IKEA
Visiting Germany, I always wondered where my relatives kept their shoes since their entryways were always uber clean. No shoes scattered about or arranged on shelves along the floor. In fact, no shoes anywhere. Ah....but I was wrong. They were hiding.
IKEA offers a clever storage solution for shoes that want to play hide and seek. Before, we could never purchase these in the states, but I guess word broke out that Americans aren't total slobs and also enjoy clutter-free spaces. I checked out IKEA yesterday in the Stoughton, MA store and I have to admit that these storage units were flying out of there to nest little shoes all over.
They had three styles in stock, my two favorites being the SANDES (available in beech or birch veneer, two sizes offered, $129.99) and the TRONES, a 3 pack plastic bin storage system for $39.99 (for budget conscious shoppers). The TRONES holds 6 pairs of shoes and the SANDES holds 12 pairs. SANDES was very sturdy and well made, and I liked how it looked - very sleek. The TRONES was also fine, but not really my style for an entryway, I'd be more inclined to put it in my walk-in closet. SANDES was also slimmer (depth) so it seemed to lay almost flush against the wall. The TRONES was a bit thicker.
Good news for America. No more stinky shoes thrown all over your entry floor. Clutter problem solved. Big high five.
(Photos: BOTTOM: TRONES + SANDES. Photos from IKEA.)
