A Metal Shoe Rack Is The Storage Solution For Any Crafter

Have you ever seen one of those old metal shoe racks that have two horizontal rods as shelves to hold your shoes? Maybe you have one around the house or noticed one at a thrift store. Well, if you're a crafter, don't sleep on those racks. They're a common household item you can repurpose into a genius organizer for crafting supplies. If you've ever dropped a roll of ribbon only to watch it unwind itself as it slides across the floor, this is your sign to get your hands on a metal shoe rack. Make a DIY storage solution that will meet all your crafting needs, from washi tape and wrapping paper to fabric and canvas.

This is a great, budget-friendly storage solution since you can use a metal shoe rack that you already have at home or pick one up at a thrift store. (You know we never overlook the thrift store for all our DIY supplies.) Repurposing old pieces like this is also a good way to avoid the ever-increasing amount of furnishing ending up in the landfill. The only tool you need for this DIY is a screwdriver. Optional supplies for transforming the shoe rack include S-hooks and hanging baskets or containers. And to really elevate your new supply rack, you can grab a can of spray paint in the color of your choice.

For this genius craft room organization hack, start by simply wiping down the shoe rack with a damp cloth to get rid of any dust that might have collected while it sat at the thrift store or dirt from shoes it used to hold. If you want to paint the shoe rack, take it outside or make sure the room you're in is very well ventilated. Let the paint completely dry before moving on. Using a screwdriver, unscrew one end of a rod and begin loading spools onto it. You can do this with ribbon, washi tape, or anything else that comes on a roll. Then screw the rod back into place. Repeat this step for as many rods as you need based on the amount of supplies you have.

You can also use S-hooks on the rods to hang baskets or containers that are great for holding paints and paint brushes, knitting needles, glue sticks and glue guns, or other sewing accessories. If you're a knitter, you can lay the twisted hanks or yarn balls across the horizontal rods. Then hang baskets on S-hooks to hold your knitting needles. Quilters can drape fabric over the rods, and then use baskets on S-hooks to hold scissors and thread. Painters can load a roll of painting paper or canvas onto the rods, and then use hanging baskets to hold paintbrushes and paints. 

If you have extra supplies, use clear plastic tote containers and slide them across the rods like a shelf. You can even screw caster wheels onto the bottom of the rack to make it a mobile storage unit.