How to Organize Shoes Without Letting Them Take Over Your Closet
Shoes are often one of the biggest stumbling blocks when decluttering. Between athletic shoes, boots, sandals, heels, flats, and flip flops, it is easy for footwear to slowly overtake a closet without anyone noticing. Even a modest shoe collection can feel overwhelming without a system in place.
Learning how to organize shoes does not require a custom closet or expensive products. It requires understanding what you own, how you use it, and choosing storage solutions that support your daily routine rather than fight it.
Getting Started Organizing Shoes
No matter how large or small your shoe collection is, organizing shoes properly makes them easier to find and helps protect them from unnecessary wear. Fortunately, there are many shoe storage solutions available, and most homes benefit from using a combination rather than relying on just one method.
The key is to begin with clarity before purchasing organizers.
Step 1: Take Inventory of Your Shoes
Start by gathering all of your shoes in one place. This includes shoes stored in closets, entryways, bedrooms, garages, and even under beds. Sorting everything together allows you to see the full picture of what you own.
Separate shoes you wear regularly from those reserved for special occasions. Then sort by season. Donate shoes that are uncomfortable, no longer fit, or have not been worn in a long time. Discard pairs that are beyond repair.
Once sorted, count how many pairs you have in each category. This step is essential because it determines how much storage you actually need. Buying organizers before taking inventory often leads to wasted space and frustration.
Step 2: Clean, Polish, and Repair
Before placing shoes into storage, take time to clean and refresh them. A local shoe repair shop can replace worn heels and soles at a fraction of the cost of buying new shoes. Many people also use these services to refresh handbags.
Maintaining shoes before storing them extends their life and makes organizing feel intentional rather than rushed.
Step 3: Choose Shoe Storage That Fits Your Space
When deciding how to organize shoes, storage should reflect both your space and how often you wear each pair.
Storing Shoes on the Closet Floor
Tiered shoe racks and cubbies are ideal for everyday shoes. These open storage solutions work well beneath hanging clothes and make use of vertical space. Stacking racks allows you to store more shoes without expanding the footprint of your closet.
This approach works best for shoes you reach for regularly.
Storing Shoes on Doors or Closet Rods
Over-the-door shoe organizers are a practical way to keep shoes off the floor while maintaining easy access. They install quickly and can hold a surprising number of pairs depending on shoe size and heel height.
Boot hooks are helpful for tall boots and allow them to hang from a closet rod without folding. Hanging shoe organizers designed for closet rods provide pockets for a variety of shoe types and work well in tight spaces.
Quick tip: some dorm rooms and loft apartments have commercial doors that are thicker than residential doors, so be sure to check compatibility before purchasing over-the-door organizers.
Storing Shoes on Shelves
If you have shelf space available, stacking drawers, bins, or drop-front shoe boxes are excellent for shoes you do not wear every day. These options protect shoes from dust while keeping them visible and accessible.
Many stackable shoe boxes are designed to accommodate different styles, including tall heels, ankle boots, flats, and children’s shoes. This flexibility makes shelf storage one of the most efficient ways to organize shoes long term.
Custom closet designs can also include angled shelves or gliding shoe racks. We work with Inspired Closets DFW to design and install closets in the Dallas–Fort Worth area for clients who want a built-in solution.
Storing Shoes Under the Bed
Seasonal shoes and boots can be stored under the bed using low-profile containers designed to slide easily in and out. These organizers are available in fabric or plastic and are ideal for freeing up closet space without sacrificing accessibility.
Storing Shoes on Freestanding Racks
Rolling shoe racks and shoe cabinets work well in loft spaces or rooms with limited closet storage. Rolling racks can be moved easily and are best placed against a wall for stability.
This option is particularly useful in homes without professionally built closets or where additional wall space is available.
Making Shoe Organization Sustainable
The best shoe organization system is one you can maintain. Store frequently worn shoes where they are easiest to reach and reserve protected storage for special-occasion or seasonal footwear.
Revisit your shoe collection periodically to declutter as needed. Shoes wear out, styles change, and needs evolve. Regular editing prevents clutter from rebuilding quietly.
Extra Support for Decluttering Shoes
If shoe clutter feels like part of a larger organizing challenge, tools like Declutter Deck® can help. The deck breaks decluttering into small, manageable prompts that guide you through often overlooked areas of the home, including closets and entryways.
By addressing shoe organization alongside other categories, you reduce decision fatigue and build sustainable habits that keep clutter from returning.
Declutter Deck® and Hack Decks®
We have other great ideas for organizing your space. Try Declutter Deck® to help 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. Best yet, these cards eliminate decision fatigue which often sabotages your decluttering goals.