Shoe Organization
OhMyGod, Shoes. Shoes Shoes Shoes. They're comfortable, uncomfortable, practical, impractical, seasonal, occasion-specific, and fun to collect. You may have a vast collection of shoes in all sorts of colors and shapes. If Imelda Marcos is your hero then we really have something to talk about. So how can we keep these thangs in order? Shoe organization obviously varies from case to case depending on what you've got shoe-wise and storage-wise. And wise-wise? But I will provide you with some help to keep you trekkin'. Get it?
For starters, keep your shoes off the ground. They collect and trap lots of dust and this can ruin the shoe and create a hard-to-clean situation. We never want one of those. If you store your shoes in your closet, get a shoe rack. Don't be scared to use up all the empty space and get a LARGE (enlarged to show detail) shoe rack. If you can spare some hanging room, a hanging shoe organizer is great (I, personally, have one). These only hold about ten shoes though so you'll probably need it in addition to another unit. After all, you hoard shoes. Another potential plan is building a shelf up top in your closet. This is great for storing the out-of-season shoes (boots or summer shoes, if I may) that you don't necessarily need immediate access to. If you have a clear collection of shoes that you don't always want to look at, under the bed storage works well too. But again, keep in mind the dust factor and make sure that they're stored in a container or canvas organizer.
Now, I must acknowledge those that like to keep their shoes in the shoeboxes. You are pariahs. I respect you. But keeping your shoes in the boxes definitely takes up more space so you should really consider why you're doing it. Here again, shelves are a good means of storage. Try to keep the boxes together as opposed to scattered throughout the room. This will keep things making sense and you won't have to go on a scavenger hunt every time you have a wedding.
There's one more option that I'd like to throw out there. I've seen it before and I dig it. If you have the space and a nice shoe collection that you wouldn't mind showing off, you can store them like books in a common space. I know. This sounds crazy. But if you buy a simple bookcase, or attractive shelving unit, your nicer shoes can become a site to see. Again, case-specific so make sure you're an appropriate candidate for shoe art.
You got this. Go make a change for yourself. I did when I bought these fancy new shoes today. Available in a store near you:
