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10 Uses For Shoe Boxes You Probably Never Thought Of #Organize

Organizing and decluttering your home is the first step to a more organized life, but you don’t want to spend a fortune buying organizational items. This post is the first in a series to help you organize your home by using things you already have. If you find you have a closet full of shoe boxes, and a lot of stuff with no home, it’s time to put those shoe boxes to work! The shoebox project:

10 Ways To Organize Your Home With Shoeboxes

1. Make a little sewing kit– keep thread, a pin cushion with needles, a small pair of scissors, and a thimble neat and accessible by organizing them in a spare shoe box.

sewing items

2. Store electrical devices, plugs, and unused gadgets (label the box with what is inside before storing it away, so you don’t end up buying new gadgets when you can’t find these).

3. Store trial size or mini-bottles of lotions, shampoos, and other toiletries you get at hotels, stores, in the mail, etc in one spot until you use them up.

4. Make an at-home manicure kit– keep your supplies- your nail polish, nail polish remover, nail files, etc- in one easy to carry box that you can take neatly anywhere in the house, to sit, relax, and give yourself a pedicure.

how to do a pedicure at home

5. Use a shoebox to ship items in the mail (and not have to pay for a shipping box)- like those things you no longer need and listed on ebay to make some money off your clutter.

6. Use to carry goodies like brownies or cookies to your children’s bake sale.

7. Make an all-in-one stationery center, where you put pens, envelopes, stamps, thank you cards, your address book, and note paper. Now when you have to send someone a greeting, it’s easy.

8. Use as a cash box when you have a yard sale– those big bucks you make selling your clutter needs to go somewhere, and a store-bought cash box can cost up to $50.

9. Create an home-made first aid kit– put bandaids, antibiotic cream, gauze pads,etc in a shoebox and keep the shoebox in an easy to find place should you ever need it.

help safety first aid kit

10. Use to put an irregularly shaped gift inside to make wrapping the gift easier.




  • Zippy Sandler

    I wish more shoes came in shoeboxes. They are great for SO MANY different things. Thanks for the reminders.

  • Heather

    I need to start saving shoeboxes, that would be step one.

  • Hey Jen

    I use my shoe boxes for a multitude of things similar to that above! I am learning to reuse EVERYTHING. Its kind of fun.

  • Heather

    I have never thought of “recycling” shoe boxes, great ideas, thank you for sharing!

  • Kasandria Reasoner

    The manicure kitis a cute idea! All my stuff is in a box
    Kas

  • I love the ideas, Penelope!

    I’ve been tossing my shoe boxes, but I’ll start keeping a few from now on. I love the idea of making a first aid kit and manicure kit.

  • Kelly

    There are some great ideas here! I sometimes use shoe box for drawer organization as well. A junk drawer doesn’t end up looking so junky when it’s organized.

  • Shop with Me Mama (Kim)

    Great ideas, thanks!

  • I love this post!!!! Thanks for it! I use shoe boxes for craft fun with the kids usually 😉

  • {Not Quite} Susie Homemaker

    I’ve done number 7 but I’m going to have to try the rest! At least now I have an excuse to buy more shoes. 😉

  • Larissa @ Trendy Mamas

    Thanks for sharing these ideas!

  • Annie @ Mama Dweeb

    I need to buy more shoes now, now i have an excuse! LOL 🙂

    Seriously though, wonderful tips! I especially like the all in one stationary center. I am so bad at writing thank you notes, mostly because I can never find my stationary. This would be a huge help.