Budget Friendly, Functional Organization

From the kitchen to your entryway closet, fill your home with over-the-door shoe organizers without actually splurging on footwear. Designed for vertical storage, their multiple pockets make them a must-have companion for organizing an endless number of items while maximizing space.

You can use the linen/fabric shoe organizers but I prefer the clear, plastic ones. You can easily see what's in each pocket and are easy to clean. They are also nice because you can see when you need to stock up on something.

Eight ways to use a shoe organizer for budget-friendly, functional storage:

1) Bathroom essentials and medicines - Hang on the back of your linen closet or bathroom door. Great place for your hairdryer, flat or curling irons, toilet paper and a functional way to keep medicines up and out of the children's reach.

2) Cleaning products - Bottles, brushes, sponges, and rags all in one spot. Remember to keep the most toxic in the upper pouches to keep out of children's reach.

3) Kitchen necessities - Free up shelf space in your pantry by hanging a shoe organizer on the inside of your pantry door. While the options are nearly endless when it comes to what you can place in the pockets, try using them to organize potholders, snacks, reusable bags, pet treats and hand towels.

4) Winter gear - Whether in a mudroom or entryway closet, a shoe organizer is handy during winter months. Place gloves, hats, scarves, earmuffs and more into the pockets and consider designating a row of pockets for each family member.

5) Toys - Organize all types of small toys in the pockets of a shoe organizer. For toys that come in lots of colors, like building blocks, use a different pocket to organize each color. If you have children of varying ages, place toys for older kids in top pockets and age-appropriate toys for younger children in the bottom pockets.

6) Gardening supplies - Hang your shoe organizer from a garage door or on the wall of a shed or garage. The pockets can be used to store gardening tools, seed packets, gloves and more. During spring, you can even grow plants in the pockets by hanging a fabric shoe organizer outdoors, filling each pocket with soil and seeds.

Tip: A shoe organizer can be used to sort seeds for the avid gardener. Seal your seeds in plastic bags, placing each type in a different pocket. To clearly display the contents of each pocket, use a safety pin or binder clip to attach the seed packet to the outside of the pouch.


7) Craft supplies - Shoe organizers are great for sorting craft supplies like yarn, paint, scissors and more. Try sorting paint by the shade, using one pocket for shades of red, another for shades of blue and so on and so forth. Hang in the closet or back of the door.

8) Home essentials & tools - Get your hubby organized by designating pockets for hammer, screwdrivers, nails and screws, tape measure, batteries, light bulbs. Hang in the garage for easy access.

Tip: Make cute paper labels to describe the contents of a pocket. Attach the label to the pocket with a binder clip or clothespin.

You can find these all around town - Target, Walmart, Home Depot. Bed Bath & Beyond for under $10.