I’m super excited about something I’m participating in this year: a monthly DIY challenge with a pile of other bloggers! Each month we’ll create something that fits the theme, link up to all the other projects by bloggers {you can see the other projects by scrolling down to the bottom of this post}, and I’ll share my favorite projects from the challenge in a round-up at the end of each month. Fun, right? This month’s theme challenge is Build to Organize and I knew exactly what I wanted to do: DIY shoe shelves for a closet! It was the perfect way to take part in the challenge, cross something off my to-do list, AND fix a very troublesome spot in my house!
Our front hall closet has been a disaster when it comes to shoes. Everyone just tosses {literally tosses} their shoes into the bottom of the closet and it’s impossible to find matching shoes when you’re trying to run out the door. I decided to build simple shoe shelves in the bottom of the closet to store and organize the shoes.
How to Make Shoe Shelves for a Closet
I started by measuring the closet space. I should have started by painting the grungy walls and baseboards {wink} but that’s a project for another day.
Measure the width and depth of the space you have, at the front point and the back point. Most houses are not perfectly square and mine definitely isn’t. You’ll need to cut your boards to fit the smallest measurement, or, if you’re really detailed, you can cut the boards at an angle to fit the space perfectly.
I used a piece of plywood and a piece of 1×2 for the project and cut them to size, about 14 inches by 23 inches for the plywood shelves and about 23 inches for the 1×2’s. For each shelf, you’ll need two support brackets {the 1×2’s}, one piece of plywood, and 4 screws. I made two shelves so I doubled that.
Because I didn’t want shelves that looked grungy all the time, I spray painted all the wood pieces black then spray painted them with a polyurethane coating. I thought it would look better than white shelves or wood shelves.
Use a stud finder to find the studs, then drill pilot holes through the 1×2’s at those points, making sure you’re screwing into at least one stud on each side for the best support.
To place the supports at the same height on each side, create two spacers from a piece of scrap wood. I cut these spacers 8 inches long. Stand the spacers against the wall, place the support on top, and check to make sure it’s level. Drill through the pilot holes to create a pilot hole in the stud in the wall, then screw the support boards in place.
Repeat on the other side then place the plywood shelf over top, center it {there may be a bit of space in areas on each side if the closet isn’t square}, and use a brad nailer to attach the shelf to the supports so it won’t slide around.
Repeat the process above the first shelf, using the same spacers to create the same distance.
I only placed two shelves so we have plenty of room for hanging coats but you can obviously create as many as you want to suit your need.
This entire project, minus the paint drying time, took less than an hour but the DIY shoe shelves have made a huge difference in that closet!
I’m excited about not having to search for my shoes every day!
Inspiring DIY Bloggers
Ready to get inspired by more DIY projects? These bloggers are all participating in this challenge so be sure to check out their sites and the projects linked up below!
1905 Farmhouse, Abbots at Home, Bitterroot DIY, By Brittany Goldwyn, Creative Ramblings, Cribbs Style, Delicious & DIY, DIY Beautify, DIY Danielle, Dukes and Duchesses, Girl, Just DIY, Happily Ever After, Etc, Health, Home & Heart, House by the Bay Design, House on Longwood Lane, Just Measuring Up, Kenya Rae, Little Bits of Home, Living Letter Home, My Kitchen My Craft, Pinspired to DIY, Red Cottage Chronicles, Refashionably Late, Renovating Mapleson Manor, Savvy Apron, Shine Your Light, Shrimp Salad Circus, Songbird Blog, Southern Revivals, T.Moore Home, The DIY Dreamer, The DIY Village, The Frugal Homemaker, The Handyman’s Daughter, Two Feet First, What Meegan Makes, Zucchini Sisters
Shoe shelves are a game changer! Nice build!
This is a great idea, Randi! happy to be a part of this group with you 🙂
Randi, I was in the same place as you with shoes in a closet until I build shoe shelves too. Thanks for sharing a simple way to organize and store shoes in a small closet!
I love these!!! You did an awesome job! 😍😍
What a great and simple idea, Randi! It looks like it was always been there. Painted black, it looks classy and professionally done.
Thanks for your creativity.
Isn’t it amazing how adding a few small shelves to your closet changes everything? This looks great and you still have plenty of room for hanging coats.
I love it when you don’t have to dig for shoes, this looks great!
Does shelves are awesome Randi!! They had such a nice touch to the closet too!
Nice use of the space for organization and storage.
Practical and easy. I love it!
This is a great use of space for storage and it looks so much better now. I know you are enjoying it.
Yes! to more shoe storage!!
Great way to maximize floor space! And I’m sure with 5 kids you have plenty of shoes around your house! :). I need to build these in a few closets.
I think I have the same closet!!! Ugh- its a nightmare to keep the shoes straight- I am over the moon with this idea- thanks for the plans!