Once the use of the shelves and shelving was ingrained into the primitive humans, they began to create shelves in the caves. This started out as simply leveling off the natural outcroppings and then eventually developed into chipping out small cubbies in the cave walls. These rough shelves were still a single shelf and relatively small. They did require an exceptional amount of work to create. It is thought that the creation of the shelves served two purposes. The first purpose was not the shelf but rather to gather rock components for the various tools that the humans would use. The second purpose was the shelf.

While the humans were nomadic the progress of the evolution of shelves and shelving was limited. It is simply too hard to move the shelves quickly and easily. As the humans began to settle, the shelves began to evolve with them. The next shelves were again a single shelf, but they were created out of wood instead of rock. These shelves were used to hold more personal objects and religious pieces. These shelves were a mixture of functional shelves and alters that could be used in personal religious ceremonies.

Then next evolution in shelves and shelving was the creation of the additional shelf. It was eventually realized that the shelves could be stacked and created so that there is more than one shelf on the shelving unit. This created more storage areas for the people and the number of possessions that they were able to have increased. This also opened up their homes for more work and progress. This helped to create a more comfortable living arrangement. These shelves were still fairly rough and simple though.

As the humans evolved, so too did their furniture including the shelves and shelving. The renascence is Europe saw shelves that were as tall as the person is high and shelves with doors. These shelves were beautifully constructed and varnished. These shelves better protected the materials on them including books and paper products. It was not unusual to find only personal effects on the shelves rather than the religious effects that were placed on the shelves before them. There were many shelves still dedicated to religious artifacts and relics still. This does not change in human history as religion is still a vital part of life for some people.

The shelves continue to advance as the hanging equipment continues to evolve. Once nails became readily available shelves and shelving units that could be hung on the walls became popular. In addition shelves with hooks to hang things from also became frequent additions to a home. This helped to further organize the home and eventually made the coat tree obsolete.

The shelf is still evolving. The current trends for shelves and shelving is the creation of light weight shelving units that are also very strong. These shelves can be hung on walls or placed on the ground, holding the personal effects of the person. They can be created in smaller square patterns and used to hold baskets or cubes that hide and protect the belongings of the individual. Colored plastic shelves and shelving is also very popular as a cheap and efficient means for holding belongings. The use of wheels on the shelves and shelving help make them mobile and functional at the same time.

Mirrored glass tiered shelves are great because they allow the entire item to be seen. These shelves are created out of mirrors and may even use mirrors along the sides and the back of the shelves. If the shelf is surrounded by mirrors, this will create the effect that the shelving unit is bigger than it actually is. This will also create the ability to see the entire item that is on the shelf from a single vantage point. These shelves are ideal for corners and deeper shelves.

The most traditional tiered shelf is the simple and strait tiered shelf. These tiered shelves can be made out of wood or metal and have shelves that are exactly the same size as the ones above and below them. These shelves are self supporting and do not require any additional support to stay upright. These traditional tiered shelves are great for storing small items on them. These shelves can hold phones, phone books as well as anything else that a person wants to store on the shelves.


Traditional self supporting tiered shelves are nice, but tiered shelves are great because they do not take any floor space. These shelves mount to a wall and can be customized to match the needs of the individual. In most cases, the shelves can be increased or decreased in distance as person needs. This is done by changing the position of the shelves on the locking mechanism that is attached to the wall. Most of these wall tiered shelves are typically made of metal, although plastic and wood are also frequently seen.

Leaning tiered shelves are not a traditional shelving unit style. These shelves have descending shelf sizes that decrease from the bottom to the top. The bottom shelf is typically supported by three or four legs, but shelves above that shelf are most commonly supported by two rails that extend from the top of the first shelf. The shelf is not self supporting and must be set against a wall or other stable object in order for the shelf to remain upright.

Another non-traditional set of tiered shelves is the descending size tiered shelves that are self supporting. These shelves decrease in size as they go from the bottom upward. These shelves can be formed in a number of different ways, but they typically appear to be different shelves or tables stacked on top of each other. This provides the tiered shelves with the appearance of being a step pyramid. Some of these pyramid tiered shelves do have supporting beams that do form a true pyramid shape. This is very common in the modern style home.