9 January 2011

Inside the closet of a shoe obsessive...

I had a bit of a eureka moment today. Whilst having a pre-spring, spring clean, I had a wee rearrangement of my shoes. Normally, for me, a big spring clean involves a lot of fannying about making tea and looking at old cards and pictures I come across. However, today I managed to scrub the bathroom top to toe and GUT my clothes, shoes and make up which is pretty good going for me. Still a way to go with the whole place, but it's a start.

The reason I cracked on with the shoes was not because I want rid of any of them right now, more because the collection was starting to burst forth from the "shoe closet" TM. All my shoes were stacked in boxes of varying sizes and on a rack along the back of the closet (which they happily share with the boiler and the laundry basket) and there was just room for nothing else to be squeezed in! Plus, it was a job to get some of the out too. Angles. Anyway, for some reason, inspiration struck and it occurred to me that I could move the shoes to the side walls, creating a mini stockroom aisle if you will. Duh! And bingo bango, bish, bash, bosh, I now have room for about 20 new pairs! I wonder if this is my first step in acting aspirationally - like when they tell you in magazines to dress for the job you really want. I've prepared the "shoe closet" for the shoe collection I really want! Come to mama, little shoesies!

Here's how it looks now:


LOOK how much space there is to pile the boxes on!


I love these neat see through storage boxes. They open at the end so you can stack them as high as you like and easily access any of the shoes - yay! And, they're so much more space saving than a shoe rack. Important to a shoe hoarding sista like myself. Before I got them, I had stacks of busted old boxes with ripped ends where I'd tried to break the shoes free and snapped the lid in the process. What do you mean, if I was the sort of girl who got up early and/or planned her outfits, I might not having been rushing about like a headless chicken needing shoes in a hurry and I might never have had this issue? Huh, in your face early risers and prepared people - these boxes completely indulge my haphazard and last minute little self. Now, I can't remember where I got mine from - I just remember that the first set I ordered got lost in the post and the company were awful and I ended up ordering them elsewhere! However, if you're after some, just Google 'plastic shoe boxes' and there are a few places selling them - you can bag 'em on eBay too. Here are my favoured style with the front access - plus they lock into each other so that they stay neatly stacked and don't slide.


 Schuh, Irregular Choice, Office, Clarks Originals, Converse, Miss Selfridge, Topshop, Nike 6.0, Red or Dead, Bronx, random no brand shoes from eBay, H&M, Dr Martens, Senso, Enzo Angiolini (nope, never heard of him either), Birkenstock, Havaianas, Primark, Matalan - there's all sorts going on in there!


My fantasy would be to fill the newly created space with Christian Louboutin, Nicholas Kirkwood, Charlotte Olympia, YSL and Miu-miu. And maybe some Chanel and a classic pair of Church brogues. That's not to say, if you're about to chuck some gorgeous designer heels in a 7 or 8, you shouldn't chuck them my way if they're not from one of those brands. Just saying...

11 comments:

Unknown said...

Oooh, I am SO getting some of those! Mine are a mess on the floor! XX!

Vix said...

Lost for freaking words! I've NEVER seen so many shoes and so well organised, too. xxx

Bump to Baby: A Diary & corsets, crafts and cupcakes said...

wow, great storage system! all my shoes (and I have at least 80 pairs, no joke) are just thrown *shudders* in mahoosive toy boxes, which is simply criminal, so I think I NEED theose clear shoe boxes in my life :)

Great post!

Btw, thanks for commenting & following my lil' blog :)

char said...

i love seeing how / where other 'shoe freaks' store their collections..mine is in danger of taking over my entire flat if i don't get some of those storage boxes and sharpish! :)

Penny Dreadful Vintage said...

Ooh, I am a size 7-8 too... perhaps we could share those Louboutins you are after ;)

Pink Haired Princess said...

I love shoe closet posts! Everyone is always yelling at me because I don't do enough of them on my blog. It's just that the shoes are taking over my entire room and although they are all neat in their boxes, they are evrywhere and don't photograph well stuck down the side of the wardrobe or on top! I actually dream of having a room purely to stack my shoe boxes in.

I converted one of my wardrobes into an Irregular Choice shoe closet a couple of years back which really freed up room and seemed inspirational at the time until my dress obsession spewed out of my other wardrobe and my shoe collection grew so much it was piled in front of the new shoe closet! There's no hope for me until I get that shoe room! : (

Andreea said...

I wish i had a shoe closet as big as yours!<3

♥ kisses ♥

http://thrilloftheheel.blogspot.com/

Law1sfab said...

wow I LOVE how mega tidy they all are mine are everywhere and it must be easy to get to your favourite pair every time, you so have to do a huge photo of them I love looking at shoe collections I am a total shoe addict too.Oh BTW I am an ex lushy too, I worked for them for 4 yrs :) thank you for the advice anyway (we never lose the gift haha) when I shop for my lush stuff I always end up talking to other customers haha where did you work? xxxx

Temporary:Secretary said...

Love this post! Now i want a shoe closet! But i also wish I had as many shoes - might treat myself to a new pair on my lunch break! x

LadyBugSays ... said...

OMG Shoe heaven! Mine are currently shoved into various wicker boxes, probably getting damaged. Oh the shoe shame! I must get organised! And convince the Mr I have a need for a shoe room!

Anonymous said...

Oh god, I'm inspired. Most of mine are in some horrid shoe holder thing in my bf's side of the wardrobe (I've kind of been forced to take it over though) and the rest are jumbled into various piles on the floor of my wardrobe. I'm now vowing to sort them out before the end of Jan!!! I'll keep you posted on my progress/failure!!

xx