How to store and organize your shoes is one of the biggest tasks when it comes to keeping your closet tidy.

With nice shoes for special occasions, work shoes, sneakers for the gym, flip flops for the summer, and boots for the snow and rain, chances are you’ve got piles of shoes in every direction. Read on for our tips on how to store and organize your shoes in the right way so you can cut the clutter and save your soles.

1. A Simple Shoe Storage Rack

One of the easiest shoe storage methods (that isn’t throwing your shoes on the floor) is a simple shoe rack, like the one above. It blends in nicely with most decor and can fit several pairs of shoes.

Remember, the closet isn’t the only place you can utilize the storage power of a shoe rack. You can also add one by your front and back doors to keep shoes out of the way and mud or dirt out of the interior of your home.

“If you remove your shoes as you enter the home, this is an efficient way to store shoes close to the front door to make it easier to access them and put them away,” says life coach and organizer Carly Tizzano.

If you have an excessive number of shoes in the house, you can always stack pairs on top of each other to maximize your space.

2. An Over-the-Door Shoe Rack

Do you have a lot of shoes in your household (perhaps you have a family), but you need to save as much space as possible? Over-the-door shoe storage is a simple, space-saving solution. 

“Consider over-the-door shoe hangers or hanging shoe shelves,” says Tizzano. “Since there is so much variety in these products, they can integrate seamlessly into the aesthetic of the surrounding home. Opaque, woven, or other solid materials can be chosen to hide the shoes, while acrylic, plastic, or other clear options are available to showcase a great collection.”

Products like an over-the-door shoe storage contain plenty of pouches for everyone to slip their shoes into. Just hang the rack over the inside of a closet door, slip in the shoes, close the door, and tuck them away in the dark until needed.

Be sure to read up on our A-list closet storage tips.

3. Utilize Vertical and Horizontal Space

Customize how you store and organize your shoes using vertical or horizontal space.

“Make sure you are taking advantage of available vertical space, whether that’s adding a shoe rack underneath hanging clothes, installing shoe holders on the back of a door, or using risers to minimize space between shelves,” says Shara Kay of SK Organizing. “If your closet has peg holes, you can easily have additional shelves cut at the lumber yard of your local hardware store (bring a shelf with you to copy!).”

“On the horizontal plane, an important “pro tip” is to alternate the direction of the shoes so that one shoe of each pair faces forward and the other faces towards the back, so that the thick part of one shoe nests in the thinner middle of the other,” she says. “You might be surprised how much space you gain!”

Check out more vertical storage ideas on our blog.

4. Shoe Storage Boxes

You may need a more modular way to store and show off your shoe collection. With a set of shoe storage boxes, you can tuck your shoes away safely in drawers until you want them.

Kay likes the Container Store’s acrylic shoe drawers or drop-front boxes and stackable hinged-lid boxes for shoe storage.

To keep your shoes in good condition, she recommends “stuffing some tissue inside the toes of delicate shoes to maintain their shape. Delicate and rarely worn shoes should be protected with dust bags or boxes.”

She also recommends regular dusting and vacuuming of the closet. In addition, leaving enough space between items for air to circulate, will help preserve all your items, including shoes.

We’ve got more closet decluttering tips on our blog.