Decorating Guides
Smart Storage Ideas for Shoe Hoarders
If your heels, flats, pumps and boots are taking over your life, restore order with these savvy storage hacks
Imelda Marcos has nothing on me, seriously. I swoon over shoes and their gorgeousness in every possible shape and heel height, and never fail to get a buzz from splashing out on a new pair (or two, or three, or four … whoops!). But whether you are drawn to bejewelled vintage heels or neon, light-as-air trainers, the challenge is clearly where to stash your purchases – as well as those belonging to the rest of the family. Check out these top ten storage hacks and make your home a shoe-happy haven…
2. Display cute footwear
This is possibly my favourite hack for keeping little ones’ sandals and sneakers off the bedroom floor – and it ingeniously rethinks a piece of furniture for a new purpose to boot. Seek out a vintage partitioned wall cupboard or set of cubbyholes and squeeze a teeny-weeny pair of shoes into each box. It’s wall art and wonderful storage in one!
This is possibly my favourite hack for keeping little ones’ sandals and sneakers off the bedroom floor – and it ingeniously rethinks a piece of furniture for a new purpose to boot. Seek out a vintage partitioned wall cupboard or set of cubbyholes and squeeze a teeny-weeny pair of shoes into each box. It’s wall art and wonderful storage in one!
3. Tidy up the hallway
Hallways tend to get clogged up with a mountain of kicked-off school shoes, trainers and pumps, making a serious mess of our entrances.
This straightforward solution requires investing in a slimline shoe storage unit (which you can pick up at lots of big retailers these days). Then tailor the unit to your space by having a cabinet built around it, with doors you can shut to hide the entire stash away from sight.
Get organised with more hallway clutter-busters
Hallways tend to get clogged up with a mountain of kicked-off school shoes, trainers and pumps, making a serious mess of our entrances.
This straightforward solution requires investing in a slimline shoe storage unit (which you can pick up at lots of big retailers these days). Then tailor the unit to your space by having a cabinet built around it, with doors you can shut to hide the entire stash away from sight.
Get organised with more hallway clutter-busters
4. Layer with shelves
Let’s face it, if you’re the proud owner of a prized collection of Jimmy Choos, Christian Louboutins and Manolo Blahniks, you’ll want an efficient and organised storage hub to neatly stock your investments.
This owner has more than 200 pairs of designer-label lovelies to her name (eat your heart out, SJP), so had a bespoke ‘shoe wall’ made specifically to accommodate the exact dimensions of her footwear.
For an easier and less expensive DIY solution, fit out an alcove or cupboard with rows and rows of white shelving and get those shoes off the floor.
Let’s face it, if you’re the proud owner of a prized collection of Jimmy Choos, Christian Louboutins and Manolo Blahniks, you’ll want an efficient and organised storage hub to neatly stock your investments.
This owner has more than 200 pairs of designer-label lovelies to her name (eat your heart out, SJP), so had a bespoke ‘shoe wall’ made specifically to accommodate the exact dimensions of her footwear.
For an easier and less expensive DIY solution, fit out an alcove or cupboard with rows and rows of white shelving and get those shoes off the floor.
5. Transform a cupboard
I love this idea for being straightforward and doing the job in hand so reliably well. A large linen closet or wardrobe has been overhauled into a huge shoe storage cabinet thanks to rows of slanted shelves, allowing enough space underneath for longer boots.
Sometimes it’s the simple ideas that work so incredibly well…
I love this idea for being straightforward and doing the job in hand so reliably well. A large linen closet or wardrobe has been overhauled into a huge shoe storage cabinet thanks to rows of slanted shelves, allowing enough space underneath for longer boots.
Sometimes it’s the simple ideas that work so incredibly well…
6. File them away
This is a tried-and-tested shoe hack, and one guaranteed to bring peace and harmony to a pile of unruly footwear.
Either use the box the shoes came in or splash out on matching, uniform boxes for an enhanced sense of file-it-away efficiency where no dust or dirt can ruin your precious purchases. Don’t forget to take a photo of the shoes inside so you don’t end up rummaging around, tearing open box after box (and being left with more mess than you started with!).
This is a tried-and-tested shoe hack, and one guaranteed to bring peace and harmony to a pile of unruly footwear.
Either use the box the shoes came in or splash out on matching, uniform boxes for an enhanced sense of file-it-away efficiency where no dust or dirt can ruin your precious purchases. Don’t forget to take a photo of the shoes inside so you don’t end up rummaging around, tearing open box after box (and being left with more mess than you started with!).
7. Clear it up
If labelling white cardboard boxes is too time-consuming, try stashing your sandals, plimsolls and power heels in clear acrylic boxes. That way you can see what’s in each box at a glance and your shoes are still protected from everyday dust and grime.
See-through plastic tubs are also easy to get hold of and come in a range of sizes to suit your needs.
If labelling white cardboard boxes is too time-consuming, try stashing your sandals, plimsolls and power heels in clear acrylic boxes. That way you can see what’s in each box at a glance and your shoes are still protected from everyday dust and grime.
See-through plastic tubs are also easy to get hold of and come in a range of sizes to suit your needs.
8. Fill a narrow gap
Skinny, underused wall spaces can be maxed out with special shoe holders, which allow you to display your collection with ease.
If you don’t have a walk-in closet, no worries – you can overhaul a redundant hallway space, an unused cupboard or understairs area just as well by taking the same tack (or should that be hack…).
Browse more inspirational walk-in wardrobes
Skinny, underused wall spaces can be maxed out with special shoe holders, which allow you to display your collection with ease.
If you don’t have a walk-in closet, no worries – you can overhaul a redundant hallway space, an unused cupboard or understairs area just as well by taking the same tack (or should that be hack…).
Browse more inspirational walk-in wardrobes
9. Make use of a rail
Long boots are notoriously difficult to store, as they can get bent and crumpled when shoehorned into a box or the bottom of a wardrobe.
This clever idea makes use of a simple, mid-height rail and a few sturdy metal hangers with clips for hanging up boots in perfect order. No more rummaging around for a matching pair with your prized footwear hanging neatly in twos ready for the taking.
Long boots are notoriously difficult to store, as they can get bent and crumpled when shoehorned into a box or the bottom of a wardrobe.
This clever idea makes use of a simple, mid-height rail and a few sturdy metal hangers with clips for hanging up boots in perfect order. No more rummaging around for a matching pair with your prized footwear hanging neatly in twos ready for the taking.
10. Disguise in a step
OK, so this storage hack needs to be built and installed from the outset – but once you’ve got it, you’ve got it for good. Pull-out stairs are a fabulous storage addition to any home – particularly a compact apartment – and can fit in an unbelievable amount of footwear for all the family.
Read more:
Extreme storage: ideas to store your shoes
Smart Storage Solutions for All Spaces
Tell us:
Do you have a savvy shoe storage hack to share? We’d love to see and hear your ideas in the Comments below.
OK, so this storage hack needs to be built and installed from the outset – but once you’ve got it, you’ve got it for good. Pull-out stairs are a fabulous storage addition to any home – particularly a compact apartment – and can fit in an unbelievable amount of footwear for all the family.
Read more:
Extreme storage: ideas to store your shoes
Smart Storage Solutions for All Spaces
Tell us:
Do you have a savvy shoe storage hack to share? We’d love to see and hear your ideas in the Comments below.
Your pretty vintage stilettos and colour-block heels are just too gorgeous to hide from view, don’t you think? So display your fabulous footwear for all to see.
This hack requires a few strips of moulding (painted ‘invisibly’ in the same colour as your wall) so you can hook on your heels for a dazzling display. And what better excuse for going out and buying some more shoes to add to your growing ‘installation’…?