5 Common Organizing Products That Make Your Home Look Bad, According to Designers

Interior designers want you to maintain an organized home, but at the same time, they find that some common organizational tools simply aren’t all too aesthetically appealing and should be avoided if designing an elegant space is your end goal.

Here, three professional designers share five often-used organizational items that they would rather not see in people’s homes, while providing suggestions for what types of systems to implement instead. Hint: it might be time to say goodbye to your over-the-door shoe holders and wire shelving units for good.

Over-the-Door Shoe Organizers

Mina Lisanin, the founder of ML Interiors NYC, is averse to over-the-door shoe organizers, especially those of the plastic variety.

“They’re functional, sure, but they instantly make a space feel cluttered and dorm-like,” she says.

When dealing with small apartments, closet doors are often visible from main living areas, she explains, and no one wants to stare at hanging shoes while socializing. In fact, some people don’t even use these holders just for shoes and fill them with craft supplies, hardware tools, and other miscellaneous items (which nobody wants to look at either).

Tiffany Acosta, the founder of Grayscale Homes, feels similarly that over-the-door shoe organizers just aren’t that great.

“In a well-designed home, doors are part of the visual architecture,” she says, noting that over-the-door organizers detract from this role.

The better solution, according to Lisanin, is to opt for a shoe cabinet (the more low-profile, the better) or an under-bed storage bin that can easily be tucked out of sight.

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Clear Stacking Bins

Yes, clear stacking bins are a classic organizational choice for a reason, but Lisanin would prefer not to encounter them outside of a closet.

“Seeing stacks of plastic bins out in the open makes even the most curated room feel like a storage unit,” she says. Acosta agrees. “They scream utility over style,” she says.

If you need to keep your items close by, your best bet is to invest in storage that offers a bit more privacy, such as baskets, fabric bins, or cabinets, Lisanin offers. Elissa Hall, the founder of EDH Interiors, agrees that woven baskets trump plastic bins every time in terms of aesthetics.

Shoe Racks By the Door

Speaking of shoes, skip the shoe racks that sit right by your front door, adds Hall, who says that they “can look unkempt.”

The designer would rather see a shoe rack that offers closed compartments, offering a tidier display. You could also opt for some lidded baskets and tuck everyday shoes in those by the door, making it easy for each family member to quickly access one to two pairs of footwear.

Wire Shelving Units

If you’re going to add more storage to your closet or kitchen, skip the wire shelving altogether, urges Acosta.

“While they offer a quick fix, they instantly downgrade the room,” she says, explaining that the wire material “often feels like a temporary solution that was never replaced.”

Instead, opt for shelving that is made of wood or MDF and looks a bit more finished, or invest in a piece that’s equal parts eye-catching and functional, like a vintage hutch.

Over-the-Toilet Units

Acosta isn’t a fan of over-the-toilet units that are designed to house things like extra toilet paper, everyday toiletries and makeup, towels, and the like.

“More often than not, they do the opposite of elevating a bathroom,” she says. “The proportions are usually awkward, the finishes feel flimsy, and they visually crowd an already tight space.”

She adds that she also finds these types of pieces to look temporary, which isn’t the goal when designing your home.

Your better bet is to go with a floating shelf or even a cabinet elsewhere in the bathroom, the designer shares, noting that these will add elegance to a space while still helping with storage needs.

“Your bathroom deserves better than balancing baskets of toilet paper on a wobbly metal rack,” Acosta says.