Repurposed: 7 Ways to Use a Hanging Shoe Organizer

One of the least (and least efficiently) utilized spaces in small apartments is the back or inside of doors. This is fantastic vertical space that allows you to easily see and access your items. There are a ton of ways to use this space to your advantage, but one of my favorites is the humble over the door shoe organizer.
If you’re short on back-of-the-door space, over the door shoe organizers can also be mounted on the wall. Just choose your hardware carefully and according to the weight of the objects that will be in the organizer.

Office Supplies

What to do with all of the little office bits and bobs if you don’t have, well, an office? The small pockets in a hanging shoe organizer make it easy to separate and store smaller items, and it’s incredibly easy to see what you have; no more wondering where that tape went!

Craft and Hobby Supplies

I love this solution for art, craft, and other hobby supplies. Being able to separate your materials and see them all at once will make finding time for your hobbies that much easier.

Cleaning Supplies

This is a much better alternative to digging around under your kitchen sink, reaching into that dark netherworld behind the pipe and hoping you emerge with all your fingers intact. Keep sponges separate from scrub brushes and you just might find that your apartment magically gets cleaned more often.
Note: For bigger spray bottles, you’ll want something that has large pockets in addition to the smaller, standard ones.

Toiletries

Bathroom storage space is always at a premium, so using this type of organizer can really help streamline your routine. Hair products, makeup, and even small appliances like straighteners all become instantly accessible.

Coat Closet

Who hasn’t hunted for that lone glove, or misplaced your sunglasses? Using an over the door organizer in your entryway or coat closet eliminates those frustrating and time-wasting searches. Keep anything that you might need to grab on your way out of the door, like a small umbrella, in easy reach.

Spices

Kitchen spices are a consistent source of frustration. You can get a spice shelf or lazy susan, but the reality is that something is always going to end up at the back or hidden, and you end up with 4 containers of oregano. This system allows you to clearly see which spices you have, so you don’t end up rebuying costly items. I’d recommend grouping them in whatever way makes the most sense to you, whether it’s by type of cuisine or frequency of use.

Other Kitchen Items

If you lack pantry space, this may be a great solution for you. Food, like spices, often gets lost in the back of cabinets, and you end up rebuying stuff you already had, or food expires because you forgot it was there.

Other Uses

I’ve used these racks to organize tools, kids’ toys, belts and accessories, and yes, even shoes! Look around your apartment and see what little things are often elusive when you need them, and try an over the door shoe organizer.

Hanging Shoe Rack Sources

You can get these babies just about anywhere, but The Container Store, Target, and Bed Bath and Beyond are good places to start.