Gumboot Trays { Nice & Organised }

There are few things that can make us moms despise winter quite like muddy tracks and footprints across a newly polished kitchen or living room floor. Gumboots might seem like the ideal solution to the problem – after all, they’re perfect for trudging around the garden and are easy for kids to slip on and off at the door. However, they can be just as unsightly when piled in a muddy heap in the corner of the entrance hall. So check out these nifty gumboot and shoe tray ideas to keep your floors clean and the house organised:

• Put an old serving tray to good use or reuse a forgotten water tray (that generally goes underneath long rectangular planter pots).
• Varnish an old wooden crate or have the kids paint and decorate a recycled milk crate.
• Place stones in the bottom of the tray so the boots will stay elevated above any moisture that might gather in the base.
• Ask hubby to nail together a makeshift wooden frame and simply place an old piece of carpet or rubber car mat inside.
• Line the tray with pot pouri or fragranced stones to cover the shoe odours that might be hanging around the tray.
• Alternatively, line the tray with glass pebbles or painted stones that match the colour scheme of the room.
• Instead of one big tray, have individual trays for each of the family members. This is especially ideal if your family is known for changing shoes – a lot!
• Keep a bucket close on hand, containing all the goodies one might need to shine and polish boots and shoes.

Original images and their credits available on Pinterest