Simple Shoe Storage Ideas

Wondering what to do with all those shoes? How do you clean up a cluttered shoe closet? What do you do when you can’t find the shoes that match the outfit you want to wear? There are plenty of ways to keep your shoe collection organized and tidy.

Try one of these tips to store all those shoes in your closet in a better, more organized way.

Set Shoes on Shelves

An easy way to put away your shoes is to set the shoes on a shelf. Shelves make it easy to find a pair of shoes by displaying all of them in neat rows.

•  Convert an old bookcase or floating shelves into a shoe rack. The shelves can be placed in a closet or on the back porch near the kitchen door. Floating shelves in particular will give your closet a “boutique” appearance. If you have a lot of pairs, only display your favorite pairs on floating shelves.
•  Shop garage sales and going out of business sales for used shoe racks or bookcases.
•  Make your own shoe rack out of stacked oatmeal boxes or 12-inch sections of PVC pipe (with a diameter of at least 6 inches).

Hide Shoes in Baskets

When shoes need to be out of sight, organize shoes into baskets and boxes. Separate shoes according to use, style, season or color. Here are some ideas:

•  Keep the original shoe boxes for out-of-sight storage. Store boxes under a bed or in the back of a closet, and keep them together by placing inside a large plastic storage bin designed to fit under a bed.
•  Take the drawers out of an old dresser and replace with wicker baskets full of shoes.
•  Store out-of-season shoes in plastic boxes that can be placed in the basement, attic or a linen closet.

Stow Away Shoes in Cabinets

An old, unused cabinet can be easily repurposed into a shoe storage container. Here are a few ideas:

•  Clean up an old glass-front buffet for shoe storage. Decorative shoes can be displayed behind the glass doors and other shoes stored in the closed cabinet.
•  Paint an old school locker and stack boxes of shoes inside.
•  Find a shoe cabinet that has special shoe bins.

Hang Shoes on Hangers

Some shoes are perfect for hangings. Here are some tips for hanging boots, slippers, sandals and sneakers:

•   Secure a rack with individual shoe slots behind a door or inside a closet.
•   Convert a wooden pallet into a shoe rack.
•   Use pant and skirt hangers to keep boots organized. If you do keep your boots on the ground or on shelves, cut a Styrofoam pool “noodle” into sections, and place one inside each boot to keep them standing upright.

Build a Shoe Bench

A shoe bench comes in handy in areas where shoes accumulate. The bench provides a place to sit while removing shoes and a place to store shoes that are not being worn. You can create one by placing small modular storage boxes beneath a bench.

Put Shoes on Display

Shoes aren’t just for walking. Some shoes deserve to be on display. Here are some ways to showcase your shoe collection:

•   Use shoes as bookends.
•   Encase a pair of shoes in a shadow box. A series of a child’s shoes at different ages makes a memorable present.
•  Stagger several floating shelves on a wall and display a shoe on each shelf.
•  Arrange a pair of shoes on a cake plate covered with a clear glass bell. Wedding shoes can be preserved this way.