Shoe Drawers Vs Shoe Racks: Which Are Better For Organizing?

Do you feel like your closet space is overflowing with shoes that seem impossible to organize? You're not alone. In fact, it's believed that the average U.S. household has between six and 12 pairs of shoes per person. On the low end, that's still two dozen pairs of shoes for a family of four that you need to store and rotate between seasons. Storage options, such as shoe drawers and shoe racks, are vast, but each comes with its own set of pros and cons that are unique to each household. Generally, shoe drawers are ideal for maximizing vertical space and keeping things out of sight, while shoe racks are great for organizing but keeping footwear easy to access. 

Determining which DIY storage to organize your shoe closet will work best for your space requires comparing the benefits of each method against your overall goals. Do you need something that will take those off-season boots and tuck them away, or do you need the shoes to be easy to grab and put on for busy mornings? It's also important to consider how customizable you need the storage to be. Some variations may be better for incorporating dividers or adjusting the shelf size, so knowing your overall organization goals will simplify the process of choosing between drawers and racks for your shoes.

Diving into setting up a DIY budget-friendly shoe drawer for storage means understanding the logistics of this option. To start, shoe drawers completely enclose your footwear, whether you choose a freestanding cabinet with drawers, plastic shoe drawers, or drawers built into a custom closet. Some drawers are accessed horizontally, similar to a dresser, while others have a drop-front design. You can also find shoe cabinets with flat shelves on tracks rather than a pull or tilt-out element. With this comes one of the major advantages of choosing a drawer system for organization: protecting the shoes from elements like dust and sunlight. If you use low-profile individual drawers, you can place them under your bed or on closet shelves, helping to maintain floor space. Some individual shoe drawers are stackable, which allows you to build a vertical display that's customized to your space.

However, shoe drawers might not be the best organization hack for certain types of environments. For example, closed storage drawers lack the ventilation offered with an open concept rack. This lack of airflow to the shoes can lead to unpleasant odors forming from the excess moisture buildup, especially in hot and humid climates. Another downside of choosing a drawer unit is that you won't be able to have your shoe collection on display. While this is not a con for everyone, those who like to admire their shoes or want to make it easy to see every pair might not like having to dig through drawers to do so. That lack of visibility could slow you down when you're looking for a specific pair of shoes in a hurry.

Shoe racks differ from drawers in that they are structures with open shelving for organization. While standard cube-style shoe racks might be one of the first that come to mind when weighing your options, an advantage of choosing this shoe storage method is the sheer number of variants available. Floor units are straightforward, but there are also wall-mounted shoe racks for those with limited square footage and stackable racks for homes with a large number of shoes. You can even find shoe racks with custom sections that are designed to fit in quirky spaces like under a staircase. The variety of shoe racks and different features available make them ideal for homes where utilizing unused space is needed. Another bonus? Having adjustable shelf space on your rack will allow you to store items like tall boots with ease.

Even with the different types of shoe racks on the market, there are some cons to keep in mind. Shoe racks might keep everything organized, but they won't eliminate visual clutter. The open-concept design of these racks means anything stored on them is quick to access but on full display for anyone to see. If eliminating clutter is a top concern, hidden drawers might be a better fit for your goals. Regardless of which method you choose for your home's shoe collection, taking the time to weigh the pros and cons of each option and being sure to avoid some of the mistakes everyone makes when organizing closets will simplify the storage process overall.