To get the most
out of your
closet shelves, you will want to have
an organization
system in place. Closet shelving is a great place for many of your
garments and items, included folded garments, purses, shoes, and out of
season storage.
First, take stock of what you want to store
on your shelves. Make a tally sheet with categories. How many pairs of
shoes do you want to store? How many folded garments? How many small
purses and large handbags? Now, it’s time to shop!
For shoes, the best way to maximize shelf
space is with translucent or clear plastic shoe boxes, available from
sources like Organize.com.
Never, ever keep your shoes in the cardboard
boxes they came in,
because the adhesive used to hold them together is the perfect bait for
spiders. You’re likely to find nests of them with your
favorite pair of pumps!
Translucent shoe boxes not only are adhesive
free, you can see through them, so you don’t have to guess
which shoes are where. They also stack beautifully, utilizing the
vertical space between closet shelves.
For handbags, you can go with bins, closed
boxes, or shelf dividers. What’s best will vary from person
to person. For bags that cost a lot of money, definitely go with
enclosed storage to protect them.
You can find great zippered suede
bags for this, as well as translucent boxes and bins. Shelf dividers,
available for both solid and ventilated shelves, are a great way to
separate a shelf’s worth of handbags and keep them from
piling up.
Shelf dividers are also a GREAT way to store
stacks of folded clothes on your shelves. Separating stacks of jeans,
shirts, etc. keeps them from falling over one another and encourages
you to keep your space organized.
For out of season garments, try Space Bags
(but avoid them and all unbreathable plastic for leather, suede, or
fur), translucent bins, or attractive clothing storage boxes. This is a
great idea for shoes, too.
Keep your summer sandals stored way up high
on closet shelves in the winter, and your winter boots and heavy shoes
up there in the summer months.