Clean The Closet

Shoe Organizers: Fix Your Footwear Fiasco

The first step to solving a footwear fiasco is to break yourself of the habit of kicking them off the minute you walk in the door – and never putting them back in their proper place until you wear them again.

The second step to correcting this bad habit is to come up with a proper place for all your shoes. That’s where all kinds of shoe organizers come into play.

The rewards of establishing a place for all of your shoes – in a cubbie or shoe chest, in the closet on a shoe rack, under your bed, on a shoe tree or in a shoe cabinet – are many. First, you will know where your shoes are when you want to find just the right pair. No more searching through the deep recesses of your closet, under the bed or in a big shoe basket in the morning as you get dressed.

Also, you’ll find your shoes stay in better shape when they are put away properly. You won’t have big winter snow boots crushing your hot new sandals or your suede loafers. They also stay cleaner, especially when they reside in a cubbie or under the bed. Dust won’t cover your silk pumps.

Here are some ways to store your shoes:

• Shoe chest or cubbie. Like cubbies above the coat racks in kindergarten, these shoe cubbies have anywhere from 12 to 24 to 36 slots to hold your shoes. They take up very little space. As they are often less than 12 inches deep, they will easily fit in the back of a closet. Some models have a clear vinyl cover that zips closed, keeping your shoes visible, but dust-free. Similar to the shoe chest is the shoe cubbie. These have slots for 15 to 25 pairs of shoes, but don’t have a plastic covering. You might want to use one of these to house the shoes you wear often – making them less likely to attract dust.
• Under-the-bed organizer. This is similar to the shoe chest in design. One typically holds 12 pairs of shoes and has a clear plastic cover that zips closed to keep the shoes clean. But at only 6 inches deep, it is designed to be stored under a bed. Got more shoes? Use two organizers for the shoes you do not wear often.
• Shoe racks. Racks come in several models, starting with the standard shoe rack that is stored in the closet. These expandable, stackable racks can get as high as your closet allows. A polymer version is designed to hold 20, 30 or even 50 pairs of shoes. All require some minimal assembly. Another option is the under-Bed Shoe trolley. This tray on wheels holds up to 12 pairs of shoes. After you are dressed, reach down under the bed, pull out the tray, select your shoes and then roll it back under the bed. There is no plastic protective covering, so you may want to use this system with shoes you wear frequently.
• Shoe trees. The term “shoe tree” does not mean those wooden forms your father put into his Bostonians to keep the leather in shape. These shoe trees are floor-to-ceiling, twirling racks that hold up to 36 pairs of shoes. The bottom of the tree is weighted for extra stability and the top has a place to store extras, like belts and socks. Again, some assembly is required.
• Shoe cabinet. This is more like a piece of furniture that holds up to six pairs of shoes. It resembles a bedside chest, but when you open it, the front swings toward you, revealing a shoe rack. Some bigger models hold 12, 24 or 36 pairs of shoes.

Now that you know what products can be used to house your shoe collection, it might be a good idea to think about how you can group your collection.

• Seasonal. An easy way to sort your shoes is by the season of the year. If it is winter, use an under-the-bed box to store all your sandals, flip flops and summer sneakers. If it is spring, look for a storage unit that is large enough to store your fleece boots, tall leather boots and snow shoveling boots.
• By color. If you opt for a rack system inside your closet, dedicate each rack to a certain color. A row for black, a row for brown, etc. This forces you to review all your shoes before you grab one pair. You may have forgotten about a pair in your collection.
• By style. Use one rack for “play shoes” – your sneakers, flip flops, etc. Take another rack for closed-toe shoes and other shoes you wear with slacks. Put pumps and heels on their own rack.

There are plenty of organizers to help you bring some sanity to your chaotic collection, but it starts with you forming some better habits, starting the minute you walk in the front door.

About the Author

Darcy Green is a freelance writer who writes about home maintenance topics and products such as Shoe Organizer products.

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