In the ten years I’ve lived in this region of the Bay Area, the Fall has always been beautiful. But Fall 2023 was absolutely breathtaking! The colors were insanely deep and vibrant … and continued week after week. It started early and seemed to never end. The type of color that nearly makes you drive off the road because you’re mesmerized.

The last two winters, we have had a tremendous amount of rain. Our rainy season of 2023 was off the charts so it got me wondering if our Fall colors had something to do with the record rainfall. ??

Why am I talking about the Fall colors? When this blog post is about a shoe wall? Because this is the photo I snapped in November 2023 on my way to install and organize it…

The color stopped me in my tracks. Literally stopped in the middle of the street to open my car door and take this photo.

The neighborhood was bursting with color, at every turn. Seriously did not want this season to end because the color was that surreal. Yes, in California. By the way, I made two Fall trips to Arkansas in 2023 and their color was sad compared to ours.

I love Fall so much! Already counting down the days until we’re in the season again.

Oh, also photographed on my way inside to this project?…My toolbox and the random items you may find in it on any given day…

Tools. Drills. Box cutter. Chargers. Level. Aaaaaannnddd….a tripod, turkey sandwich, quest bar, gum and lip gloss.

You know. Normal stuff you’d find in tool box.

(By the way, I am SO missing sandwiches, bread and quest bars. On a new fitness / nutrition program and it does not include these items. I’ll share more about that soon but my diet has completely changed since the Fall.)

Alright, let’s talk organizing!

SHOE WALL BEFORE

This mom is an empty nester and grandma. She and her husband have a very interesting closet. It’s long, narrow and there’s an angled wall on one side that makes it a bit challenging to design. It’s part of the roofline so they are working with what they have. We did add some drawer units, which I will share another time. But for now, we’re focusing on this corner of the closet that previously looked like this…

This little shelf set-up was holding accessories, jewelry and overflow beauty items (the bathroom is nearby). But as you can see it was not working well for her. The piece was completely full and dwarfed in this otherwise sizable corner of the closet. The wall wasn’t being used to its max potential. She has a lot of shoes and as soon as I saw this corner I knew we could create the shoe wall of her dreams.

Before I share her shoes and the after, I want to mention she works with a shoe brand. She’s an ambassador of their brand and is frequently sent shoes to showcase on her social media or sell from her home. So, you’ll see a good amount of shoes but keep in mind she wears the brand to promote, etc…it’s a part of her business. (I’m saying – no judgement please)

Since it was Fall while installing and organizing this corner, I wanted to showcase her beautiful boot and bootie collection…while keeping her summer shoes up a bit higher until that season came around.

SHOE WALL AFTER

Elfa Decor shelves come in fixed lengths that cannot be cut. I knew a 1″ thick shelf would look so pretty in this corner, as opposed to metal with fascia. I created a simple design that allowed us to make room on the floor for her taller boots, while giving us loads of space for everything else above. Take a look at this corner now!

Whenever able, I love making your spaces more of a showpiece or something that feels like a boutique. On her wall I added some of her beautiful clutches. These were previously crammed into corners of the closet and thought they would look pretty styled within.

We had the best time working in this tight corner of the closet.

Guys, I have a video of the install, organizing and styling in process! Check this out…

This song! *melts* I love taking your blank canvas and transforming it into something you fall in love with. One of my biggest missions is to play a small part in you falling back in love with your homes and spaces.

( Elfa Decor Shelves )

Elfa Decor is a beautiful option if you are considering a new closet or even have a smaller defined corner like this you’d like to make better use of.

Don’t forget – I am available to help you design from a distance! I’m not a Container Store employee. Instead I’m a professional organizer who has installed this system for yearssssss and I see your spaces differently. So, let me know how I can help!

Speaking of the weather, we are having the most spectacular sunny days right now – a welcome change from all the rain, as much as I love the rain! Today we completed a new garage project with Garage+ from The Container Store. Our first time installing it and can not wait to share this one with you!

Hope you are having a great start to the week guys!

xo,

Sam