5 Smart Shoe Storage Solutions That Work in Small Spaces

Moving into a smaller space doesn’t necessarily mean having to part with a number of your belongings. 

When unpacking shoes, for example, you might wonder how many pairs from your large collection you’ll actually be able to fit into the smaller closets of your new home.

Think about how many types of footwear are in the average home. Athletic shoes, heels, flats, slippers, sandals, flip flops, winter boots, hiking boots, loafers, dress shoes, and knee high boots all need a home of their own.

Without smart shoe storage solutions in place, it won’t take long for organizational chaos to ensue.

Smart shoe storage solutions save you time

A study conducted by one retailer found that women who own a shoe rack were seven times more likely to be on time for work than women who didn’t own one. While that may be just one estimation, it makes perfect sense that an organized life at home would carry over in a positive way to one’s life outside the home.

Knowing exactly where to find that pair of shoes that perfectly complements your chosen work outfit can be an invaluable time-saver in the morning. Consider how many things you do before going to work every morning.

There’s feeding yourself and your kids, packing their school lunches, getting them ready for school and to the bus stop (or driving them there yourself), and getting yourself showered, dressed, and looking presentable for work.

A Boston marketing firm found that the average American wastes 55 minutes every day searching for misplaced items. No doubt some of that time was spent looking for lost shoes. Adding helpers like smart shoe storage solutions will allow you to easily keep your fashionable footwear collection well-organized.

This will help you reclaim some of that wasted time and remove one of the many things you need to concern yourself with every morning.

Protect your footwear with sensible shoe storage solutions

Not having proper shoe storage systems doesn’t just make your home more disorganized. Keeping your footwear in disorganized piles will lead to scuffing, scratches, and other damage that can shorten your footwear’s life.

Delicate footwear and expensive designer shoes should especially be stored properly to keep them in optimal condition.

Regularly worn shoes might be more ideal for floor racks or open shelving storage that keeps your footwear fresh by letting the material breathe.

On the other hand, you want to protect your pricier shoes from dust, sunlight, and scuffing, which makes pullout storage or shoe box storage a smart choice.

Turn to smart shoe storage solutions for help

Even in storage areas with ample space, large shoe collections can be a challenge to keep organized. By using some of these five smart shoe storage solutions, you can maximize your shoe storage space anywhere.

Smartly designed shoe storage systems will also make the storage space more functional. 

1. Add a dressing room that includes practical shoe storage solutions

So your new home’s closets are smaller than you’d like, but you’re lucky enough to have a spare bedroom. How can you make the best use of this space? One practical idea is to turn it into a dressing room/large walk-in closet.

A private dressing room can be your own comfortable space that also provides you with the luxury of valuable storage space for the wardrobes of you and your spouse. Incorporate some smart shoe storage solutions into your dressing room’s design to keep all of your shoes protected, neatly stored, and easy to find.

A pullout rack is perfect for this space. It can be built to any depth of shelf, allowing for shoes to be stored more than one row deep. Purses and other items can also be stored on it. The pullout features a front protector to ensure your shoes don’t fall forward when the rack is pulled out.

shoe storage solutions pullout

A dressing room pullout rack keeps shoes hidden, organized, and well-protected.

shoe storage solutions dressing room rack

A pullout shoe rack that’s ideal for a dressing room or traditional closet.

2. Have your custom wardrobe designed with storage space for shoes

Our custom wardrobes can be used for more than just keeping your clothing hung or folded. We can add room to store shoes on the wardrobe’s interior base, within its open shelving, or by adding a pullout rack.

A wardrobe can be added to a bedroom or in a front entryway to add more storage space. Organized Interiors is hands-on with your wardrobe’s design, manufacturing process, and installation.

This full-service process ensures you’ll get a high quality custom product that nicely complements your home’s décor and fits your space perfectly.

3. Maximize your closet’s shoe storage space

Even with many smaller closets, our clever design consultants can devise a shoe storage solution to make the most of the limited space available.

Our SmartLine and Classic closet organizers can include shoe storage space in an open shelving concept, including divider/cubby storage.

Along with pullout racks, stationary floor shoe racks can also be included in your closet organizer’s design. Add multiple levels to your shoe rack to really maximize your storage space.

Hanging shoe racks are another storage option, which can be hung from a closet’s hanging rod or on the closet door to save space. Some people do find this option a bit tacky, however, so this may not be a shoe storage solution that appeals to you.

shoe storage solutions closet rack

Open shoe storage within a closet space.

4. Upgrade your mudroom to allow for more shoe storage room

Another way to make more room for storing shoes in your home is to update your mudroom. Shoe storage can be added to a mudroom in various styles such as shoe racks, open shelving storage, or hidden away within a built-in bench. An entryway closet can also be redesigned by having the doors removed and incorporating some of these features.

Because your mudroom is typically right near an entryway, adding practical shoe storage solutions to it minimizes clutter and disorganization. As soon as your family members enter your home, they’ll have ample amount of room to keep their shoes tidily stored.

5. Use shoe boxes to maintain a neat, uncluttered appearance

Even if your space is small, you can find room for storing shoes by making use of shoe boxes. This shoe storage solution will help you maintain a clean and uncluttered appearance in your home.

Shoe boxes also protect your expensive footwear and make use of any free space in your closets or elsewhere in your bedroom. Stack them on the floor, on mid-level open shelving, or up top in the free vertical space of your closets.

You can use the original shoe boxes you saved or use stylish storage boxes if you prefer. Make it much easier to locate specific pairs of shoes stored in shoe boxes by using labels. Another option is to use clear storage boxes or storage bins for storing your footwear.

Let customized shoe storage solutions make your small space more functional

As long as you have customized shoe storage solutions that perfectly match your needs and limited room, you can maintain an organized home.

Take advantage of the smart shoe storage options Organized Interiors has available by scheduling your free in-home design consultation with us today.

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Canada 150: Reflecting On What We Appreciate Most About Canada

As Canada’s 150th anniversary nears and Canada 150 celebrations get into full swing, Organized Interiors reflects on what it means to be Canadian and what we’re thankful for about this wonderful country we’re privileged to call home.

Canada 150

Canada 150: Reflecting on what we appreciate most about being Canadian

The milestone nature of this upcoming Canada Day and the increasingly turbulent world in which we live in offer up a timely opportunity to reflect on what it means to be Canadian.

Here are some of the things we appreciate most about living in Canada:

  • Canada is a country that’s clean and safe
  • Canada is a peaceful nation and we enjoy many civil liberties and freedoms, such as freedom of speech
  • Canada is a diverse country that’s inclusive and welcoming towards different cultures and their traditions (the country recently ranked highly in a Pew research survey looking at shared customs and traditions)
  • Canada is a land of opportunity
  • Canada is rich in natural resources and features beautiful landscapes and geography from coast to coast
  • Canadians are friendly, polite, and humble

Canada 150: appreciating hockey, that most Canadian of sports

Of course, any discussion about Canadian identity wouldn’t be complete with mentioning hockey. Ask any foreigner about Canada and some of the first images or references they’ll conjure up will be hockey, Mounties, maple syrup, beavers, and odd pronunciations of the word “about”.

It’s a testament to our well-liked status that there could certainly be far less flattering references that might be attached to our country and to be fair, we sure do love our hockey.

Any list of the best NHL players of all time will be dominated by Canadian names like Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Mario Lemieux, Guy Lafleur, Bobby Orr, and Maurice “Rocket” Richard. And although the Stanley Cup champion drought for Canadian-based teams now extends back to the early 90s, Canadians’ enthusiasm for their beloved sport never wavers.

Appreciating Canadian music

Canada’s musical talent has made a big impact on the rest of the world for many years over the course of our history. The list of notable names is long. Veteran artists like Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Rush, and Gordon Lightfoot still maintain their relevance, even in 2017.

Relatively younger established acts like Blue Rodeo, The Tragically Hip, Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Bryan Adams, and Alanis Morrissette continue to do Canada proud. And then there are the young Canadian artists currently dominating today’s charts, such as Justin Bieber, Drake, The Weeknd, Shawn Mendes, and Alessia Cara.

This weekend is the perfect time to relax in front of your entertainment unit and media centre to take in the televised Canada 150 celebrations in the nation’s capital and enjoy the best in Canadian music. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold”
  • Rush’s “Tom Sawyer”
  • Anne Murray’s “Snowbird”
  • Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”
  • Stompin’ Tom Connors’ “The Hockey Song”
  • Bryan Adams’ “Summer of ’69”
  • The Tragically Hip’s “50 Mission Cap”
  • Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi”
  • Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On”

Canada 150: appreciating Canadian authors

On the literary front, Canada has no shortage of talented writers whose work is acclaimed worldwide.

Perhaps books from Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid’s Tale), Stephen Leacock, Margaret Laurence, Lucy Maud Montgomery (the Anne of Green Gables series), Mordecai Richler, W.P. Kinsella, and recent literary sensation Malcolm Gladwell (Outliers) currently occupy bookshelves in your home library or home office.
Canada 150 flag

Appreciating Canadian wines

British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia are responsible for producing premium, high-quality wines that can be found in wine cellars all over the world. Mission Hill Winery in B.C.’s Okanagan Valley is considered one of Canada’s most respected wineries and has won numerous awards for their heralded Martin’s Lane Pinot Noir.

Canada continues to be the world’s largest maker of ice wine, with an estimated 2.5 million bottles produced here last year. Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula region is renowned for its ice wine production, featuring prominent wineries like Inniskillin, Peller Estates, and Pillitteri Estates.

Canada 150: appreciating Canadian coffees

Canadians love their coffee. The country ranked number one in the world in terms of coffee consumed per capita outside the home (such as at cafés or fast food outlets), according to a 2015 study. With over 1,600 Tim Hortons locations nationwide, that’s one “Timmy’s” for every 9,000 Canadians.

When it comes to overall coffee consumption worldwide per capita (inside and outside the home), Canada ranks third. Contributing factors are our long, cold winters and the popularity of kitchen serving stations with convenient single-serve coffee pods.

Canada is also receiving increasing attention for its world-class specialty roasts that come from across the country:

  • Full Steam Coffee (Nova Scotia)
  • Propeller Coffees (Toronto, winner of Roast magazine’s 2016 Roaster of the Year award)
  • Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters (Calgary)
  • 49th Parallel Coffee (Vancouver)

Enjoy your Canada 150 celebrations!

Organized Interiors is proud of our Canadian heritage and to have spent more than 40 years serving our valued Canadian clientele.

We’d like to extend our best to you and your family as you celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary this coming weekend!

House Hunting Tips: What to Look for With Closet and Storage Space

There are a multitude of considerations to make when house hunting. Inevitably, some compromises will be made when you finally buy the home that best fulfills the essentials you value most in a residence.

One of the time-tested house hunting tips is not to undervalue the importance of closet and storage space.

HSH.com is the America’s largest publisher of mortgage and consumer loan information and one of their surveys found that 80% of respondents had regrets about their home purchase.

9% of that was made up of buyers who found their home lacked adequate closet or storage space.

Use these house hunting tips to help you evaluate potential storage space

These house hunting tips in relation to closet and storage space will assist you in knowing what to look for when viewing different homes and the storage potential they offer.

Take stock of what you own

Before you begin to visit potential future homes, take careful stock of everything you own and how much closet and storage space you have. A move is a great opportunity to declutter, so factor that in to your assessment.

Having even a loose concept of how your family’s belongings will fit within another home will be an asset. It can also dictate whether additional closet space becomes one of your priorities for a new home.

It can also help you avoid the common mistake of being mislead by the cluttered contents of someone else’s home, which may be attributable to a few different things.

Evaluate how a potential seller is using their storage space

Sure, a home might be cluttered and disorganized due to a lack of storage space. But a home that appears to not have adequate storage space might just be lacking effective storage systems and homeowners that don’t declutter enough.

Is the homeowner making use of closet organizers or effective bedroom storage solutions? These can make a big difference in how a home’s storage space is used and the overall presentation of the house.

house hunting tips closet organizer

Inspect thoroughly and document your findings

One of the house hunting tips that not enough potential buyers follow is to inspect all areas of a home you’re looking at. Open every door, drawer, and cupboard in every room because you never know what you might be missing.

There could be extra storage space that isn’t immediately obvious or, conversely, potential problems that will come as an unwelcome surprise once you’ve moved in.

Particularly focus on inspecting the closet areas. As a prospective buyer, you’re entitled to thoroughly examine all areas of the home, so don’t worry about seeming like you’re too nosy (as long as you’re not snooping through the owner’s belongings).

Take measurements and also ask the realtor for permission to take photos or video footage of the home. Having as much documentation as possible while house hunting helps, especially if you’re looking at numerous properties and need to keep details straight.

Expect less closet and storage space in older homes

If the home you’re browsing is older, expect there to be less closet space than you’ll find in newer homes. Some rooms may not even have a closet, or the closet space that does exist may be much smaller than you’re used to.

Decide whether you can adapt to a more confined amount of storage space and whether this may be a deal-breaker for you and your family.

Remember that you can always add storage space in the bedroom

Remember that a small closet can still be quite functional with a good closet organizer and some helpful closet accessories.

You can also add storage space to a bedroom in the form of a bed surround or wardrobe (which could also be added to a front hallway). Our convenient create-a-closet® solution is another option. It creates closet space anywhere you need it.

If the home you’re touring has a spare bedroom, consider turning it into a dressing room/large walk-in closet. Even an oversized master bedroom can have a partition wall added to give you a nice private dressing area.

Storage space in the kitchen and bathroom

How important is adequate storage space and the proper décor for your bathroom to you? If the bathroom in a home you’re considering buying is lacking in these areas, consider updating its look and storage capabilities with custom bathroom cabinetry.

A kitchen pantry is a nice to have for storing your food, which frees up space for storing items like small appliances, dishes, cooking supplies, and other kitchen items in your cupboards. Ask us about our high quality custom kitchen cabinetry.

Are the laundry room or mudroom making the best use of their space?

When inspecting the laundry room in a home you’re viewing, assess whether the space fits your needs. How much storage space is there for detergents and fabric softeners?

A drab laundry room with poor lighting and a lack of functionality can always be improved. We can update your laundry room’s look and also enhance its usefulness by adding custom cabinetry and accessories like valet rods, hidden laundry hampers, and pullout ironing boards.

A mudroom should be more than a disorganized area that becomes a storage spot for things that don’t quite have a home elsewhere in the house. Look for adequate overhead storage, enough hooks for hanging coats and hats, and other storage spaces, such as a bench with storage space inside of it.

house hunting tips laundry room

Assessing storage space in the rest of the home

When assessing the available closet and storage space in the rest of the home, decide whether or not the basement and hallways have enough storage room for you and your family. Is there a linen closet or space to store your wine collection?

Does the area underneath the stairs offer any storage possibilities? And don’t forget the garage! For help with maximizing any garage’s storage space, consult the professionals at Garage Living.

House hunting tips that prevent regrets

Following these house hunting tips that help you understand what to look for when assessing the closet and storage space in a potential future home will ensure you don’t have regrets in this department later on.

If you’ve already moved into a new home recently and are looking for ways to increase your storage space and make it more functional, we can help. Schedule a complimentary in-home design consultation to get started.

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5 Thoughtful and Practical Father’s Day Gifts That Will Impress Dad

With Father’s Day soon upon us, what gift are you considering for the special man in your household?

Father’s Day gifts tend to fall a little short when it comes to being imaginative. This year, why not really impress dad by turning to some inspired ideas that are less predictable than Father’s Day gifts like socks ties?

Practical Father’s Day gifts that dad will use every day

You can make dad truly feel special this upcoming Father’s Day by giving him a practical gift he’ll use every day. For some people, “practical” might seem like a code word for “dull” when it comes to a gift. These Father’s Day gifts are anything but, however.

They’ll help make dad’s day run smoother, improve his comfort level, and will enhance the décor in your home. There’s nothing dull about that! Here are five thoughtful Father’s Day gifts that dad will love.

1. A custom entertainment unit

When it comes to Father’s Day gifts to impress dads who love their movies and TV viewing, a custom entertainment unit makes perfect sense.

Our custom entertainment units create the ideal home for storing your flat screen TV and A/V components and cables, while also giving you the choice to add a number of features.

A liquor cabinet and bar, electric fireplace, display shelving, and drawers for accessories are just a few of the custom options available. Also choose from finishes, styles, and colours that can give dad’s entertainment unit a more warm retro look or an aesthetic that’s more contemporary.

Create the ultimate media centre for dad this Father’s Day!

Father’s Day gifts entertainment unit

2. Custom wine cabinetry

If dad’s growing wine collection is running out of storage space or stored on a series of mismatched wine racks, custom wine cabinetry is the solution.

We can design a beautifully crafted wine storage system for dad that nicely accommodates the size of his wine collection while taking into account its future growth.

Whether it’s smaller wine cabinetry for a reach-in closet, a larger wine cellar, or a dedicated wine storage room that can also be used for entertaining, Organized Interiors can design the perfect wine storage solution.

3. Custom bar cabinetry

For dad’s large collection of spirits and liquor, custom bar cabinetry provides a functional and stylish method for storing his bottles and accessories. Because we make all of our custom cabinetry, Organized Interiors can design bar cabinetry to custom-fit your home’s exact space requirements.

From stand-alone bar cabinetry in your living room or basement to a smaller kitchen bar station, our design experts can devise some inspired ideas. There are a number of options available to customize your bar cabinetry, including:

  • choice of finishes and countertops
  • bar stool customization
  • space for a sink
  • mirrors
  • lighting
  • attractive metal mesh doors

4. A more comfortable and modern home office

Is dad’s home office a cluttered mess and long overdue for a decorative makeover? We specialize in designing home office spaces that look fantastic, maximize storage space, and optimize functionality.

If dad works from home, what could be a better gift than making his main workspace much more comfortable and efficient?

Our home office designs allow for a high level of customization that lets you choose from a wide array of finishes and decorative hardware.

You can also choose to include things like a device charging area, bookcases, file drawers, and display areas in the home office’s design.

5. Lower dad’s stress with a custom closet organizer and closet accessories

It’s been proven that clutter causes stress. One of the main reasons clutter accumulates in the bedroom is that a proper closet organization and storage system isn’t being used.

Remedy that problem for dad and make his daily routine easier by using one of our efficient closet organizers. We have three closet systems available that can fit any size of closet space and budget.

Helpful closet accessories and decorative hardware also help dad get better use out of his closet space. Here are just a few of the accessories that he’ll benefit from:

  • pullout shoe rack
  • retractable valet rod
  • Orbita watch winder with custom drawer or glass case storage
  • tie hook that can also hold belts
  • pullout pant rack
  • belt hook
  • sliding belt rack

Father’s Day gifts, pullout racks

These Father’s Day gifts will keep on giving for years to come

Show dad how special he is with Father’s Day gifts that are practical, and stylish, and keep paying dividends for years to come.

And dad will appreciate the fact that some of these Father’s Day gifts add value to your home. They’re also home improvement projects that won’t require him to lift a finger (although you may want to include him in the design process if he has picky tastes).

Schedule your free in-home design consultation to get the ball rolling with your sure-to-be-memorable 2017 Father’s Day gift!

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7 Ways Your Closet Can Help You Maintain a Good Morning Routine

Between waking up, eating breakfast, getting the kids fed and off to school, showering, getting dressed, and getting out the door in time to make it to work, your morning is pretty busy.

By limiting the amount of time you spend looking for specific items, you can establish and maintain a good morning routine that’s efficient.

Look no further than the closet for some ideas that can save you time in the morning.

Upgrade your closet space to help you establish a good morning routine

Having the right closet organizer and closet accessories will contribute to a good morning routine that’s stress-free.

Let’s look at seven ways you can improve your closet space to save you time in the morning and throughout the day.

Good morning routine helper #1: four position hangers

Offering four positions in which to hang your items, this closet accessory is perfect for hanging the outfit you’ll be wearing the next day. A four position hanger barely takes up any space and is stronger than it looks.

You might also consider adding a four position hanger to the side of a cabinet or to your laundry room or mudroom for additional hanging space.

Good morning routine helper #2: retractable valet rods

A retractable valet rod or two added to your closet is a simple, yet effective way to speed up your morning routine. Retractable valet rods take up very little space and can be used for hanging up the outfit you’ll be wearing the following day.

Using a valet rod for your outfits will leave one less worry in the morning and your outfit will stay wrinkle-free, which might not be the case if you were draping the ready-to-wear ensemble over the back of a chair. Valet rods are also ideal for your laundry room.

Good morning routine helper #3: a pullout ironing board

When you do need to give any of your clothing a quick ironing while getting ready in the morning, have a handy pullout ironing board added to a drawer in your closet, dressing room, or laundry room.

It saves space and offers a quick, convenient solution when you’re pressed for time.

good morning routine ironing board

Good morning routine helper #4: drawer dividers

Are your drawers containing your socks, underwear, and other small articles of clothing a complete mess? If so, that will slow you down whenever you’re searching for a particular item.

Keep your drawers organized with helpful drawer dividers. You’ll find it much easier to sort and group your belongings and make sure you’re able to maintain a good morning routine.

Good morning routine helper #5: sliding belt racks

Hold all your belts in one place so you don’t waste your time searching for them in the morning. Attach a low profile sliding belt rack below a high closet shelf, which makes your belts easy to view and access.

In addition to contributing to a good morning routine, this closet accessory also helps your belts maintain their shape.

Good morning routine helper #6: jewellery drawers

Earrings and other smaller jewellery items can be hard to keep track of without an effective organization system in place.

We can add one or more high quality jewellery drawers to your closet space to store your jewellery in compartments with a felt lining to protect your valuables.

good morning routine jewellery drawer

Good morning routine helper #7: custom closet organizers

Saving the best for last, you’ll set yourself up for a successful morning routine by adding a custom closet organizer to your bedroom.

Choose from our SmartLine, Classic, or Custom Cabinetry Collection organizers to significantly boost your ability to keep your closets tidy, thereby ensuring a good morning routine.

More storage and organization solutions to help your day start right

Along with these seven ideas to improve your closet space, Organized Interiors has many more storage and organization solutions to help you maintain a good morning routine.

From bedroom storage solutions like bed surrounds and wardrobes to custom cabinetry solutions for the rest of your home, we can help.

If you’d like to improve the efficiency of your morning routine by adding better organization and storage to your home, book your complimentary in-home design consultation today.

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