if the shoe fits

Our closet had this wall of shelving that the builder installed.  Since the master bath doesn't have a linen closet, I'm assuming the shelving should be used as a substitute, but we decided we would rather use a hall closet for linens and use the shelving for shoes.


The spacing of the shelves wasn't functional and we ended up with piles of shoes on every shelf. 1. You couldn't grab a pair without causing a shoe avalanche and 2. scuffs and streaks were multiplying in the crowded space.

I had the idea to create matching shelves and just mount them in between those that were already there.  That would leave the perfect amount of space for single rows of shoes on each shelf.

We purchased particle boards and trim boards from Lowe's and cut them to fit using Joe's miter saw. We painted before the install because with such little space between shelves, the corners and bottoms would be too difficult to reach.  Luckily, the previous owners left a bunch of white enamel paint and it matched perfectly!

First, we attached the trim boards by gluing them to the wall and then brad nailing for extra support.  If we anticipated more weight than just shoes, screwing the trim board into the studs would have been sturdier, but this works just fine for shoe storage.  Next, we attached the particle boards with wood glue on top of the trim board.  After it dried, we sealed the cracks with white silicon and added a little touch up paint.

The finished product looks like this.....

We grouped shoes together in dressy, casual, flats, heels, flip flops, tennis shoes.  For dressier shoes, I left them in their shoe boxes (I plan to buy matching shoe boxes) and placed them on the top shelf.  Seasonal boots will switch out from the bottom and the second top shelf once it gets colder (I also hope to buy matching boot boxes).  The top 3 shelves have more space for taller heels.

This shoe storage solution is very functional and looks clean.  I feel like it makes our closet look taller too since the shelving uses so much vertical space. We love it, and I think the shoes do too!

Copyright 2012 Get It Together Professional Organizing