breathable plastic shoe boxes

Some call it obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, I call it small space control measure. Last week I threw away all the shoe boxes that are stacked inside a cabinet in our kitchen. You see we live in a rather tight space. We don't have kids yet so it's okay but keeping our stuff from swallowing us is a big challenge, hence, I try to look for ways to help me organize whatever little shelf space we have. I have been dreaming about having standard sized transparent shoe boxes for quite some time. I saw a 14-pc pack at S&R during the sale last September but the plastic shoe boxes did not have holes nor slits, which was a concern as I want the shoes to breathe, plus at 1,200 pesos (on sale) per pack, I could have spent around 3,600 pesos if I bought them, a bit steep. Good thing I resisted the urge and decided to wait. Last Saturday, I was chatting with a friend and our conversation led to the discussion on shoe boxes. Oh! Now I remember how it started, I saw those non-woven shoe boxes being sold on Facebook and I showed it to her. As a reply, she suggested that I take a look at the shoe boxes she saw at SM. She was sure that they breathe but she couldn't tell me how. I dragged hubby that evening to SM and boy! was F right; I have found my breathable shoe boxes! They have slits on either side which keeps the pairs ventilated.

And this type of shoe box was on discount. They used to be 69 pesos but they had a promo pack of three which sold for 159.95 pesos. I got 13 packs and was able to replace the store shoe boxes stacked inside a kitchen cabinet, which I sequestered and declared "for shoes only." I know, some might say gross! What? shoes in the kitchen? I know, I apologize, but I have got to improvise in our rathole. Good thing my hubby is a stickler for cleanliness, bugs and mickeys aren't members of our household. That's why I can get away storing shoes in a kitchen cabinet.

We do have a shoe cabinet but not enough. This floor to ceiling shallow shoe cabinet is one of the earlier improvements in our humble abode. As you can see, we have to really maximize space. We wanted the cabinet to almost blend in the wall. It turned out well as it also hid our circuit breaker, aside from providing us extra storage space.

Good thing I did not buy shoe boxes for the shoes inside this cabinet. They wouldn't have fit. The shelf is too shallow for the width of the breathable plastics. I wish they have different sizes for these shoe boxes. I would have gotten the smaller box since I really don't have big feet.

So the four shoe boxes you see above are the only remaining paper shoe boxes left. I still have another project related to these breathable plastic boxes but even before I complete that, I am now happy camper.