transforming the under stairs cupboard will it work?

[Mercedes]

Our hall has finally got to me. I seem to tidy up shoes and bags every other day. I keep seeing pictures of turning the under the stairs space into pull out cupboards where we could store our shoes like this;

We do have a cupboard there but it's too big and the space at the back is wasted. I like the idea of the pullout as it appears to make better use of all the space but is this true? Does anybody have any experience of these up boards and do they deliver?

www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=5yVM3j8phYcQVM&tbnid=56or1N9BspqgpM:&ved=0CAUQjhw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nobswall.com%2Fstorage-under-stair-ideas%2Funder-stair-storage-wood-cabinet-cupboard-also-a-space-under-stairs%2F&ei=fQgxVLKuHMfdatiLgsgJ&bvm=bv.76802529,d.d2s&psig=AFQjCNGHFK5e_BP1a_0hY9zsLh7wR3XDFQ&ust=1412586100257466

sorry that wasn't a good image. more like this
www.avarfurniture.co.uk/understairs-storage

I don't have them but have seen them on pinterest. I'll watch as would like to know how much something like this costs.

Thanks for posting the link. I've seen this on Pinterest but didn't know about this company. We're redoing our hall bit by bit. We're getting new hard flooring instead of carpet so next step would be pull-out drawers. I think if they were sturdy enough and not overloaded they'd work well.

Even making the understairs space more accessible from the hall, instead of through one full height door at the tall end can make a huge difference.

Some friends have put a downstairs loo in (it is only small) and in the section near the foot of the stairs have had a cupboard opened up behind the loo (there is a stud wall separating them) with a door from the hall. This has shoe racks in it.

You could go for door opening outwards into hall with u shaped walk in cupboard immediately in front of you with lots of shelving and then one of two cupboards in the remaining space, doors opening out into hall and really organise what you keep where.

We've just put some Ikea kallax (used to be expedit) units in under ours. It's not quite finished yet, but it is a hell of a lot easier to keep the hall tidy! We have a 2x2 and a 1x4, which leaves just enough of a triangluar gap for the pushchair to sit on the top. When DD2 is older and we no longer need a pushchair cubby, I will store the vacuum there as I probably won't need to keep it out, as again, DD2 will be older. We have boxes in half the squares for shoes, and empty cubbies for handbags / rucksacks etc.

Kitchen larder cupboards from ikea in the 'square' bit (if you have one) then the Kallax (you can get doors for them so they become 'locker' like) or trofast as the area lowers??

Or fasten some chunky castors to a long, shelved bench (or shoe rack) so you can pull it out to access

Pax wardrobe carcass inside with pull out shelves or their shoe rack shelf
(Can you tell I like ikea!)

We have pullout cupboards - the smallest is on drawer runners, then 2 on castors (we needed access to the meters at the back and the last one is a door which gives us access to a fridge (but will be our coat/shoe cupboard when we get round to it). We've had them 9 years and my FIL made them so I can't comment on the manufacturer you've linked to but for us, they have been a fantastic use of space as previously it was just a dumping ground. The small pullout is a large drawer and we use it to store potatoes, onions etc but it would also be ideal for wellies. The two larger pullouts are divided in the middle and each side has shelves - we store lunchboxes, flasks, small toolbox etc... If you could slope the shelves so each shelf was slightly larger then I think it would be great shoe storage.

A carpenter could make the cupboards for you which might be cheaper than the manufacturer.

We have a four drawer filing cabinet in part of our under stairs space, and use it for winter gear, summer gear, school bags etc. it's very good - sprayed to match the colour of the woodwork. The cheap version of bespoke pull out drawers!