When I first moved in with my boyfriend we had a tiny little 500 Sq Ft condo. It was a one bed, one bath with a tiny little galley kitchen. There were 3 closets, one of them housed the stacking washer/dryer. So when it came to storage I had to get creative. The best space saving solution I found was the hanging shoe organizer; I love this solution because it does not cost much or take up any space. Despite the name I never used one to organize my shoes, instead I found some unconventional ways to make use of all those handy pockets.

12 creative ways to use a hanging shoe organizer for everything but your shoes:

1) Cleaning supplies – spray bottles, gloves and dusters fit perfectly into the pockets.

2) Wrapping paper – cut out the bottoms of the 2nd and 3rd pockets up from the bottom. This leaves pockets up top for tape, scissors, ribbons and tags.

3) Small toys and craft supplies are kept tidy and out of the way.

4) Use as a planter outside for small flowers or as an herb garden. They hang easily on a fence or shed wall.

5) Keep your water bottles and travel mugs organized. You can cut the organizer in half to make it fit on the inside of a cupboard door.

6) Use it in your pantry to coral all the small items like spices and taco seasoning packets.

7) Save drawer space by storing your toiletries like brushes and hair spray on the back of your bathroom door. Cut one down to fit on the cupboard door under the sink.

8) Store socks, ties and belts on the back of your closet door. Use a clear plastic organiser so that you can see what is in each pocket.

9) Hang one in the garage for small tools, spray paint, golf balls and tees.

10) Keep game controllers and extra cables tidy in a closet or cupboard.

11) The pockets are the perfect size to store balls of yarn for all your knitting.

12) Organize hats, gloves and scarves in the mudroom or by the front door for easy access in the winter.

Don’t forget to label the pockets so that you know where everything goes!