Don't Throw Away Your Old Shoe Rack, Use It For Extra Drink Storage

Buying in bulk is a great way to save extra cash in the long run. However, it also means you need to find a spot to store all of those purchases. Individual drinks like plastic water bottles, cans of soda, and sports beverages can become an eyesore if you set the cases down in your kitchen instead of hiding them inside a cabinet or pantry. As an alternative, you can try out a DIY that makes storing drinks stylish. This is where the humble shoe rack comes in. It's actually the perfect solution for holding these types of bulk items, and it helps them look organized, too.

Unsurprisingly, a shoe rack is typically used for storing shoes, but many prefer to think outside the box. You can repurpose your old shoe rack in clever ways, including as a drink organizer if you stack them on the shelves. Approximately 70 million water bottles are consumed in the United States each day. That's a lot of bottles. By placing them on a shoe rack along with your other favorite beverages, it makes them even more convenient to grab and go. This can be especially helpful for younger kids (or just the young at heart) who might struggle trying to get them out of their packages.

Shoe racks come in various styles, but the standard format consists of two side pieces and a few rod shelves. In order to help strengthen the rack for holding heavier objects, you could try gluing the rods into the sides. Find the best place for your new organizer before stocking the drinks. Set it against a kitchen wall, in the laundry room, or out in the garage near the interior door. Lay your drinks on the shelves and the rods should help them stay in place. Keep it extra organized-looking by separating your drinks, perhaps giving each kind their own shelf. Just be mindful of how many you add to ensure the rack will be able to support the weight.

This is a clever idea for daily storage, but you could also use it as a unique beverage station at your next gathering. Water bottles are often enjoyed at room temperature, so this would be a neat way to display them for guests. Save one of the tiers for delicious, salty snacks and it'll be even more of a useful piece. You could also set the rack near the fridge as a way to store beverages that need to be rotated into the appliance for cooling. Instead of having to dig through unsightly packages every time, they'll be ready to shift into the fridge whenever space becomes available. Don't you just love shoe racks?