Turn Your Childhood Bookcase Into An Updated Shoe Storage Solution

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Shoes — they're a necessary and essential part of life, but it seems that sometimes they just seem to multiply, and before you know it, you have numerous pairs littering the corners of your home. If you're tired of tripping over that pile of shoes in the corner of your closet or, worse still, in your entryway, there's a simple storage solution that's so easy you'll wonder why you didn't think of it yourself. You can turn any bookcase or shelving unit into a practical shoe holder, including one you or your kids used while growing up.

All you need is that bookcase that you stored in the garage, after you decluttered those sentimental items from the past, because you haven't found a use for it yet. You'll also need a drill and some cording, like this Abma Cord bungee cord from Amazon, which you can buy in a roll and cut to length. It's just an elastic cord that can be stretched and springs back when released. This makes it ideal for using as a method to hold pairs of shoes in place on a narrow shelf once you add it to the bookcase.

Grab your childhood bookcase from the garage and give it a good clean. If it's looking a bit worse for wear, you might even want to sand it back and paint it, especially if it's going to be on display in your entryway. Once it's looking pretty again, grab your drill and make a set of three holes on both of the side panels, spacing them fairly evenly above each shelf. If your bookcase has three shelves, including the base, you'll want a total of 18 holes, nine on either side at fairly equal distances. Make sure the holes line up from left to right.

Now comes the really easy part, as this is one of those bungee cord hacks that helps keep everything in place. Grab your roll of bungee cord and thread one end through one of the holes and tie it off so that it's nice and secure. You might even want to add a D-ring to the end so it can't come back through the hole. Measure the length you're going to need across the shelf from left to right, with a slight stretch, and cut the cord. Fasten the cut end through the hole on the right-hand side and secure it. 

Do exactly the same with the additional cord and the other holes above the shelves. You now have three shelves to store your shoe pairs, with the bungee cords keeping them secure. As the shelves are quite narrow on children's bookcases, this setup works particularly well for flat-soled shoes like sneakers and joggers.

You can make this project as easy or as complex as you like, depending on your creative skills. If you want a bit more color, paint the bookcase in bright primary shades or choose something like black to fit in with your decor. You could also pretty it up a bit by adding decals to the sides and the top or even covering the whole thing with contact paper. If you're particularly artistic, use your skills to paint some murals on the sides and the top.

You even have options with the bungee cord that you select. It can either be the plain black one, or you could opt for one in a brighter color, such as neon green or orange. For something a bit classier, you might want to find a cord in a lovely gold color. It all depends on how you want to make the unit fit into your existing decor. 

Finally, don't forget to utilize the top of the bookcase. You could find some baskets to fit and use these for keys and other items you normally have in your entryway. Or, you could find a nice candle to put on top that will greet your guests with a refreshing aroma as they walk in the front door. This is definitely an upcycle idea to consider before you toss that childhood bookcase.