No More Boring Racks — This '80s Find Is A Cuter Way To Organize Your Entryway

After an ABBA album was successfully pressed into one of the first CDs made in 1982, this led to a memorable yet brief era of CDs dominating physical media. As the 2000s introduced people to palm-sized MP3 players and eventually, streaming platforms, the transition from physical to digital media has left many discs to collect dust. Not only was the CD rendered obsolete, a lot of stuff meant for CDs were also phased out, such as built-in CD players in cars, and even furniture like CD racks and cabinets. Nevertheless, just as you can creatively repurpose old CDs, you could also give new life to CD racks as a chic and practical entryway storage.

Because CD racks were produced in different shapes, sizes, and material, there's a wide variety you can work with. Whether it's made of wood, metal, or hard plastic, most of these racks can function as standalone storage units. Unless you're working with a bulky CD cabinet, you can also try to convert the more narrow and tall CD racks into horizontal, wall-mounted storage.

It's important to figure out how you can make your entryway more functional with the CD rack — do you want to use it to store shoes, hang coats, or place small necessities like keys and glasses? In that case, try to remove some or all of the dividers to make enough space for larger items. While the slim dividers prove useful for neatly storing CDs, this may not work well for your entryway essentials. You can try to remove hard plastic dividers with a flat tool like a scraper, or you can simply remove any screws or bolts that keep them in place. Apart from removing parts of the CD rack, you can add a tension rod or a dowel in between panels that'll allow storage for accessories.

Where you position the rack will depend on its size and how your entryway is laid out. Bulky CD racks can stand alone and act as an entryway cabinet or as a console table. For tall, narrow racks, it might fit well in a corner beside your front door where you can store sunglasses, hats, or mail. Alternatively, if you're working with a lightweight CD rack, you can mount it onto your wall using metal brackets or hooks, depending on what works best in holding up the material. When you're done installing, try adding small, potted plants, mirrors, or picture frames to furnish a beautiful entryway design that makes a stunning first impression.