Hanging shoe organizers are abundant in every corner of the world. They're the perfect small space solution, but we think they can be put to use for more than just shoes, or even on the back of your door. We've listed 9 of our favorite ways, see if you have one to add to the list!
1. Sort Mail & Bills: Using the individual pockets as a place to stash away mail, bills, letters or even stationary and office supplies is a great way to keep things organized while still in reach and out of pesky boxes and other traditional office storage.
2. Under Your Bed: Some closets are so small you're lucky if you can get 1 shoe inside, let alone 20 pairs. Try attaching a shoe organizer flat to a piece of board that's been outfitted with wheels. Slide your shoes in like normal and then simply roll out the bag whenever you need to add or subtract to the system. Out of sight and not taking up any closet space!
3. Bathroom Accessories: Even the most low maintenance person still have a few bathroom products to keep track of. Sprays, waxes, lotions and potions are all great in these slender pockets. They can also be a great place to keep rubber bands, bobby pins or even large pins or broaches if you have them.
4. Outdoor Planter: Try poking a few holes in the bottom of each compartment and packing them full of dirt and small plants of your choice. It's a great way to create a living wall without paying the $100+ price tag of living wall systems.
5. Stuffed Animals & Pet Supplies: This one obviously applies more to the parents of the group who are looking for a way to stash kids things, but this can also work for dog toys, clothing, leases or other pet accessories like brushes and collars.
6. The Anti-Dresser: We've lived without a chest-of-drawers for many years now and the one thing we've learned is that doing without, is a-ok. Fold or roll your underpants, bras, socks and other assorted under garments into each pocket. They're not only easy to get to, but easy to put away as well!
7. Utensil Holder: If you aren't looking for the commitment that pegboard brings or aren't into the investment money wise (even if it's small) and cabinet space is non existent, try using one to keep track of things like can openers, sifters, juicers, spatulas and more. You could even run a seam down each pocket to make double room while giving more support.
8. Portable Garage: Digging through drawer after drawer in a tool box to find the right one for the job is always frustrating. Keeping them out and on display without any commitment to other expensive organizational solutions is a great way to go. The pockets are perfect for holding screws, gloves, wrenches, sockets and more!
9. Under Sofa Craft Station: If your sofa has a low profile, try the same idea as above and attaching a shoe organizer to a flat board and making it so it rolls underneath your furniture. Keeping small bits of ribbon, thread, sewing supplies, rolls of felt and paints in this manner is a great way to have them on hand without finding alternative storage solutions elsewhere.
(Image: The Container Store)
Comments (34)
I love that planter idea. I'm going to use that in my new apartment. Also, I think I'll get a few of these for crafty stuff and also my panties and socks. These are great ideas! Thanks!
yes, love the living wall idea. would you reccomend plastic or canvas for that?
I use on on the back of my bathroom door since I have zero storage in there and inside every closet door for extra storage.
Not to rain on any parades, but I'd be a little bit careful with the living wall idea. I'm having visions of ruined, rented siding due to moisture collecting behind the organizer.
We've got a big mesh organizer on our bathroom door... not sure if it was marketed as a shoe organizer or for stuff in general? But it covers the entire back of the door (fastens at top and bottom) and each compartment has two pockets overlapping each other. I love how much stuff it holds!
i love the shoes on the wall idea - but any suggestions if the wardrobe doors are sliding?
I throw belts, suspenders, and other assorted things in one I keep in my closet next to my dress shirts - makes it easy to grab those as I'm pulling out the clothes and keeps them out of sight otherwise.
When my twins were born, I hung one on the back of the nursery door. Each pocket contained one complete outfit; onesie, top/bottom, socks, in a ziploc bag. Made the mornings after a sleepless night easy, as we just had to grab two bags from the organizer and dressed the babies in a snap. Truthfully, I started doing it because some of the top/bottom combos my husband would dress them in were pretty bad (new mom, first kids, that was important at the time, lol). In the end, it turned out to be a great time saver for me.
Expanding on #3: We always bring our on trips--especially cruises where vanity space is at a premium--and attach them to the bathroom door for toiletries or any other little small things that collect around the room.
Karsha, that's brilliant. I think I will steal your idea!
I used to use a shoe organizer like that on the inside of my sliding closet door for scarves and gloves. It got lost during a move, though, and I never got around to replacing it, mostly because I again moved to a place with sliding closet doors and it's not easy standing inside a tiny dark closet surveying scarves.
I'm a big fan of the hanging shoe bag. We use them in our coat closet for mittens/hats/sunscreen/sunglasses/lint brush/spare keys/flashlights/binoculars/and other odds-and-ends that often don't find a regular "home" around the house. Also used in the nursery for tiny baby accessories like pacifiers, socks, bibs, shoes and hats. Also great for storing arts/crafts supplies or little toy cars and other small toys that otherwise get lost in a toy bin.
I love these shoe racks in clear. I use one for storing my jewellery (there are similar ones for jewellery specifically - but the compartments are too small for most of my stuff. I also have one in my little toddler's room for all her hair accessories - it makes hair dressing so much easier now ;)
Used to have one for cans of spray paint. Just the right size for the crafty!
These just always look tacky and dorm-y to me.
I use one in my utility closet to store: glue gun supplies, batteries, extension cords, flashlights, tools etc. Everything is in easy reach and it has freed up the shelves for other bigger items.
Love the under-the-bed idea. Thanks!
Oh I love the craft station - just brilliant for sewing bibs and bobs... My daughter sorts her paper dolls in hers!!! Each doll and all it's millions of tiny paper outfits goes into a pocket.
I remember seeing these used in a pantry makeover in some magazine a while back, possibly Real Simple. They had things that should be out of reach for kids high up and then things they wanted kids to be able to reach down low (snack packs and mini cereal boxes come to mind). On the right door that could be a good fix, especially for things that tend to get pushed to the waaay back of the shelves. I like all these ideas, too!
I have one in my hallway closet - it's perfect for scarves, hats, gloves, etc. I have another in my bathroom for hair brushes, product, iron, etc. I have another in my closet for bras and bikinis...Wow, I have a ton!
elena1000 --
I see these used quite frequently on cruises too - all the cruise message boards recommend these for that very use.
When I was a kid, my mom would put my Beanie Babies in shoe organizers. They were the perfect size! :)
We have one in our tiny entry closet. The top few slots hold emergency supplies such as: flashlight, small fire extinguisher, and candles. The shoe polish and lint roller have as home there as well.
The remaining slots are reserved for frequently worn shoes.
I have another flat profile one in my closet for small accessories. I love the functionality, but I wouldn't ever use one in a place where it would be seen. They scream dorm livin' to me as well.
I made one out of some beautiful upholstery fabric for a disabled person to hold their slippers at eye height. It holds 2 pair of slippers (four pockets, side by side) and has a place for accessories like scarves to be tied on it.
I had thought about sewing one that would be long like the ones in the photos, but that wouldn't work for a person in a wheelchair. It has smallish fabric tabs (sewn in) across the top that hide the nails that it hangs on. Not very dorm-y. :)
I use them as "vertical junk drawers" in my laundry closet. Spare buttons, candles, crafting supplies, etc. are all easy to see and get at, with no furniture footprint required to hold them.
Wow, I almost didn't open this post because I thought the ideas would be dumb. They're great!
I hide one in a closet, hanging sideways so you can barely see it. It holds all my miscellaneous electronic stuff, and each pocket has its own "theme." One has the camera plus its charger and cord. Another has my ipod, charger, and ear phones. A third has multiple cell phone chargers. etc. I love it because everything is accessible and not tangled up!
I don't have a different use for the shoe holder, but I can show off a practical application in the bathroom:
http://tinyurl.com/yjdmjdw
The dressing room in my RV has an impressive amount of storage space. There's a cabinet under the sink and a large mirrored one over it. The only thing it's missing is drawer space. I have a solid door leading from the dressing room to the toilet room and I hung a pocket/shoe organizer from the inside of it, securing it with screws. I have a pocket for hair accessories, one for nail stuff, one for lint rollers, one for the cat brush and nail trimmer, etc. I used to have all of this crammed into vanity, but now that space is opened up and the perfect place to store shampoo and cream bottles, cotton swabs, the tooth brush, etc. without a risk of everything toppling out when I rummage around in there.
I shopped for my pocket organizer for a year. I wanted it to be made of fabric with mesh pockets and it had to be a neutral colour. It took some time, but I stumbled on the perfect thing at Liquidation World.
I used two in my son's nursery: one was over a closet door near the changing table holding diapers, pajamas, creams, lotions, socks and pacifiers. The second was over the door near his crib and held his extra bedsheets, towels and receiving blankets. They held everything I needed out in the open and within easy reach. And they're usually inexpensive - mine were $2.50 each from Target. Here they are:
http://dillydallyhome.blogspot.com/2009/11/kais-nursery.html
I used these on the inside of my closet doors at my old apartment. I put a bra and panties in each little compartment. They fit perfectly, stayed together as matched sets and it was really quick in the morning.
I also put belts, scarves, and stockings in them.
I use three mesh shoe organizers to hold all my winter outdoor stuff...loads of hats, mitts, gloves, scarves and ear bands. In my next pad (30' yurt) I'll have two wardrobes lined up to form a foyer at the front door. Inside one will be a 2' X 2' space dedicated to these three shoe organizers, closest to the door, the last thing I put on when heading outdoors. I work and play outdoors so up in the woods it's what I need to enjoy the elements. The bit of floor space that's left will house the upright vacuum cleaner. I couldn't live without these hanging pockets.
I have one that I cut in half.
1 part is in an office closet holding headphone, usb cords, camera accessories, you get the idea.
The other part is in my laundry room holding stain remover, dryer sheets, clothespins, etc. The best idea I had was to use a few pockets to corral 'orphan' socks. They always find their mate now!
This is fascinating! Looks like shoe organizers are great for everything BUT storing shoes.
I used one for makeup. It was fun separating the shades into corals, pinks, reds. :)
I have one in my bathroom and I have another in the office area where I store cables for all my computer peripherals. I love the rolling shoe idea.
I used one on the back wall of my coat closet and stored hats, mittens, gloves, etc.
we have three currently in our home. One hanging in on a wall in the garage above the workbench (anchored into the studs) for husband's various tools, nuts, blots, screws etc. One hanging on the door to our pantry with all the under the sink cleaning supplies (dusting cloths, carpet cleaner, air freshner etc) and one on the closet of my office with all my craft supplies in it (glue gun, paints, etc) Perfect way to help organize.