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:
- Coat closet makeover plans and ideas
- Pantry closet refresh
- How to organize a small closet
- How to make drawers
Materials
- 4x8x8' plywood
- 1 ¼" Pocket hole screws
- Wood glue
- Paint
- Stain
- Brad nails
Tools
- Miter saw or any saw for straight cuts
- right angle clamp
- Kreg jig
- Drill
- Brad nailer
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.
Adding shoe cubbies to the closet made such a huge difference! Check out here the final result of our coat closet makeover.
If you'd rather watch me doing a makeover then you can visit my YouTube and watch the whole process.
xoxo,
April
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