole closet organizer, but you can also just make a tall, narrow custom shoe rack with them. 

If you happen to have a built-in shoe rack in your closet now, here are some tips on what to use them for besides shoes:  I am using mine for storage of extra things around the house.  From keepsakes at the top to TV cables and cords, movies and extra toiletries, the possibilities are endless.  I found that this is also a great place for storing out of season clothes, such as the kids swimsuits and swim diapers. 

I made labels using a sharpie and sticky printer address labels and put one on each shelf – easily removable and it makes staying organized a cinch!  If you are lucky enough to have one of these custom shoe racks, you will find that there is no end to its uses!

Shapers Keep Your Boots from Sagging!

Men and women alike can benefit from this Cool Shoe Tool of the week!  Most people have a pair of boots for some occasion.  Cowboy boots, work boots, and dressy boots can be found in almost every shoe rack around! 

If you like to wear medium or tall boots, you have probably experienced the sagging around the ankles that happens not when you are wearing them, but when they are sitting around in the closet.  Unlike other shoes that deteriorate when you are wearing them, boots actually deteriorate also when you are NOT wearing them.  Boots tend to be on the pricier end of the shoe cost spectrum, women’s designer heels aside. 

So, to get the most life out of your boots, invest in a pair of boot shapers for each of your set of boots.  Boot shapers are very inexpensive and are well worth the investment, as they will greatly extend the life of your favorite boots.  Without boot shapers, you have probably noticed the following problems that your boots will go through during their lifespan:

1. Sagging – The boots usually bend over at the ankle, causing uncomfortable creases.  With heavier materials, these creases can even sometimes hurt your legs – ouch! 
2. Wrinkling – Especially with leather boots, it is not uncommon to have a lot of wrinkling in the leather that cannot be repaired – once these wrinkles show up, they are not going anywhere. 

So, the solution to these problems is very simple – just slide a boot shaper into each boot.  These shapers are made of plastic and are universal in size.  They provide the structure that your boots need to  stay upright when you are not wearing them.  They couldn’t be easier to use!  You and your boots will thank you for investing in this cool shoe tool of the week!

From O-T-D Shoe Rack to Toy Storage Rack

You are now looking at my absolute favorite shoe rack ever.  These over the door shoe racks are easy to find and can be used for pretty much everything.  I have two of them in my house right now, and have had them for years.  The first one I use in downstairs in the coat closet for shoes. 

The second one pays its way as the best toy organizer I have ever found.  It hangs on the back of the kids’ door!  Here is how to get the most out of your organizer:

As an Over the Door Toy Organizer:

In the kids room, an over the door shoe rack is great for toys.  Kids need a toy storage solution that is simple enough for them to use.  This organizer is almost as easy as throwing their toys into a bin, but since they are hidden behind the door you don’t have to worry about looking at them spilling out of a basket.  The pockets aren’t big enough for large toys, obviously, but they are great for small items (think My Little Pony and all her little accessories). 

If you are overrun with stuffed animals, you can easily put the smaller ones in here.  As you can see in the picture, the OTD shoe rack that I have has 24 sections.  If you look more closely, though, you will see that each large pocket actually has another small pocket attached to the front of it, making it a 48 pocket organizer.  Here is another similar one with 24 larger pockets. 

Another benefit to these over the door racks is that you can use them for years – you will never NOT have a use for them.  Once kids get older, they can organize their own shoes, socks, hair clips and more in here.  And, when they move out of the house, they can either take it with them to the dorms, or leave it for you. 

Some other uses for these multi-purpose racks:

Bathroom:  For toiletries, hair accessories, shaving tools

Garage:  For Lightweight tools, hardware and cleaners

Closet:  Shoes, Scarves, Belts, Socks and Accessories