Upgrade Your Shoe Storage With An Idea Inspired By Basketball Player Dwayne Wade's Closet

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Dwayne Wade knows shoes. The retired basketball legend not only owns a pretty collection, but he's also been in charge of a very successful sneaker line, Way of Wade, under the popular Li-Ning sportswear brand, for over a decade now. This level of passion demands a shoe closet system that can rise to the occasion, highlighting each piece's unique design without ever overlooking preservation and organization. That's exactly what Joanna Teplin and Clea Shearer, known by their decluttering and organization team name The Home Edit, did for the ex-player back in 2019 when they revitalized his display.

The duo chose to color code Wade's many sneakers, stacking them out in the open, in rainbow formation, on vertical shelves that took up the full length of his closet's walls. They shared their enthusiasm for the task in an Instagram post shared at the time, "We spent last week organizing @dwyanewade's house, and his sneaker collection might be our favorite project of all time." While not everyone will own as many pairs of shoes or, indeed, have as much space to show them off, Teplin and Shearer's method provides valuable tips for organizing all of your shoes in a way that is both functional and beautiful.

To adopt the shoe organization system that The Home Edit developed for Dwayne Wade, it's important to understand the importance of color coding and open displays. For starters, both of these methods have clear aesthetic advantages. If you're proud of your collection and share the sportsman's passion for beautiful shoes, displaying them on open shelves allows you to show them off and admire them. Similarly, by organizing them in color groups, you're basically creating a work of art. 

However, as important as appearances are in home organization, function is still its most important goal. Categorizing your shoes by color and bringing them out of closed boxes will make it easier to take stock of what you already have, what you no longer need, and what you're missing. If you need a red shoe, you'll know exactly where to look; but, if once you've put all your red shoes together, you notice you have one pair too many, you'll know not to grab the model that catches your eye next time you go shopping.

Additionally, to maximize storage space in small places, an open display is the perfect chance to declutter. Firstly, you'll feel motivated to part ways with shoes that look too worn. Secondly, you'll prioritize the shoes that you most frequently wear. Those that you don't wear at all, even if they look brand new, should go in a donation or resale box. Those that you only wear once a year for specific purposes can go in a container in the back of the closet or the garage. No less important, open shelves promote ventilation, preventing mold growth and moisture damage in your footwear. 

Now that you know the benefits of this system, it's time to implement and optimize it. When it comes to organizing your shoes by color, there are two ways to go about it. Either start by sorting them into types and then into colors within each type or by grouping them by color and then arranging them by type. The first method prioritizes type and creates a small rainbow within each group, while the second prioritizes color, creating an all-encompassing rainbow, but separating shoes that are of the same type but of different colors. Decide whether it's more important for you to quickly find all your pink shoes or all your boots in the same place.

As for enhancing the open display, The Home Edit used slanted slots, like the Neprock shoe slots organizer. These are a genius shoe storage idea that is a game-changer for small closets. They make the most of vertical space and preserve the footwear by securely and neatly stacking each half of the pair on top of one another, without touching, instead of loosely placing them side by side, where they can tumble or rub against each other. Plus, they can be adjusted to fit varying shapes and sizes of shoes. 

Finally, increase visibility by installing shelf lights. Not only will your shoes be clearer to you when you need to find a specific pair, but they'll also shine brighter when you're giving your friends and family the tour of your new and improved Dwayne Wade-inspired shoe closet.