Ditch Boring Shoe Cabinets: There's A Cuter Way To Store Shoes Without Clutter
For some people, shoes are just a necessity. For others, though, they are a true statement of style and personality. If you care about the look of your shoes and invest in pairs you love, why hide them away when they're not in use? There are plenty of clever ways to store shoes without a shoe cabinet that allow you and any guests to admire your shoe collection, even when they don't match your outfit of the day, but not all of these options truly highlight your shoes in a room. The solution for gorgeous storage is a DIY wooden rack that has creative diagonal shelves that display your shoes in a unique way. Plus, you'll enjoy benefits like letting the shoes get plenty of fresh air and space rather than being squashed away, deteriorating in a closet. Tiktoker @nauticalhomedesigns shows how they went about creating and mounting a wooden shoe shelf, and you can do the same with some careful measuring and simple materials.
For a project like this, you'll need a good amount of wood. Plywood can work for the back piece, and 1-inch by 4-inch boards can serve as the diagonal shelves inside the unit and its outer walls. You'll also need basic tools, including a tape measure, level, fasteners, and wood glue. Paint and stain helps you finalize the look and protect the wood. Finally, consider any extra items you might like to add on, like fabric to line the shelves or wood trim.
Creating a DIY diagonal shoe storage system
If you want to make your own feature shoe shelving, the first thing you should know is your shoe size and collection. Because this will be a custom unit, you can make sure every shoe fits perfectly on the shelves. Find your longest and widest shoes, and measure them carefully to get your minimum shelf dimensions. If you plan to store boots on the shelf — even ankle boots — you should measure your tallest pair to determine how much space you need between shelves. In the United States, the average shoe size for women is 7 and men is 8.5. That means most shoes will likely be between 9 and 11 inches long and under 5 inches wide. Be sure to leave extra room around the edges, too.
@nauticalhomedesigns Who wants to go shoe shopping 🚗 💨 so I can fill those empty spaces 👠 Finished my second bedroom project! While inspired by a wine 🍷 rack I saw on Pinterest, I envisioned it as a stylish shoe display, given that I don't indulge in wine 😉 but needing some more shoe storage. & thanks to my two boys for helping me out! 👩👦👦 #shoestorage #shoedisplay #shoeorganization #halifax #novascotia #woodworking #furnituredesign #bedroomdesign #custom #diy #homedecoration #bedroomdecor #ShoeDisplay #SneakerShowcase #ShoeStorageIdeas #FootwearDisplay #ShoeRackDesign #ShoeCollectionDisplay #ShoeShelfInspiration #DisplayYourKicks #sneakerdisplaycase #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #dowhatyoulove
Next, decide how large you want the whole unit to be. Be sure to consider how many shoes you can store inside based on your measurements. Create a wooden frame based on your desired dimensions, and attach a plywood sheet as backing. Experiment with different diagonal tilts and spacing. You might create a kind of chevron pattern, a zigzag, or a two-layer zigzag, as the original TikTok creator did. You might even create different sizes of spaces based on what you plan to store. Secure the shelves using screws and wood glue, ensuring consistent angles and proper spacing. Finally, you should sand everything down to prep for painting or staining and to prevent snags that could damage your shoes.
Perfecting and maintaining your stylish shoe storage system
Painting and staining is an important way to finish the wood of your new shoe shelf system. There are many wood stain and paint color combos that will look stunning in your home, so it's very easy to create a look that's both stylish and durable. Paint or stain can be a step toward protecting the wood, but regular maintenance is still necessary. Applying a clear protective sealant or shelf liners is another way to keep the furniture in good shape, and grippy liners could keep the shoes from sliding down their angled shelves.
Shoes often contain moisture and dirt that can damage wood over time. While the open shelving helps your shoes dry out by allowing proper ventilation, taking preventative measures will keep your shelves looking sharper longer. Another important step is regularly wiping down the shelves to remove dirt and dust.
Giving the shoes a good clean before putting them on the shelf will help, too. After all, dirty shoes on an open shelf isn't a great look, and they're not known to have the best smell, either. Make sure you know the one room you should never use for shoe storage (and better spots to try) so odors don't linger in your living spaces, or, alternatively, use this rack as a display piece for your lesser-worn kicks.