Mudroom-less in Seattle

Contrary to popular belief, it doesn't rain constantly in Seattle.  Today, it is actually gorgeous -- bright sun with warm (for February) temperatures.  My little lady and I spent much of our afternoon drawing with sidewalk chalk in our backyard.  It has been lovely.

One adjective I would use to describe Seattle fall/winter/spring weather?  Damp.  It doesn't always rain, but there are tons of days where that cloud cover never really goes away, and the ground stays dewy and muddy all day long.  And, since we don't wear shoes in our house (for obvious reasons), we needed a good storage solution for our shoes that would work in spite of our lack of a mudroom.

Enter this lovely built in shoe shelf in our garage.  It.is.perfect.  The size and scale work well with our shoes, the location is convenient, and the surfaces are easy to wipe down.

 My daughter's feet are still quite tiny, so I get an extra shelf or two to house my shoe collection.  As she grows, I will need to find another spot for some of my boots.

 It is important to keep depth in mind when choosing a shelving unit.  My husband wears a size 12, so we needed enough depth to keep his shoes from falling out or overhanging the edge of the shelf too much.  Our built-in is about 12.5" deep, so his shoes each overhang buy about a half inch.  

My tiny size 5.5 shoes fit almost anywhere, but we did need to keep in mind the height of my taller shoes to make sure everything would fit.  We installed adjustable shelving, so we can move things around as needed.

Our family was able to add this built-in shelving to our garage layout when we decided to hang sheet rock a few years ago, and I know the idea of doing a built-in (especially when you are not already knee-deep in renovation dust) isn't always appealing.  So, I have found a few awesome shelving ideas that will fit the bill, without a hefty construction bill.

1.) BILLY bookcase from Ikea

This is a great option for those with smaller feet.  Adjustable shelves are always a plus, but with a depth of 11", it won't work as well for larger shoe sizes.

2.) BESTA shelf unit from Ikea:

I love the idea of this unit with a cute cushion on top to serve as a place to put on/take off shoes.

3.)  KALLAX shelving unit from Ikea:

This is a great piece for those interested in storing a few types of things together.  Need a place to keep keys?  Backpacks?  Dog walking gear?  Use a few shelves for shoes and buy some baskets to hold the other stuff.  It will still be convenient to access, but tucked away for a tidy look.

4.) Room Essentials 5 Shelf Bookcase from Target:

This piece has great potential for small spaces and kid storage solutions.  With a narrow depth of only 9.5", it won't accommodate most adult shoes.  However, it could be a great catch all space for kids.  Leave the bottom shelves out and add a big basket for umbrellas.  Add hooks to the back for rain coats and backpacks.  Shoes can go on higher shelves, and all that mess will never make it into your house!

 I love storage solutions that make life easier!  What would you love to tackle in your home?