"They're plastic boxes about shoe-box sized that can be used for keeping a great deal more than just shoes."

Better?

Here. Think of something like this, only appropriately sized for what you want.
http://www.medways.co.uk/...Path/25_40/products_id/73

The shelf like-ones I was thinking about are kinda like these:
http://www.globalindustri...nfoParam.itemKey=30071447