How to make shoe cubbies

I recently started a makeover of our entryway coat closet. It was so dysfunctional that I knew I could change it for the better. To contain the shoe mess I wanted to make build-in shoe cubbies. And today I'll show you how to make shoe cubbies.

At first, the plan was to make build-ins but since I'd like it to be as flexible as possible, I decided to make them free-standing and do not attach to the walls. And I'm pretty happy with the result since I can move them around and change up a bit of functionality.

The overall dimensions for the tall cubby are 24 ½" long x 25 ¼" tall x 12" deep and the short one 12" deep x 24 ½" long x 16 ¼" tall.

You can get printable plans for the DIY shoe cubbies here and adjust them to fit your space.

Related:

Materials

4x8x8' plywood
1 ¼" Pocket hole screws
Wood glue
Paint
Stain
Brad nails

Tools

Instructions

Step 1 - cut the plywood

Cut plywood for the shelves. Since the width of the shelves is 12", I asked to precut the plywood sheet into 4 at Home Depot. That saved me time and a clean-up after the table saw at home.

You can get all dimensions that I used for my closet here and adjust them for your space.

Step 2 - assemble boxes

Using Kreg jig make pocket holes where it's needed and use pocket hole screws, attach sides and the bottom. I also used wood glue for the assembly. Make sure to always check for square so the structure is at a perfect 90-degree angle.

PIN IT TO MAKE LATER

Step 3 - attach shelves

To attach shelves I also used a Kreg jig. I made a pocket hole on the top but if you'd like it to not be visible then you should attach the shelves from the bottom. You might need a special drill bit to get into a narrow space.

Since shoes will be covering shelves anyway, I couldn't be bothered haha.

I left 10" clearance on the bottom for the tall boots (that's the tallest that I have) and 6" and 5 ½" for the top shelves. This way it gives more variety for different shoe sizes.

Step 4 - attach the top

I used brad nails to attach the top since it's not a structural board and it doesn't have to be properly secured with screws.

To finish it off, I added a board that I stained with Early American wood stain by Minwax.

This is how to make shoe cubbies! It's that easy but has a huge impact on the space.

For the short cubby that we'll be using for kids shoes, I added also dividers on the bottom shelf. This way kids shoes won't get tangled and every pair has a place to stay.

Here are the dimensions for the lower cubby.