If you’re like me, you have more shoes than you have room for. Tucking another pair onto the crowded closet shelves or (perish the thought) into the jumble on the closet floor is not an option. Those beauties need a home of their own, safe from dust and cat hair, where I can admire them, caress them and whisper sweet nothings to them
Am I right? Yeah, maybe I need help. But I loooove my shoes.
Kicking them off at the door is a fast way to ruin them. And tossing them helter-skelter into baskets or plastic totes is even worse. I don’t want to stack them on ugly shoe racks or hang them on my closet door. Hanging your heels from crown molding is so yesterday (plus, this arrangement doesn’t work for flats, wedges and boots). I crave a convenient system to organize my collection while protecting and showcasing it. Preferably a system that will look fabulous with my décor.
I have a penchant for artistic statements. So here I am, artistically positioning my red silk stilettos next to a crystal decanter by the window, hanging my running shoes on the peg next to the dog leash, displaying my cowgirl boots on a shelf under a watercolor painting of wild horses. But my Louboutin might be destroyed by the sunlight. Anyway, I can’t store 63 pairs of shoes in this manner.
What You Need to Know Before Your Shop for Shoe Storage
So how do you organize, store, protect and exhibit a collection of heels, flats, wedges, sandals, loafers, sneakers and boots? When shopping shoe storage and displays here are some things to consider:
- How many shoes do you need to store? Many shoe organizers will tell you how many shoes they will hold.
- How deep and wide does your storage system need to be to fit your largest pair of shoes or its box? Nothing disappoints faster than setting up those sensational shelves and finding out they’re three inches too narrow for your shoes!
- Will you use display boxes or stands? What about shoe trees? If so, how much space will your system take up?
- How tall does your display/storage need to be to fit your tallest pair of shoes (or boots)?
- Do you want covered storage or open storage? Consider covered storage if you have pets or if you live in a dusty region. If you live in a damp region, tuck bamboo charcoal sachets in the toes (at the very least, reuse those silica gel packs that came with your shoes).
- Do you want to display your shoes horizontally, vertically, hanging or stacked?
- What do you have room for?
Popular Shoe Storage Systems
With those thoughts in mind, I went exploring for the most popular ways to store and display shoes. Here are some of the most useful popular ideas. Are you ready?
Clear acrylic storage cubes
Start with display cubes for storing, protecting and showcasing your shoes. You can’t beat the acrylic storage cubes shopPOPdisplays sells. Choose the size you need and add the hinged lid or a loose lid. Custom order a cube to display and protect your thigh-high leather boots.
Modular storage cubes
Modular systems are versatile because they can be arranged to fit your space—a tall tower, a wide display, stairstep, etc. You can add as needed (and space allows) and reorganize to your heart’s desire.
Index wall shelves
Check out Burrow’s Index wall shelves (or the look-alike from West Elm) and display your shoes like the art they are. These attractive, wall-mounted wooden shelves are 10” deep and would look fantastic displaying swanky women’s shoes. A set of six would create a spectacular arrangement.
DIY apple crate shelves
Create shabby chic shelving made from wooden apple crates. DIYers will want to add shelving to partition off the crates. If you stack the crates correctly, you can manufacture tall gaps for your boots.
Repaint cubby shelves
Cubby shelves have been trending for a while. If you decide to use (or reuse) your cubby shelves for shoes, try repainting them in a bright color. If you choose to do this, please, please don’t use these to pile your shoes into a basket—instead, partition large cubby openings to fit your shoes.
Repurpose a glass hutch
Repurpose a cabinet that has glass doors. This works with media cabinets, library cabinets and nightstands but looks stunning when you use an antique hutch. Find one at a secondhand store or repurpose the one you inherited from your grandmother.
Revolving shoe towers
I love, love the revolving shoe towers. You can choose from open shelving or covered. Some of the covered ones look like art. If you don’t care to showcase your shoes, the Homary makes gorgeous, gold-trimmed white or black stackable pillars that fit 9 pairs each and that you can top with sculptures, photos or plants.
Shoe cabinets with tilting drawers
Shoe cabinets with tilting drawers are another discrete way to store and protect your shoes. Each tilting drawer has two to three shelves that can hold up to 9 pairs of shoes. If you have a ton of shoes, like I do, Homary carries a gold-trimmed shoe cabinet that matches their swiveling shoe pillars.
Bottom Line
There are so many different and ingenious ways to store and display your shoes. In fact, I’m thinking of trying a different system (or two) in each room. Which means I have shoe storage to fill…. Guess it’s time to go shoe shopping!
Cover photo by Mona Siswanto on Unsplash
