How to Organize Shoes

Between athletic shoes, boots, sandals, heels, flats and flip flops, keeping shoes from taking over your closet can be a challenge. But no matter how many pairs you have, creating a system to keep them organized isn't too hard. It just requires a little planning so that you know what type of shoes you have, and how much shoe storage you will need.

Getting Started Organizing Shoes

No matter what size your shoe collection is, getting your shoes and boots organized makes them easy to find and protects them from damage. Fortunately, there are almost as many options to organize your shoes as there are shoe styles.

Step 1: Take Inventory

First, go through ALL your shoes. Sort your shoes into those you wear regularly and those for special occasions. To save room and make it easier to find the pair you want, you'll also want to sort by seasons. Be sure to donate pairs you don't wear, aren't comfortable or have seen better days. For example, discard any that are worn out or beyond repair. Now count how many pairs of each type you have. This will help you decide what type and how many organizers you'll need. 

Step 2: Clean, Polish & Repair

A shoe repair store can repair or replace worn heels and soles on most shoes and boots at a fraction of the cost of replacing the shoes or boots. This is typically the same place I go to take my purses that need refreshing.

Step 3: Select Your Organizers

Store Shoes On The Closet Floor

If you're storing your shoes in your closet you have several options depending on your space. And for most people, a combination of shoe storage solutions works best.

Tiered shoe racks and shoe cubbies can often be stacked to make use of the vertical space beneath hanging clothes. These open solutions work well for shoes that you often wear. 

Store Shoes On A Door Or Closet Rod

Over the door hanging shoe organizers are a good way to keep your floor and shelves clear of shoes while keeping them easily accessible. They install quickly and can accommodate lots of shoes depending on the type and heel height. An easy hardware change allows most to be hung over either a residential or commercial door. Another option is an Elfa Door and Wall Rack outfitted with Elfa Shoe Racks. Elfa is available at The Container Store®.

Boot hooks allow you to hang tall boots from your closet rod, while hanging shoe organizers also hang from your closet rod and provide pockets for a variety of shoe types. Quick Tip: If you live in a dorm room or loft-style apartment, you may have commercial doors which are thicker than traditional residential doors.

Store Shoes On A Shelf

If you have shelf space, stacking drawers, bins or drop-front organizers are a nice option. This is especially true for shoes you don't wear all the time. These organizers protect your shoes from dust while giving you visibility and easy access to them without the need to move boxes around. You'll even find stackable shoe bins and boxes especially made to accommodate tall heels, ankle boots, flats - even kid's shoes. This is a real plus when you're trying to maximize the space on your shelf! And of course, a custom closet design can accommodate shoes with multiple shoe shelves or gliding shoe racks. We work with Inspired Closets DFW to build out closets in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Give them a call if you’re interested in having your closets professionally designed and installed.

Store Shoes Under The Bed

You can save space in your closet by storing seasonal shoes and boots under your bed in an under bed shoe organizer. These containers are made to easily slide out from under your bed and can be made of fabric or plastic.

Store Shoes on Freestanding Racks

Rolling shoe racks and shoe cabinets work well in loft spaces or when you have more floor space than closet space. The rolling racks hold a lot of shoes and can easily be rolled into a closet or dressing room.  We have used this type of storage in closets where there is a free wall (so it doesn’t tip over) and the client does not have a professionally build-out closet.

Declutter Deck® and Hack Decks™

We have other great ideas for organizing your space. Our product is called Declutter Deck® and it helps you get your home decluttered and organized.

Our 52 organizing prompts break down the home organizing process into small and manageable parts. When pulling a card, Declutter Deck® guides you through the main areas of your home that need organization. This includes many areas of the home where organization is often forgotten. Declutter Deck® shows you ways to declutter your home, including closets, pantries, laundry rooms, mud rooms, kitchens, and living spaces. It even gets you outside to declutter your car.

Organization prompts from the KonMari Method® include tidying, decluttering and organizing clothes, then moving on to books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items), and, finally, sentimental items. In addition to tips and tricks from the KonMari Method® we remind you to do simple, general tasks that are often forgotten. These include card prompts such as "Make a list of home repairs and complete them" or "Clean out the trunk of your car." Each task card prompt can be accomplished in less than one hour at a time. This reduces the time spent on individual tasks and keeps you moving. All in all, these cards eliminate decision fatigue.