If you’re tired of tripping over shoes every time you walk through your front door, you’re not alone. This can be especially infuriating when you have a small home and very few places to hide them, but these shoe storage ideas for small spaces can help to banish shoe clutter once and for all.
There are so many amazing shoe storage ideas out there, but not all of them work for small homes. With limited space at your disposal, buying a large shoe cabinet or bulky storage boxes will simply add more clutter to a house that already seems cluttered. Instead, you need to work on streamlining your storage… but how do you do that when you have a household’s worth of shoes to contend with?
To answer that question, I’ve consulted with the experts to find the best shoe storage ideas for small spaces. All of the options below will allow you to store your shoes neatly and efficiently in your small home without having to downsize your shoe collection.
1. Invest in a shoe storage cabinet
If you have a small space, adding another cabinet into the mix probably sounds like a recipe for disaster. However, the best shoe cabinets aren’t like a regular cabinet. It’s much thinner, which makes it a perfect shoe storage option for those with limited space.
Poppy Duffree, Founder and Director of Organised Interiors, says, ‘Purchase a slim shoe storage cabinet that doesn't intrude on walking space in your hallway. These clever units store shoes at an angle, allowing the unit to be up to half the depth of a standard shoe cabinet.’
Not only that, but the top shelf can also become a real feature in your small home. You could top it with fresh flowers, photo frames, candles, or a clutter bucket to help you organise your keys and paperwork.
This slimline shoe cabinet comes in two colourways and can hold up to six pairs of shoes wherever you need them.
While shoe cabinets can be ugly, this one looks boho-chic and sophisticated - but for a bargain price. It also has space for 18 pairs of shoes.
The beauty of this shoe cabinet is that it can be jazzed up to your requirements. Even with some paint and new handles, it's still extremely affordable.
2. Add more shelves
There are so many organising hacks to make a small home look bigger, and utilising wall space is one of them. And the beauty of shelves is that they come in so many different shapes and forms, allowing you to tailor your shelf choice to your space.
You could opt for floating or wall-mounted shelves to keep things clean and minimal, or use shelves on top of hanging coat hooks to add extra hallway storage in a smaller space. Alternatively, you could add even more storage to your wardrobes.
Yes, one of the things people with tidy wardrobes always have is extra shelf space, which you can add by using fabric shelf organisers or inserts. These shelf inserts can be bought cheaply and installed relatively easily, and are a great option for those who want to store their shoes out of the way.
This shelf can be attached to any wall or door, instantly adding shoe storage space if you don't want them on the floor.
This handy shoe storage organiser can be hung inside your wardrobe to add extra shelves where there are none.
These wall-mounted racks can each hold 3-4 pairs, so it's perfect for larger homes that need to keep their floors free from family shoes.
3. Use an over-the-door shoe rack
If you want to be like people with consistently tidy hallways, it’s essential that you make use of vertical space. In fact, the inside of your doors can very quickly and easily store dozens of your shoes in any room of the house - including hallways and bedrooms.
There are two different types of over-the-door shoe racks, and it’s down to you whether you’d rather have an actual rack or a fabric organiser. Both will keep your shoes neat and tidy and out of the way when you’re working with a small space.
Of course, these over-the-door shoe racks aren’t the most attractive things in the world - so you might want to consider hanging them on the inside of doors and rooms that you don’t use on a regular basis. Like me, our Editor-in-Chief, Heather, popped hers on the back of her downstairs toilet so it’s readily available but doesn’t encroach on her actual living space.
This cheap and cheerful over-the-door shoe rack may not be the most attractive, but it's still very practical for shoe storage.
This non-slip metal organiser can hold a whopping 24 pairs of shoes, and it would be ideal on the back of a downstairs loo or bedroom door.
This sturdier option comes with 11 pockets for your shoes, and even has a larger section at the bottom for bigger shoes.
4. Choose modular shoe boxes
No, we’re not talking about the old cardboard shoe boxes you continue to hoard ‘just in case’ you need to take them back to the shoe shop months after you’ve bought them. In fact, you should definitely add getting rid of those shoe boxes to your decluttering checklist.
What we love about modular shoe boxes is that they can be tailored and built to your specific space. All of the boxes lock together, but they’re also completely separate entities. This means that you can build them in a way that makes sense in the space you’re working with.
Jonathan Clark, Space Saving Expert and Creative Director at Shelved, comments, ‘Shoe storage needs to be functional and accessible so that it can complement your lifestyle for when you leave the home and for when you come back. Modular storage systems are designed with flexibility in mind, they’ll allow you to adapt and customise the storage configuration to suit your specific needs.'
'For example, you can adjust the number of compartments or shelves, allowing you to categorise your shoe collection. You could also put the shoes you use the most on the top shelf so it’s easier for you to access.’
These stackable boxes really can be put anywhere, and they're big enough to store shoes up to size 12.
This pack comes with 12 boxes, which can be stacked however you see fit. They'll also protect your shoes in the process.
The beauty of this shoe-box system is that you can customise and expand it to suit your needs. Simply configure it in a way that works for you.
5. Store them under the bed
While there are many things you shouldn’t store under a bed, that dead space under your bed can be a great small-space shoe storage solution - as long as they’re not leather.
Interiors Expert Stephany Aubrey from Zinus comments, ‘Under-bed storage (when organised neatly) can be a great place to store shoes. We recommend utilising an ottoman bed or boxes to put away shoes which won’t be needed for a few months. This way, they are neatly out of sight and safe from damage whilst keeping the rest of your home clutter-free.’
There are so many under-bed shoe storage options out there, from fabric under-bed organisers to hard plastic containers with rolling wheels. And while you probably won’t see them, it’s still a good idea to decide which type you want before you buy.
Each of these boxes has 10 compartments for your shoes, so you can still keep them tidy when they're under your bed.
With foldable lids and wheels, this pack of 3 is made for quickly and efficiently getting your shoes out from under the bed.
These organisers have clear, zippable lids, so you don't have to rummage around for ages trying to find the shoes you need.
FAQs
How do you organise shoes in a small space?
The best way to organise shoes in a small space is to invest in space-saving storage solutions that will work with your home rather than against it.
Using modular storage boxes allows you to build and tailor the finished piece of furniture to your room, and over-the-door shoe organisers allow you to make use of unused space.
When you have limited floor space, you should also do everything you can to maximise vertical space, which you can do by using extra shelving or hanging shoe organisers in your closet.
How do you store shoes when you have no space?
Sometimes many people overlook storage space in their homes, which can lead to shoes sitting on the floor and getting in the way. But it’s important to think outside of the box when it comes to storing shoes when you think you have no space.
Think about all of the empty areas of your home, from under your bed to your bare walls and the corners of your rooms. Then, find shoe storage solutions that will fit into these spaces.
So, how will you be storing your shoes?
