How do you store your shoes?

If it is true that shoes say a lot about the wearer’s personality, then their care should count for much. While basic shoe storage prevents clutter, misplacement of shoes, good storage goes the extra mile of preventing damage and also adding décor to a home’s interior.
This explains why some people opt for custom-made shoe racks tailored to their preference in terms of size, shape and colour.
When shoes are left at the doorway or thrown behind the door, they can be damaged with tears and smudges.

Shoe rack make
“Before one buys a shoe rack, they ought to keep in mind that some of the shoes have a high heel cap which may not fit on the rack shelf.” Joseph Leo Felix, a store manager at Danube Home says.
Leo says it is advisable to purchase a rack with adjustable shelves that can be rearranged to accommodate all kinds and sizes of shoes.
“Count the number of footwear you have in your family and calculate the shelfing space inside the shoe rack before buying a rack”.
Leo points out the importance of letting footwear ‘breathe’. He says there must be a ventilation hole on the back panel of the shoe rack. If one lives in a dusty area especially near a murrum road, a closed rack is preferable.

Placement
Shoe racks are usually placed next to the entrance inside the house and also just outside the main entrance depending on the house design.
“If a shoe rack matches the rest of the furniture in terms of colour, design and concept, it can be put in the hallway or even in the living room,” Mr Leo adds.

Other uses
Some racks are multi-purpose. They can hold jewelry, bags, hats and clothes. These racks provide room for storing folded clothes or linen, crafting supplies and handbags as well as foot wear.

Price rate
A simple rack made by a local carpenter will cost you Shs200, 000 to 300,000. This usually holds 30 to 40 pairs of shoes. The imported and more exotic ones cost between Shs1.5million to Shs3million.
Mr Emmanuel Israel Wandah, a carpenter at Arnon Pallet Services in Kawempe says, pallet shoe boxes are the cheapest on the market. They are made out of reclaimed pallet wood.
Shoe racks can also be made out of Mohagany, Mugavu and Musambya, old car tyres and black shoe tubes.
The latter provides dust cover and protects shoes from dirt, mold and mildew. The fabric is easy to clean with soft, damp cloth and warm soapy water. Wandah explains that open racks are simple and movable while closed racks have doors and are permanently installed for residential houses.

Shoe rack care
Ms Babara Ssanyu a shoe rack designer advises that the wood from which your rack is made must be treated at the showroom or store you buy it from. This prevents termite infestation.”