Ever since I was little, shoes have always been my weakness. Sure I fall into the routine of rewearing my favorites again and again, but I believe a girl can never have too many shoes. There’s nothing that makes an outfit feel more complete like a fabulous pair of heels, so the first thing I’ll always splurge on is a new pair of shoes. That being said, keeping my shoes organized is essential to keeping a clean closet!
When I moved into my house, the one space I was most excited to organize was my closet, because nothing makes me feel more out of sorts than a messy closet!
I’ve learned the key to keeping a clean house is to make sure every space is organized efficiently. If everything has a “place”, you can’t make a mess. Organizing has weirdly become one of my favorite activities and brings me so much joy, so I’m excited to share 7 easy tips on how to organize your shoes too!
SHOP MY LOOK:
Sweater // Chain Necklace // Hoop Earrings // Sneakers // Jeans // Lipstick // Diamond Necklace
1. Get Rid Of Shoes You No Longer Wear
The first step to organizing your shoes is to take inventory of everything you own. I had bins and bags of shoes hiding in every closet and corner when we first moved in, so I piled all of my shoes in the living room and organized pairs by color and style – this took hours but it was so worth it. By categorizing and color-coding, it’s easy to see if you have duplicate styles, pairs that have wear and tear, or shoes that have gone out of style that way you only keep what you need. Remember, sometimes less is more.
Get rid of the shoes you no longer wear. If you haven’t worn them in a year and you don’t feel sentimental towards them, donate or sell them. I think I cut out about 50% of my shoes when I did this due to duplicates, styles I didn’t wear, or old favorites that couldn’t be salvaged. Not only does this keep your closet filled with things that you actually wear and brings you joy, it also allows for guilt-free shopping for new shoes! ;)
DESIGNER FAVORITES:
2. Utilize Shelves To Keep Shoes Off The Floor
A great closet layout is a huge bonus when it comes to organization, and I love the deep wall of shelves in mine! Since it’s deep, I can store two rows of shoes on each shelf which doubles the amount of space. If your closet doesn’t have shelves, these IKEA Billy bookcases are amazing to add – and I highly recommend adding doors or pretty handles if you choose to use them in a room or cloffice like I used in my last home here!
For more shelf options, check out these below:
3. Use Clear Stackable Shoe Boxes To Keep Everything Organized
In addition to shelving, I swear by these Container Store shoe boxes! I bought all of them over 10 years ago, and they are still in fabulous condition – even after 13 moves! What I love about these boxes are the front-opening doors that allow you to access shoes without having to rearrange storage boxes like this kind, and the stacking capability keeps them from toppling over or moving. They’re super sturdy and come in two sizes, and I purchased the smaller size which fit my heels and sneakers perfectly.
While I have used shoe racks in the past, I have found they tend to feel messy with heels and they don’t hold as many pairs as these boxes. Also, since they are clear, closed, and stackable, I can stack them under a clothing rack without dresses knocking shoes over, alongside my shoe shelf for sneakers, and on top of high shelves to maximize space. I highly recommend these, and I know you will love them too!
4. Store Boots On The Top Shelves Of Your Closet
Most closets have a shelf over the hanging area which is awesome for extra storage. However, since it’s usually harder to reach, I like storing booties and boots up there since I don’t wear them as often as heels and they don’t fit in my shoe boxes. However, if you need additional shoe storage, this is another great place to stack shoe boxes – just keep a step-stool on hand!
FAVORITE FALL BOOTIES:
5. Color-Coordinate Your Shoes And Keep Similar Styles Together
In my opinion, a color-coordinated closet is a happy closet. If it’s not color categorized, digging for a specific dress would take so much longer if it was lost amongst a sea of colors! While I don’t store all of my shoes by color, I like to keep them organized by type: booties, boots, sneakers, designer heels, casual heels, etc. Not only does it make dressing easier, it helps me know what types of shoes I have excess of and what I need – plus the sizing and height combinations are more aesthetically pleasing!
SHOP MY SNEAKERS:
6. Store Shoes You Don’t Wear As Often In Labeled Bins In Accessible Spaces
While I LOVE my closet, it is a bit smaller than what I need. In contrast, we have SO much bathroom storage and super deep cabinets that no amount of beauty products could ever fill – so I turned half of them into my second closet. I purchased a bunch of these clear storage bins to store sandals and sneakers I don’t wear as often, and they are so easy to access but also keep my closet from feeling cluttered. Whether I want to trade out my running shoes with a different pair (which let’s be real, haven’t gotten much use lately) or pull out different sandals for vacay, keeping them in an accessible space makes this easy!
In addition, if you have storage space under your bed, these under bed storage containers are also amazing for storing sandals or sneakers discreetly!
7. Store Winter Boots In Labeled Storage Containers In The Garage
While I keep a handful of boots and booties in my closet that I could wear year round, I store most of my boots in the garage and pull them out when the temperatures drop in Dallas. Also, I keep all of my “themed boots” (aka cowboy boots, snow/moon boots, grunge boots, etc) in these storage containers as well, so I can access them when needed – but I don’t clutter my closet with shoes I wear only on occasion.
Tip for storage bins: purchase this label maker. It has made my life SO much more organized and I label literally everything in my house! Best purchase ever.
I hope these tips help you create an organized and aesthetically pleasing closet! If you have any favorite organizing tips, share them in the comments below!
