Shoe Organization

Intro: Shoe Organization

This is a very easy, beginner level, organization solution for entryways and limited-space mudrooms to help keep shoes out of the walking area.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

3 - 1"x3"x2' Poplar Boards

18 - Shaker Pegs (7/8")

Palm Sander (or Sandpaper), anywhere from 80 - 120 grit

Wood Glue

Drill

1/2" drill bit or spade bit

Rubber Mallet

Paint or Stain

Some additional mounting materials

STEP 1: Measure for Holes

I needed exactly 2' boards for my space, but if your space is wider or narrower, you can buy longer boards or cut the 2' boards shorter. Regardless, you should use 1"x3" poplar. Draw a line down the center of the board horizontally. For a 2' board, make vertical marks at 2", 6", 10", 14" 18", and 22". If you use a different size board, make sure your vertical marks are 4" apart.

STEP 2: Drill Holes

Where the lines intersect, drill holes with the 1/2" bit. It is wise to clamp down the board to avoid spin. Clamping them between two saw horses makes it very easy to drill through. It is okay to drill all the way through the boards since you will be using wood glue. If you wish to screw in the pegs from the back (which is not necessary), you will need to leave some of the board to catch the screw.

STEP 3: Sand the Boards

Drill bits have a tendency to exit wood a little messier than the way they enter. The backside of the boards may have some flaking wood than can easily be sanded off. It is okay if the backside is not pristine, it will not be seen. The front side of the board should be sanded to remove any pencil marks and give a nice uniform facade to the piece.

STEP 4: Glue in Pegs

Apply a good amount of wood glue to the base of the pegs and insert them into the holes you just drilled. They do not need to be pushed all the way in. A nice "trick" is to smooth the glue out with you finger and use the remaining glue from your finger on the next peg. Once all the pegs are in, place the board on a flat, solid surface and lightly tap the pegs with the rubber mallet until they are flush with the facade of the board. There may be a little glue squeezing out. Simply wipe up the excess with some paper towel. Let the glue dry at least 20 minutes (but it will depend on which brand you use).

STEP 5: Paint or Stain

Based on the location you will be using, paint the board to match. Spray paint works well, but any normal brush paint will do fine. If you are going to stain, use a rag or paper towel, do not use a brush. Allow at least one hour for paint to dry, but every paint is different.

STEP 6: Mount

Here you can see the before picture. Refer to the intro or the next step to see the after picture. I mounted into a plaster wall, so I used special screws called Toggle Bolts that have a butterfly-style wall anchor incorporated. If you're installing onto drywall, the best method is to drill directly into studs with drywall screws (or even deck screws). If no studs are available, or they're in bad locations, using wall anchors is a good solution. When choosing screws, be sure to select a size long enough to hold the width of the board and the drywall and still grab a substantial amount of the stud. If you're not sure, 2-1/2" is usually a good bet. I have size 10 shoes, you may need to make the vertical space between your boards larger based on the largest shoe you will be hanging. Mine are spaced out 13" center to center.

STEP 7: Clean Up and Hang Shoes

You may need to vacuum up wall dust, and of course you need to the hang the shoes up, but otherwise, that's all there is to it. Enjoy!

Comments

[salmansheikh]

How long are the shaker pegs?

[jmagic915]

There is a standard size. As long as you use all the same you should be fine. The ones I used were 4”.

[salmansheikh]

I bought 3 packs of them off amazon. Need this badly, shoes always left near the garage door entrance and always tripping on my way in..

[salmansheikh]

I was thinking I need to get or make some of those shoe holders that they use for polishing shoes but this is an awesome idea..I need to go to HD to get some shaker pegs.

[violetsmuse]

Bravo! An excellent way to use vertical storage and your directions are very easy to follow. Thank you for this tutorial, your'e a genius!

[Swansong]

This is a great solution! I did the same thing with my purses in the closet. :)