The over-the-door shoe organizer is one of the most versatile organizing tools around. While I have never actually stored shoes in one—or known anyone who has—I have found a myriad of ways to use them to make my closets neater and tidier. With all those great pockets, it’s an excellent way to put otherwise dead space behind the closet door to use.
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Here are 10 of my favorite ways to use an over-the-door shoe organizer.
Jewelry and Hair Accessories
The individual pockets are just the right size for necklaces, bracelets, headbands and barrettes. The clear pockets make it easy to see everything you have to choose just the right finishing pieces for your look.
Neckties and Belts
My son didn’t want a traditional necktie holder like his dad and he didn’t want to worry about his ties getting wrinkled in a drawer. It turns out that a shoe pocket is just the right size to hold neatly rolled ties and belts while keeping them accessible for matching with just the right shirt. Scarves would work nicely in a shoe organizer as well.
Office Supplies
When space is limited, having all your small office supplies hanging on the back of the office door, close at hand, but not occupying valuable desk real estate, is a definite time and sanity saver. Keep staples & stapler, rubber bands, paper clips, pens, pencils, tape, sticky notes & other frequently used items close by while keeping your desktop clear.
Small Toys
If you have little people at your house, you know how those little toys seem to turn up everywhere. Corral them all in individual pockets in a shoe organizer. Your kids will easily be able to see all their treasured toys and your floor will once again be safe for bare feet.
Spices & Seasonings
Make use of your pantry door and keep all of your spices and seasonings easily accessible. Rather than digging through a basket on the shelf or a lazy Susan, an over-the-door organizer puts bottles, cans and packets front and center, close at hand for the busy cook.
Individually Packaged Snacks
Do you have to referee “snack wars” at your house? Are you tired brokering peace treaties over the snack bin? Keep the kids from snitching each other’s treats by sorting them into labeled pockets in an organizer on the pantry door or wall.
Art & Craft Supplies
Whether it’s on the wall of the craft room or behind the door, the small pockets of a shoe organizer are just the right size for brushes, markers, crayons, glue sticks and other art supplies.
Small Tools & Parts
Hang one of these organizers on the wall in your workshop and use it to hold all those screws, bolts and other little fasteners and parts that usually end up as a mess in an old coffee can or drawer. Having them neatly sorted by type into the shoe pockets will save you hours of sorting or even unnecessary trips to the hardware store.
Gardening Supplies
Just as an organizer is handy at the workbench, hanging one of these in the garden shed can help to. Holding everything from seed packets to hose sprayers and hand tools, an over-the-door hanger will make gardening chores more pleasant by ending the frustration of digging through bins or boxes hunting down supplies.
Winter Gear
Hang an organizer inside your entry closet or on the mudroom wall and assign each family member pockets for gloves and mittens, hats and scarves. With an easy place to stow cold-weather accessories in the place they put them on and take them off, winter gear will be more likely to be found all winter long.
And, finally the bonus use:
Shoes
Who knew? Yes, you can actually use an over-the-door shoe organizer to organize shoes. Whether you have an organizer that holds one shoe per pocket or a pair, this will help keep the closet neat and end digging under clothing—or under the bed—for that other shoe on busy mornings. Of course, you do actually have to develop the habit of putting the shoes in it.
Lifestyles of the Great and Spacious–Book Review
I would add cords & chargers for all electronics in the house… each one labeled, of course:)
That is a great idea, Seana. Ours are tagged and labeled (and rolled up) but they live in a bin, which means digging every time you need a spare cable or cord. Thanks.