Apparently we are just about half-way through summer… where did it go?! When I think about it, we have kept ourselves pretty busy with dance recitals, a trip to Costa Rica, Chloe crowning a new Miss Lone Star State Princess, plus our usual summer camps & activities. Of course, that doesn’t even include all of the time spent in the pool and playing with friends. Of course, I have managed a bit of purging and re-organization here and there. One fixture in our home has worked like a charm since I set it up…
It’s not a secret: I. Love. Shoes. Having 2 preschoolers at home as slowed me down a bit (they need beautiful shoes, too!), but I do still find time to collect and joy gorgeous foot candy. Unfortunately, the architect and builder involved in our home had no understanding for my need for a beautiful spot to store way more shoes than I need. I did give up my dream closet to move into a great school district, but no worries, I found a way to display my shoe collection where I can see it every day and have easy access to both every day and special occasion shoes.
What did I use? An attorney’s bookcase, of course. Story has it, this particular bookcase once belonged to the first female Texas Secretary of State.
The top two shelves are for my babies. You’ve probably seen a few of them in my DIY strassing posts. Those shelves are kept mostly neat and tidy, although I did take a real life photo above so you can see how it actually is on any given day, not just when I’m ready for photography.
I lined each shelf with Christian Louboutin dust bags, because they deserve to be out of the box and on display as well, right?
I don’t pretend to keep the lower shelves in perfect order. The 3rd shelf gets my overflow & less artsy shoes. You know, the “practical” ones. The very bottom shelf is for flats, sand,s wedges, and most of my everyday shoes. All piled together, but still easily accessible for my pre-coffee, morning self. I find it difficult to keep items used every day in perfect order, that’s just not how I work. Here, I can see all of my options and don’t have to worry about putting them away perfectly as I fall into bed after a long day of summer with 2 little kids.
What really makes it a perfect shoe displace case, though, is this Marilyn Monroe quote as one of my first projects when I got my Silhouette Cameo craft cutter. It’s the little details that always make things perfect for me. Also, it’s a great quote before stepping out in work-of-art shoes that do require careful steps and conscious effort to keep looking their best (all while working + taking care of my family & household).
Are you looking at the shoes or the bookcase? Busted!
If you’re looking for a great place to display your shoes (more enjoyment!) and live in a house that isn’t blessed with a shoe-lover’s closet, don’t be afraid to think outside of the box! If you get lucky, you may even find a bookcase with the tall sections for boots. Until I do, my boots are safely in my closet in the space that non-shoe-people can probably keep an entire shoe wardrobe.
If you have a great show storage and/or display solution, upload a photo below!
In the works: tooth fairy pillows,dance cover-ups, & another DIY crystal shoe project!