Piles and piles of shoes (affiliate) can be hazardous. The more shoes (affiliate), the more mess. Today, I will share the best way to organize many shoes (affiliate). It has been an area that I have done for my own home and several clients. If you are interested in organizing your shoes (affiliate), read on. Let's find the proper shoe storage area for your home, whether your house is large or small.
As a professional organizer, I found many clients have had issues with their shoes (affiliate), not just for themselves but also for all the family members and all the massive amounts of shoes that every family member has. It took some creative organizing of these closet spaces. From vertical spaces to different sizes and seasonal storage, plenty of shoe storage ideas are out there.
Jump to:
- Before you start, keep these things in mind.
- Find the Right Spot for Your Family's Shoes
- Shoe Storage Cabinet
- Wall-Mount Shoe Storage
- Organized Shoe Station for the Whole Family
- Before and After Shoe Organizers
- Over the Door Organizers for Shoes
- Shoe Storage Bench
- Shoe Racks
- Ottomans
- Rotating Shoe Storage
- Under the Bed Shoe Storage
- Stackable Shoe Storage
- Shoe Cubbies Storage
- DIY Shoe Storage
- In a small home, how do I group my shoes in the different areas?
- Shoe Organization Tips
Before you start, keep these things in mind.
The first step is to gather all the shoes in one place to determine your number of shoes. Shoes can be stored throughout the house and even in the garage (affiliate), so making sure you have all of them will determine how large and what type of shoe storage you need.
Now, it's time to weed through your shoes and decide if they all need to be kept and organized. For your children, checking the sizes to see if they are the right size, have holes, or if the heels are worn are easy signs that these shoes need to be tossed. If you find dusty and flat shoes, these are most likely shoes that have been around for a while and can be given away.
Find the Right Spot for Your Family's Shoes
It's time to determine where shoes should be stored. Below are some places in your home where shoes can be stored.
- closets (kids room, primary bedroom, etc..)
- bedroom (under the bed (affiliate))
- garage (affiliate)
- basement
- entryway
- mudroom
- living room
- shed (affiliate) or porch
Remember this when you decide on the best place to store your shoes.
Some options below may not work for your area when deciding where to store the shoes. For example, if storing your shoes in the garage (affiliate) works best, you may not want to use a repurposed unit that can not handle the change in temperature in the garage (affiliate).
Full Disclosure: The links below are from Amazon (affiliate). I will receive a small commission if you click through and buy something on Amazon (affiliate). I appreciate your support.
Let's start by describing the options that help you organize your shoes.
Shoe Storage Cabinet
First, let’s talk about shoe storage cabinets (affiliate). I first saw (affiliate) these in the 1980s in stores like Ikea and Organized Living. They are usually freestanding units. They work great if you do not have a space in your closet for shoes.
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Shoe Storage Cabinet Natural Rattan Shoe Storage Cabinet
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Shoe Cabinet with Doors, 8-Tier Shoe Storage Cabinet Bamboo
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Wall-Mount Shoe Storage
The wall-mount shoe storage units (affiliate) are great for narrow spaces. I used them in my garage (affiliate). You can check out the post here. These wall-mounted shoe storage units are great for small spaces and unusable wall space, allowing you to store shoes easily. I started seeing these in the early 2000s, especially in places like Ikea. They have become popular for anyone with smaller homes or unusually designed garages, foyers, or mud rooms.
Some wall-mount shoe storage organizers can hold shoes with specific depths and may not fit all your shoes. Others are contained in a unit, covered, and not visually distracting. Depending on the space where you want to place it, you may decide to use one or the other.
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Shoe Wall Mounted Rack 6Pack with Sticky Hanging Strips
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Feel free to check out my before and after wall-mount shoe storage for our family. These posts were updated as the area was modified.
Organized Shoe Station for the Whole Family
Do you have a lot of shoes? Here's how to make your very own organized shoe station in the garage.
Before and After Shoe Organizers
Here is a before and after shoe organizers project that I did in my own home. Check it out and see how easy it was.
Over the Door Organizers for Shoes
Door organizers are so popular and have been around for a while now. You can find these in various price ranges and for different types of shoes. I found them in various places, from dollar stores to The Container Stores.
Door storage is terrific when your home is too small for a door storage unit. We all have doors; if you have space inside or outside a small closet, you can use an over-the-door (affiliate) organizer to organize your shoes.
Shoe Organizer 36 Pair Over the Door White by Whitmor
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Shoe Organizer, Hanging Shoe Organizers with Large Pocket Shoe Holder Hanging Shoe Rack 15 Grey
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Shoe Storage Bench
Shoe storage benches (affiliate) are great because they also allow you to have a place to sit. These work well near the front door and can have bins (wicker baskets (affiliate)) under them to help manage the shoe collection.
Shoe Rack Bench Entryway Storage with Leather Cushion
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Shoe Racks
Traditionally, the shoe rack (affiliate) is easy to find everywhere. It is the most affordable option. If you have the space for all of them, these shoe racks can easily be stored on the closet floor. I've found these at Homegoods, TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Target, and Walmart.
Shoe Rack - Premium Non-Woven Shoe Rack Shelf
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Ottomans
Several shoe storage ottomans allow you to store lots of shoes in them. Feel free to visit my other post about coffee table multipurpose options. These ottomans vary in size and can hold several shoes vertically inside. These work well in a walk-in closet or a living room.
Ottoman Storage Bench for shoes
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Rotating Shoe Storage
These rotating shoe storage (affiliate) are perfect if you have a corner or two to house these organizers. Note that some boots will not work on these rotating shoe storage (affiliate) units.
Rotating Shoe Rack Tower, Spinning Shoe Display Lazy Susan
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Under the Bed Shoe Storage
Another useful area for shoe storage is under the bed (affiliate). Under-the-bed storage bins with lids help keep shoes organized and dust-free. Some under-the-bed storage bins have wheels and work well for dorm rooms and small apartments. I prefer a zipper version with wheels and a clear top for easy viewing.
Under the Bed Shoe Storage with Wheels, 2 Pack
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Under Bed Storage with Wheels, 2Pack Under Bed Storage
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Stackable Shoe Storage
Stackable Shoe Storage (affiliate) is great for closet shelves (affiliate). There are a variety of options for stackable storage. They can be closed units or allow you access from the front or top. They can be acrylic and clear or colored.
Stackable Shoe Storage 12 Pack X Large Shoe Organizer
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Shoe Cubbies Storage
Shoe cubbies (affiliate) are great if you don't care how they are displayed. They are also handy for flip-flops, ballet slippers, and other flat shoes, and you can place both shoes in one cubby.
If you pick the right size of shoe cubbies (affiliate), you can even repurpose an existing cabinet or armoire and add shoe cubbies (affiliate) to help you organize your shoes. These are great for kids' shoes.
Shoe Cubby, 9-Cube Stackable Wood Shoe Rack Organizer
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DIY Shoe Storage
If you are a DIYer, you may want to make something to organize your shoes. The two I am sharing below show step-by-step instructions on how to make a DIY shoe storage organizer. Below are some I found online.
DIY Closet Shoe Storage Idea - Thistlewood Farm
Looking for a solution for all those extra shoes? Here is a DIY closet shoe storage solution that's affordable and simple to make.
How to make a super-sized shoe rack on a budget - Jen Woodhouse
If you're looking for shoe storage for an active family, then this easy DIY is for you. Free building plans to make your own super-sized shoe rack with room for everything from ski boots to flip flops.
In a small home, how do I group my shoes in the different areas?
Sometimes, we do not have enough space for ALL our shoes. In those cases, dividing them into groups best determines where to place them. Below are suggestions on how to group your shoes.
Group shoes by task
- Work shoes can be stored in a closet with work clothes. Shoes like high heels, work boots, skid-proof shoes, etc., should be in this group.
- Hiking and workout sneakers could be stored where the workout clothing is stored.
- The outdoor/gardening shoes and seasonal shoes could be stored in a garage or basement. These could include rain boots, winter boots, flip-flops, etc.
- The dress shoes could be stored where the less frequently used dresses or suits are located.
Group shoes by color
Some people like to organize their shoes by color, which is perfect for speeding up getting ready. This works well after you have sorted your shoes by task or if you organized all your shoes in one place.
Shoe Organization Tips
Now, let's discuss tips for organizing shoes after you have found the proper storage unit for your home.
- Shoes can be placed facing forward next to each other so you can see the front of the shoes.
- Facing backward with the front facing the back of your closet will show you the heel height if that is important to you.
- Shoes can also be placed on shelves (affiliate), one facing forward and the other toward the back of the storage unit. This method saves space on shelves (affiliate).
- Shoes like flip-flops can be placed on top of the other shoe to save space.
- Specialty shoes like boots can use boot stand-up inserts (Affiliate). They sometimes have hooks so you can hang them.
Shoe Rack Shoe Organizer Space-Saving Storage
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Trying these different organizing shoe methods may save you space.
Well, there you have it. I hope this post helps you solve your shoe storage dilemma. Please comment below letting everyone know which shoe storage and organizer you refer. We would love to know.
Feel free to check out our other clothing posts on this blog.
Janet Schiesl says
I love the shoe cabinets you offered. I wish I had the space for one in my entry, but it's very small. I keep all my shoes in my bedroom closet upstairs. I do have to travel through the house to put them away, but it works for me.
I remember when we first moved into our house, we found a perfect spot in the garage for the whole family's shoes. My husband added shelving and we each had a couple of shelves for our shoes. It worked great until winter came. Then the shoes were so cold when we tried to put them on! It didn't work for us.
Sabrina Quairoli says
I get that, Janet. We have an insulated garage so it wasn't that cold or hot in there. However, we usually store the shoes we didn't use as often in their and kept the more frequently used ones in a standalone pull out one from Ikea in the foyer.
Julie Bestry says
Wow, you really covered all the bases. The only thing I can add is that when I'm organizing client shoes in cubbies and they aren't sure whether they want to see the toe or the heel, I find it's often easy to have one shoe going in each direction. The shoes actually fit the cubby better, and they can see both the heel and the toe to sense color and height.
Pretty much the only shoe organizer format I can think of that you missed is one that I discourage people from using, anyway. It's the kind of rotating rack where there are metal "loops" onto which shoes are set vertically, with the loops going into the toe. I've seen them anywhere from double to quadruple height;a related one without the loops is Origami's "shoe flower" rack (https://origamirack.com/products/origami-shoe-flower-2-pack) but the problem with these rotating racks is that even with a vertically arrangement, the rack itself takes up and wastes so much space!
Personally, I think stackable horizontal shoe racks are the best option for families with shoes of different sizes being stored in more public spaces. That said, I was brought up that except for snow boots, shoes lived neatly on the closet floor, under the hanging clothes (though we each had "emergency" outdoor shoes in the downstairs coat closet in case we had to rush out quickly). My parents designed and built our house, and the master bedroom walk-in closet had a cool "plank" on the floor along the wall, built in on a diagonal with a ridge about 1/3 of the way down. All of their shoes sat neatly on the diagonal, heel above the ridge, the rest of the shoe below. The shoes stayed tidy, and I've always wished for something like that, but as a renter, it's hard to accomplish.
Thanks for sharing all these different approaches, especially the storage ottoman! I've never seen one specifically for shoes, and it's very cool!
Sabrina Quairoli says
Great product, Julie! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. =)
Elva Fonseca says
Love that you included the tips at the end for shoe storage, alot of people don’t know how to maximize their storage spaces.
Sabrina Quairoli says
Thanks, Elva! I appreciate you stopping by and commenting.
Florena Davies says
Yes! Shoes are definitely a tough one for people. No one seems to want to come home, take off their shoes and pick them up. They love to leave them there for someone to trip over. Thanks for the great tips and photos!
Diane Quintana says
My son has a no shoes in the house policy. The children kick their shoes into the coat closet by the front door. He also has a bench in the adjacent sitting room with shoes stored for himself and his wife.
I love all the options for shoe storage you have here.
Sabrina Quairoli says
Great idea! We have allergies in our home so the shoes that were worn are left in a tray in the foyer. The kids have even told their friends to take off their shoes as well. I guess I taught them something. =)
Linda Samuels says
Years ago, a client asked me to help organize her extensive shoe collection. Before my arrival, she warned me she had A LOT of shoes.
She had a mountain of shoes in her bedroom and more in the all-purpose room. It was fascinating that all the shoes were the same style and brand. They varied in color or detail. She didn't want to part with many. We identified her favorites, which we stored in her bedroom closet. The rest were organized into large storage bins and stored in the all-purpose room closet.
Sabrina Quairoli says
Wow! Thanks for sharing how you dealt with a mass amount of shoes, Linda. I really appreciate it.
Janet Barclay says
Winter boots are kept in the hall closet and shoes we put on to go out most days are kept by the door. All others are on a rack in our bedroom closet. If the rack no longer holds all the shoes, it's time to let something go.
Sabrina Quairoli says
Great way to establish boundaries so the shoes do not over run the home. Thanks for sharing, Janet.
Seana Turner says
You have so many great options here! Ease of use is certainly key. So often I find people have bins and containers for shoes, and yet they still tend to just step out of them at the door, leaving a pile.
It's nice to get the creative juices going with these choices. Everybody has this challenge!
Sabrina Quairoli says
I agree, Seana. We all have our go-to shoes and then there are others for different occasions or activities. Knowing where all of our shoes are will make it easier when we need them as well as when we need to declutter them. Thanks for commenting.