Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Over-the-Door Shoe Organizers: Not Just for Shoes

over the door shoe organizer with pockets
Picture: Simply Stashed

How many ways can you use over-the-door shoe organizers? I listed a lot of possibilities back in May 2008 - using the organizers for bathroom supplies, cables, toys, craft supplies, gloves, office supplies, etc.

But I've since found even more creative uses for these shoe organizers.

1. Real Simple writes about using them in the pantry.

2. Apartment Therapy suggests you could use one to hold silverware.

3. A Police Wife uses one to hold some of her husband's gear. [via Tanna Clark at Complete Organizing Solutions]

4. A member of the HGS horse forums says she has one on the back of the tack room door to hold brushes, shampoo, etc.

5. Over on the Imaginisce blog, Roberta says she uses one for the punches she uses for scrapbooking.

6. And Urban Greenery shows a shoe organizer turned into a tiny herb garden!

10 comments:

Tabitha Kokoska said...

I LOVE the herb garden idea! I've got to say, I have 3 "shoe organizers" that I use for other things. I have a small hall closet that we keep pet supplies in. I have all the dog toys in a over the door shoe organizer - they don't collect dust and we never have too many toys out at once (3 dogs = lots of toys). Thanks for sharing these other great ideas. I really want to try the herb garden idea next!

Claire Josefine said...

I'm totally smitten with the herb garden! Although I'd wager that the one in the pic is freshly planted; there's no way it will stay looking that clean and white. Could you tell whether the soil is placed directly in the pockets, or if they are using little pots? My aging eyes couldn't determine which method they used for sure. :^)

Jeri Dansky said...

Tabitha and Claire, I'm so glad you liked the herb garden. Finding that one was what triggered this post.

Claire, I followed some links and found the instructions at instructables.com. It seems they placed the soil - or actually, "moisture retaining compost" - directly in the pockets.

JustGail said...

These storage bags are why I sometimes wish we had swing open doors on all the closets instead of bi-fold doors - you can use the back for storage of small bits. Although I will say I much prefer the bi-folds to sliding doors any day!

Pauline Wiles said...

I like your ideas of craft supplies and cables, but the herb garden is really special!

Jeri Dansky said...

JustGail, I have sliding doors myself in two rooms - and while I'm fine with them, I understand the appeal of bifolds.

But all my OTHER closet (and cabinet) doors have something on the inside - either an organizer of some sort, or some art work not worth framing and displaying elsewhere.

Struggler, it looks like the herb garden is the run-away favorite!

Lou said...

The herb garden does, indeed, look like a winner.
I have a shoe organiser on the back of my bathroom door (note- I live alone so it's just for me). In it I place make-up, deoderant, scrunchies, etc and all the little bathroom bits that I have no-where to store in my tiny bathroom. This makes getting ready super-quick. I can quickly find eye pencils in one pocket, foundation in another, and so on. I used a semi-clear shoe holder to make finding things easy.

Jeri Dansky said...

Lou, that sounds like the ideal use for one of those shoe organisers - thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

I use the organizers everywhere:

- In the kitchen for spices and gadgets

- on the small garage door for tools

- child's bathroom for bath toys, bubble bath, wash cloths, etc...

- in my classroom for glue and scissors (each pocket has a student number so I know who needs to put their supplies away)

Now I'm off to check out the herb garden idea!

Jeri Dansky said...

Anonymous, that classroom use is a great idea I don't remember reading elsewhere!