27 Genius Shoe Storage Ideas For Any Size Family!
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Hi! Does your shoe situation look something like this?
Great, I can help you fix that!
In this article, I share a TON of my favorite shoe storage ideas, along with my method for keeping the hallway clear of shoes at all times. No matter if you only have three pairs of shoes and want a nice way to display them, or if you have a family of six, you are sure to find what you need here!
Trust me, I’ve spent a lot of time looking for great shoe storage ideas. 😄
If you’ve been waiting for the perfect moment to elevate and upgrade your shoe storage, well, now is your chance to act! WAY DAY – Wayfair’s BIGGEST event of the year – is back! You can shop up to 80% off all things home and there’s free shipping on EVERYTHING! The sale only goes from 10/5-10/7 so load up your cart and don’t miss this opportunity!
ORGANIZING YOUR SHOES: TIPS BEFORE YOU START
Before we start looking at all the inspiring shoe storage solutions below, let’s quickly go over some general approaches to storing your shoes! This will come in handy as you are looking at different ideas to tackle your shoe clutter.
Instead of keeping all your shoes in one place, like in the closet, under a bench or just on the floor in the hallway, consider “cycling” through your shoes based on season and your current preference.
I call it: “shoe cycling”!
Shoe cycling is simple: it consists of keeping your favorite shoes of the season or moment, out on display, ready for easy access. While keeping all your other shoes stored away using a space-conscious storage solution.
The point is to keep shoes you are currently using handy and easy to reach. As the season changes, you can rotate your shoes so that you never feel overwhelmed by your selection. If you are a large family you can apply this shoe cycling technique as well.
Smart shoe storage not only looks nice, it also saves you a lot of space!
Put a bench in your hallway with a basket underneath for each family member that fits 2-3 pairs of shoes. Each person selects which shoes to keep in the basket and must always put them back when not in use.
As the season changes, you can rotate which shoes you keep in the basket and tuck away unused shoes in more space-conscious storage. Applying this technique will greatly reduce clutter and a shoe mess in the hallway.
Decorative Easy Access Shoe Storage
Ok! Now let’s dive into some inspiring decorative shoe storage ideas! These not only organize your footwear but also spruce up your space. From stylish shelves to creative racks, these solutions turn clutter into a fashionable display and keep your shoes easy to grab.
1. Ladder Shoe Rack
I love this as a shoe rack idea! Using old ladders can be a great and interesting way to put your favorite shoes on display! There are many different ladder DIY shoe storage solutions floating around online, so you might find it difficult to find the exact items used in each of them.
If you want to go for a ladder shoe organizer, try to find a ladder in your local hardware store that is similar to what you want. You may need to get a bit creative here.
The image above is a great example of using an old painter’s ladder used as shoe storage from the home tour of Katie Shelton by abeautifulmess.
Below is another great DIY from Design Sponge that shows you step by step how to create this ladder shoe rack from scratch!
Here some other cool styles of ladder shelves that you could purchase:
2. Crates Shoe Display
If you favor more rustic decorating styles, using wooden crates stacked on top of each is a popular idea for displaying your shoes and handbags. It’s very easy to put together and will cost you next to nothing!
If you choose to hang up your shoe crates, it will keep your floor space clear, and hopefully nice and tidy! Obviously everything is on display this way so you need to make an effort to keep things tidy!
You can find a TON of different crates on Wayfair right here!
3. Shoe Storage Cubbies
If you want to be organized but also show off your shoes, consider incorporating some stylish shoe storage cubbies into your space! These cubbies not only help keep your footwear collection tidy and accessible, but they also allow you to display your favorite pairs, adding a unique decorative touch to your room. Whether you have a few cherished shoes or an extensive collection, shoe cubbies can be customized to fit your needs and style preferences.
5. PVC Pipes
Using pieces of PVC pipes to store your shoes brings a fun, modern twist to your entrance.
This DIY from Home Stories A to Z provides an in-depth guide on how to make use of PVC pipes for shoe storage in a tasteful way. You can easily find PVC pipes for sale at places like your local home improvement store. If you don’t like the look of regular PVC pipes, or you find them in a color you don’t like, you can always cover them in a fabric or paper with a pattern you love!
This shoe storage idea could be really fun for a kid’s mudroom or a classroom.
6. Shoe Racks
Shoe racks are great for placing your most used 2 or 3 pairs of shoes somewhere accessible (like by your front door). It keeps them neat and tidy so that shoes are not being left straggling in a hallway or in some other random place. I like to keep all my other shoes in a closet or packed away (depending on the season). Make sure you don’t start cramming 19 pairs of shoes on a shoe rack and you’ll be golden!
I like these solid wood options:
7. Fabric shoe storage boxes
Fabric shoe storage boxes are a great way to keep your shoes organized and protected. Made from durable, breathable materials, they help keep your shoes fresh and odor-free. Many of these boxes come with clear windows or labels, so you can easily spot and grab your shoes. Plus, they’re lightweight and collapsible, making them a perfect space-saving option for any closet or storage area. And let’s not forget—they often come in fun patterns and colors! Whether you’re storing seasonal footwear or just keeping your everyday shoes in order, these boxes bring both function and style to your space.
8. Clear Cube Shoe Organizer
If you love clear organizers to see your stuff at a glance or want to stack your shoe storage to maximize space, then these cube shoe organizers are calling your name! They’re not just practical—they’re stylish too, giving your shoe collection a neat and tidy vibe. With their transparent design, finding your favorite pair is a breeze—no more rummaging through boxes! Plus, their modular design means you can mix and match to fit perfectly in your closet or room. Say goodbye to clutter and hello to organized bliss!
These transparent plastic boxes are also excellent for stacking your shoes in a nice, organized way. I love that with these you don’t need to take any boxes down to access your shoes.
9. Minimalist Wall Holder
This quick and easy shoe organizer DIY from Emily Henderson is a nice touch to your entrance while always keeping your favorite shoes at hand. This is perfect if you don’t want to invest too much time or money but bring out the most of your shoe collection.
Or, if you have a bunch more shoes than just 4 pairs (hello! 👋😅), check out this 18 pair wall mounted shoe rack:
10. Shoe Cabinets
If you are looking for a way to store your shoe setup no matter the season, definitely consider something like this flexible cabinet. It allows you to store winter boots, fall boots, sandals, a set of high-heels, sneakers… you name it! Here are a few of my favorites currently available over on Wayfair:
A very neat solution if you are single or perhaps a couple with not too many shoes.
If you’re stashing cash in the piggy bank to buy a shoe cabinet and want to make your own in the meantime, then check out this DIY from Shanty 2 Chic!
11. Display Cabinet
Display cabinets, generally used for plates or china etc, are a very elegant way showing off your shoe collection. You can find display cabinets pretty much anywhere.
Look at garage sales and thrift stores for really inexpensive display cabinets to store your shoes.
12. Corner Shoe Shelves
If you have a free corner that you don’t know what to do with, why not turn it into a neat-looking shoe storage! Makes sense in a tight entry way where every inch counts! You can use free floating shelves to mimic the idea in the picture below –
or you could use a corner bookshelf like this one, for a similar effect:
13. Revolving Shoe Display
Imagine a lazy susan for your shoes! You can easily rotate your shoe collection. How cool is that? It’s not just convenient, it adds a touch of class to your space too. Just look at how great the display above is, showing off each pair so nicely. Shoes have never looked better, and organizing them has never been so easy and stylish.
If you want to go all-in with a revolving display, this DIY from Great Home Ideas teaches you exactly how to build this from basic materials. It’s too complicated for me, but if you’re handy you could definitely try this!
14. Classic Hallway Bench
The hallway bench is a classic, and it’s undeniably beautiful! While it may seem unoriginal, a neatly kept bench with a small selection of shoes is really cozy in my opinion. You can go with hidden storage, like the picture below, or you could get a bench with open cubbies, like in the following picture.
Hidden Easy Access
Don’t want your shoes to be visible but still want to be able to access them in a flash when you’re leaving the house? Then you will love these easy access but out-of-sight shoe storage ideas!
15. Magic Shoe Cabinets
There are lots of options for these magical “flip” shoe cabinets that seem to hold more shoes than physically possible. I personally love the idea and really want one in our hallway for shoe storage and winter accessories.
Not only do they look nice in your hallway and hide a ton of your shoes, but they are also great space savers!
I’ve included some of my favorite flip down shoe cabinets below, just click on the images to shop!
16. Shoe Organizer Under Your Stairs
Ok this next one is very specific as it requires you to have a set of stairs in your entryway and it’s clearly custom built, so if you don’t have a spot like this – move on 🙂 But if you DO! Then please do me a favor and install one of these slide-out shoe organizers, it’s so fancy looking 🙂 And practical!
If you have some carpentry skills, I highly recommend this video from Neil Lovegrove detailing how you can make your own under the stairs shoe storage.
17. Over the door shoe storage
Using the inside part of your closet door is probably the best shoe storage solution around for keeping your shoes out of sight but readily accessible. Grab your jacket and a matching pair of shoes in 3 seconds!
18. Hanging Closet Shoe Storage
If using your closet door is not an option, you could hang other options directly inside your closet. For example this stackable hanging shoe organizer:
If you have boots you need to store, you could also try some nifty hanging boot clips:
Family Shoe Storage Solutions
If you have a family and your entrance is a constant shoe-mess, fret no further. Let’s deal with that right now 🙂 While many of the solutions above may serve you well as a family, I’ve included some special shoe storage ideas just for you as well!
As I mentioned at the beginning, I recommend each family member selecting 2-3 pairs of shoes which we will keep readily accessible. The rest of your shoes will go into more permanent storage until you need them. These can be kept in labeled boxes, large shoe organizers or anything you like.
The point is, we don’t want ALL our shoes in the hallway, which is why it’s great to limit your selection a little bit. You don’t need your winter boots in the hallway in July.
So let’s look at some of my favorite solutions for keeping your hallway nice and tidy!
19. Vintage Mail Sorter Shoe Storage
If you have a lot of shoes and really need them all accessible then you can repurpose a vintage mail sorter into a family shoe organizer. I realize that finding one of these pieces can be a challenge, so here is a DIY that will show you how to recreate this cool piece.
20. Labeled Pull-Out Shelves
Installing slim pull out drawers and putting each family member’s name on each is a handy way of keeping shoes out of sight and easily accessible for everyone.
Extra points for the use of the comic sans font😂
21. Peg Wall Hangers
Using a simple coat hanger to hang your shoes on is a simple yet effective idea. It’s easy to grab your shoes and put them back when you take them off.
Boots Storage
We already saw some boot clip hangers above, but if you have a lot of boots, these boot solutions will suit you perfectly. Boots are generally a pain to store along with your other shoes as they are such a different size.
If you are having trouble storing your boots, this section is for you!
Many of the shoe storage solutions above encompass both boots and shoes together, but here are a few tricks that are boots specific.
22. Boot Rack Stand
Keep your boots in order with these two sturdy white metal racks. They’re great for closets, mudrooms, entryways, or garages. With posts for tall and short boots, they help prevent creases and keep everything in shape. You can fit up to 12 pairs, making it super easy to keep your shoes tidy at home.
Using PVC pipes stuck onto a wooden platform would also work as a great boot rack! This simple boot storage DIY is easy to pull off and will only cost you a few dollars!
23. Boot Shaper Foam Rolls
Foam rolls (also known as pool noodles) can be used as boot shapers for cheap, they also keep your boots from falling. If you are keeping your boots on the floor or on your shoe rack this is a must-have!
Mudroom / Outside Shoe Storage
If things tend to get a little messy, consider setting up separate shoe storage intended for dirty days.
24. Outside Boot Hangers
Using pegs with a shelf above to protect from the weather is a fantastic solution if you want to keep your gumboots outside. This way you can just let them drip off without worrying about mud getting inside!
Luxury Shoe Storage Ideas
If you want a more luxurious feel and a very fancy display for your shoes, this section is for you. You will need to spend a bit more though 😐
25. Slanted Shelves With Mirror Backing
Gorgeous way of displaying your high heels.
For this shoe storage idea, we are looking at slanted shelves with a mirror behind and LED strips under each shelf to illuminate the shoes. This would actually be quite a straightforward DIY project if you have some tools on hand.
26. Stairs Drawers
Oh this is exciting! Similar to the under the stairs solution we saw earlier, this will probably … definitely… require you to hire a carpenter, but oh so beautiful and cool! Shoe drawers hidden underneath each stair step. Such a smart storage solution and use of space, too!
27. Backlit Shoe Compartments
This is another great design if you want to put those Manolos on display. To recreate this look, you need glass shelves mounted in front of frosted glass with a light behind it. Not for the faint of heart in terms of DIY but most definitely luxurious looking!
Have you figured out how you want to store your shoes? Which of these shoe storage ideas do you think would work best for you?
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This is such a smart solution for shoe storage! I have been looking for something to get ours more organized. I may have to try & recreate this. We are having our cabinets refinished this week so maybe once that project is complete haha!
Wow, 39 ideas. You are working really hard and very creative ideas indeed. Impressed with your collection of ideas. Please do not include me in your mailer list for I am going to visit your website regularly.