The Forgotten Space You're Neglecting For The Ultimate Shoe Storage

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Let's face it: You most likely have a pile of shoes sitting next to your front door right now. Or, maybe they're hiding at the bottom of your closet. No shoe shaming here — we all need multiple pairs for different facets of our lives. The problem is when shoes start taking over other parts of the home. Storing them in your closet gets them out of the way, but are you really going to take your shoes off after a long day at work and walk them all the way up to your room? Not likely. Not to mention, how tidy is it really if pairs and pairs of shoes are covering every available inch of your closet floor? That's why it's time to use the space you've been neglecting for shoe storage — your vertical space. Vertical organizers make it easy to clear floors and keep everything in its place.

Every member of your family most likely has at least three pairs of shoes — some for everyday wear, rain boots, slippers, fancy dress shoes, school shoes, and winter boots. A rolling shelving unit can help maximize closet space, but for the pairs you need regular access to, vertical organizers shine. A simple over-the-door or wall-mounted option can transform the daily chaos and cut down on shoe clutter in every room of your home. For instance, hanging one in your entry closet helps corral shoes that the whole family uses regularly in one location, making mornings easier when you're trying to get everybody out the door.

The real beauty of a vertical shoe rack lies in its versatility. You can tuck one in a narrow closet, hide it behind a bedroom door (as in the case of the Gorilla Grip Over-the-Door Shoe Organizer), or even mount it on the wall if you choose something like the Elfa Utility Shoe Wall-Mounted Rack from the Container Store. There are even options that hang from closet rods — opening up even more storage area. And if you're worried about shoe odor, most come with mesh pockets or an open metal frame for ample airflow. There are also plenty of ways to keep your shoe storage cabinet fresh that you can utilize with your hanging shoe organizer, using just a few ingredients from your pantry.

By adding a vertical shoe organizer in a place like your entryway closet, you can save your closet floor from shoegeddon and turn the area into a beautiful, functional storage space for everything else. It's also a great way to help kids become more responsible for their belongings — just label each pocket for every member of your household. With any luck, using this storage system in your entryway will put an end to the eternal question, "Where are your shoes?" And maybe, just maybe, you won't be late to work or getting the kids off to school ever again. Well, if you are, it won't be because you can't find everyone's shoes.