Hallway and Shoe Storage

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Hallway and Shoe Storage

Working out what you need, types of storage, odour and fixing furniture safely

Halls are the smallest and busiest part of most homes, and storage there works only if it matches what actually accumulates.

Start with what is there

Count the shoes actually in use, the coats worn this season and the bags, keys and post that land by the door. Store this season's items in the hall and everything else elsewhere, which halves the problem immediately.

Shoe storage types

Open racks let shoes dry and air, which matters more than it sounds. Closed cabinets look tidier and trap moisture, so look for ventilation holes.

Tilting shoe cabinets are shallow and suit narrow halls, and they do not take boots. Benches with storage underneath give somewhere to sit and put shoes on, which is the single most useful piece in a hall.

Odour

Shoes smell because they never dry. Rotate pairs so each has a day off, air them before putting them away, and keep a cabinet ventilated.

Bicarbonate of soda or charcoal absorbers work; fragrance only covers.

Coats and bags

Hooks at two heights so children can reach their own, which is what stops coats on the floor. Fewer hooks than you think, since a hall of twenty hooks fills with twenty coats.

Fixing it safely

Anchor tall and narrow units to the wall with the bracket supplied, using fixings suited to the wall type rather than the ones in the box. Toppling furniture causes serious injuries every year, usually when a drawer is opened and climbed.

Small flats

Vertical space is almost always underused. Over-door racks, wall hooks and shelving above the door line hold a surprising amount in a narrow hall.

Mirrors make a hall feel wider and let you check yourself on the way out, which is what most people want from a hall anyway.

Assembly

Check every part against the list before starting, leave fixings slightly loose until the unit is square, and never skip the thin back panel, which is what stops a unit racking.

Keeping it tidy

A hall stays tidy when everything has an obvious home within reach of the door. A basket for hats and gloves, a bowl for keys and a place for post dealt with weekly covers most of it.

Deal with post as it arrives rather than building a pile, which is where paperwork problems start.

Buying

Measure the space, check the depth against the walkway and confirm doors still open fully. Check the load rating of shelves if you will store anything heavy.

Look for adjustable feet, since almost no hall floor is level.

Measuring

Check the depth against the walkway, since anything over about thirty-five centimetres deep narrows a hall noticeably. Check doors still open fully.

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