Furniture Ideas for Backpacks & Shoes

The right furniture or storage system can keep backpacks and shoes from cluttering your home. Furniture designed for keeping mud rooms and entryways neat create spaces for backpacks, shoes and boots. Choosing the furniture to hold these items involves assessing the available space — and the volume of items you need to accommodate. Basing your furniture choice on the size and weight of the backpacks and shoes will help you create order with a durable storage option.

Hall tree (optional)
Shoe bench (optional)
Storage cubes (optional)
Shelf unit with strong hooks (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Make a list of the backpacks, shoes and boots you want to accommodate. Weigh the heaviest backpack, such one of the kids' packs full of books. Measure the dimensions of the largest items, including a full backpack, the tallest boots and the heel to toe length of the largest footwear. This will help you find furniture to fit these items.
- 2
  Measure the height, width and depth of the available space for storing the backpacks and shoes. For example, if you want a system to fit below an entryway mirror, measure from the floor to the bottom of the mirror. Subtract 2 to 6 inches from this measurement to allow a space between the storage system and the mirror to keep it from looking crowded.
- 3
  Calculate the maximum depth of the storage furniture by allowing 36 inches clearance for a walkway. Extend the measuring tape 36 inches and center it in front of the door. Measure from the end of the tape measure to the wall on the side of the door where you want the furniture. This measurement is the maximum depth for the furniture to allow comfortable clearance. Open the door and make sure the furniture positions won't interfere with the door swing.
- 4
  Check the dimensions of storage furniture to choose the system that fits the backpacks and shoes — and your available space. Center a sturdy hall tree in the entryway or other available area — use one with storage space on the bottom to hold shoes and backbacks for one or two people.
- 5
  
  Cube storage systems come in decorative materials.
  
  Put a shoe storage bench against the wall. This piece of furniture holds multiple pairs of shoes and provides a convenient seat for taking shoes on and off. Mount a storage shelf unit that comes with a row of hooks centered above the bench. Check the level the shortest backpack user can reach and mark the wall in pencil at that point. Install the unit so the hooks are in reach of the shortest person. Alternatively, stack strong cubes on one or both ends of the bench. This creates an inexpensive system to fit kids' backpacks, and using tall cubbies on the bottom of each stack creates a space for boots.

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