The Best Ways to Organize Shoes in Your Home

Piles and piles of shoes (Affiliate Link) can be hazardous. The more shoes (Affiliate Link), the more mess. Today, I will share the best way to organize many shoes (Affiliate Link). 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 Link), 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 Link), not just for themselves but also for all the family members and all the massive amounts of shoes (Affiliate Link) 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
• DIY Closet Shoe Storage Idea - Thistlewood Farm
• How to make a super-sized shoe rack on a budget - Jen Woodhouse
• 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 (Affiliate Link) in one place to determine your number of shoes (Affiliate Link). Shoes (Affiliate Link) can be stored throughout the house and even in the garage (Affiliate Link), 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 (Affiliate Link) 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 (Affiliate Link) need to be tossed. If you find dusty and flat shoes (Affiliate Link), these are most likely shoes (Affiliate Link) 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 (Affiliate Link) should be stored. Below are some places in your home where shoes (Affiliate Link) can be stored.

• closets (kids room, primary bedroom, etc..)
• bedroom (under the bed (Affiliate Link))
• garage (Affiliate Link)
• basement
• entryway
• mudroom
• living room
• shed (Affiliate Link) 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 (Affiliate Link). For example, if storing your shoes (Affiliate Link) in the garage (Affiliate Link) works best, you may not want to use a repurposed unit that can not handle the change in temperature in the garage (Affiliate Link).

Full Disclosure: The links below are from Amazon. I will receive a small commission if you click through and buy something on Amazon. I appreciate your support.

Let's start by describing the options that help you organize your shoes (Affiliate Link).

Shoe Storage Cabinet

First, let’s talk about shoe storage cabinets (Affiliate Link). I first saw (Affiliate Link) 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 (Affiliate Link).

Shoe Cabinet, Free Standing Tipping Bucket Shoe Rack Organizer with 2 Flip Drawers,Modern Entryway Narrow Shoe Storage with Top Cubby, Boho Slim Hidden Cabinet with Doors (Natural)

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Shoe Storage Cabinet Natural Rattan Shoe Storage Cabinet

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Shoe Storage Cabinet with Doors, 8-Tier Shoe Storage Cabinet

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(Affiliate Link)

Wall-Mount Shoe Storage

The wall-mount shoe storage units (Affiliate Link) are great for narrow spaces. I used them in my garage (Affiliate Link). 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 (Affiliate Link) 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 (Affiliate Link) with specific depths and may not fit all your shoes (Affiliate Link). 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.

Shoe Wall Mounted Shoes Rack

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Shoe Wall Mounted Rack 6Pack with Sticky Hanging Strips

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(Affiliate Link)

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.

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 (Affiliate Link). 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 Link) organizer to organize your shoes (Affiliate Link).

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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(Affiliate Link)

Shoe Storage Bench

Shoe storage benches (Affiliate Link) 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 Link)) under them to help manage the shoe collection.

Shoe Rack Bench Entryway Storage with Leather Cushion

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(Affiliate Link)

Shoe Racks

Traditionally, the shoe rack (Affiliate Link) 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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(Affiliate Link)

Ottomans

Several shoe storage ottomans allow you to store lots of shoes (Affiliate Link) in them. Feel free to visit my other post about coffee table multipurpose options. These ottomans vary in size and can hold several shoes (Affiliate Link) vertically inside. These work well in a walk-in closet or a living room.

Ottoman Storage Bench for shoes

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(Affiliate Link)

Rotating Shoe Storage

These rotating shoe storage (Affiliate Link) 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 Link) units.

Rotating Shoe Rack Tower, Spinning Shoe Display Lazy Susan

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(Affiliate Link)

Under the Bed Shoe Storage

Another useful area for shoe storage is under the bed (Affiliate Link). Under-the-bed storage bins with lids help keep shoes (Affiliate Link) 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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(Affiliate Link)

Stackable Shoe Storage

Stackable Shoe Storage (Affiliate Link) is great for closet shelves (Affiliate Link). 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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(Affiliate Link)

Shoe Cubbies Storage

Shoe cubbies (Affiliate Link) are great if you don't care how they are displayed. They are also handy for flip-flops, ballet slippers, and other flat shoes (Affiliate Link), and you can place both shoes (Affiliate Link) in one cubby.

If you pick the right size of shoe cubbies (Affiliate Link), you can even repurpose an existing cabinet or armoire and add shoe cubbies (Affiliate Link) to help you organize your shoes (Affiliate Link). These are great for kids' shoes (Affiliate Link).

Shoe Cubby, 9-Cube Stackable Wood Shoe Rack Organizer

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(Affiliate Link)

DIY Shoe Storage

If you are a DIYer, you may want to make something to organize your shoes (Affiliate Link). 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.

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 (Affiliate Link). In those cases, dividing them into groups best determines where to place them. Below are suggestions on how to group your shoes (Affiliate Link).

Group shoes by task

1. Work shoes (Affiliate Link) can be stored in a closet with work clothes. Shoes (Affiliate Link) like high heels, work boots, skid-proof shoes (Affiliate Link), etc., should be in this group.
2. Hiking and workout sneakers could be stored where the workout clothing is stored.
3. The outdoor/gardening shoes (Affiliate Link) and seasonal shoes (Affiliate Link) could be stored in a garage (Affiliate Link) or basement. These could include rain boots, winter boots, flip-flops, etc.
4. The dress shoes (Affiliate Link) could be stored where the less frequently used dresses or suits are located.

Group shoes by color

Some people like to organize their shoes (Affiliate Link) by color, which is perfect for speeding up getting ready. This works well after you have sorted your shoes (Affiliate Link) by task or if you organized all your shoes (Affiliate Link) in one place.

Shoe Organization Tips

Now, let's discuss tips for organizing shoes (Affiliate Link) after you have found the proper storage unit for your home.

1. Shoes (Affiliate Link) can be placed facing forward next to each other so you can see the front of the shoes (Affiliate Link).
2. Facing backward with the front facing the back of your closet will show you the heel height if that is important to you.
3. Shoes (Affiliate Link) can also be placed on shelves (Affiliate Link), one facing forward and the other toward the back of the storage unit. This method saves space on shelves (Affiliate Link).
4. Shoes (Affiliate Link) like flip-flops can be placed on top of the other shoe to save space.
5. Specialty shoes (Affiliate Link) 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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(Affiliate Link)

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.