Save Room On Your Floor: The Common Sense Shoe Storage Tip That Actually Works

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Shoe lovers, big families, and busy households know the frustration of coming home to a floor cluttered with shoes. In search of a solution, many have looked to buy expensive shelving units, make creative shoe racks from wood, or maximize shoe storage with a DIY solution. But sometimes, the answer isn't to add more stuff; it's looking at your shoes in a different way. If you're like many people, you store your shoes side by side in pairs. This might look tidy, but it's not efficient. Instead, consider using the heel-to-toe method. Rather than placing both shoes side by side with the toes facing forward, take one shoe and flip it backwards, then push the pair together. Because the front of the shoe is typically wider than the heel, alternating them allows you to press both shoes tighter together in a more even, rectangular shape.

This is an approach that organizing pros love. Professional organizer Cara Palmer told Homes and Gardens, "By turning one shoe to face forward and its partner to face backward, you can typically save 20-30% more space on your rack. This works especially well for sneakers and flats, which occupy the most horizontal space." High heels will also fit nicely together, since the raised heel of one shoe puzzles nicely over the toe of the other. Even if you don't have a shoe rack or shelf — or you've run out of space — you can still use the heel-to-toe method to gather up shoes on your floor. The best part about this DIY is that it doesn't require any new purchases. It's the best kind of hack: free, easy, and common sense.

This hack works for several shoe storage solutions. Shelves can either be perfectly flat or slightly slanted. For example, the heel-to-toe method would work with a basic VASSKÄR bamboo shoe rack from IKEA or this CHOEZON slanted shoe storage shelf. This also works wonders if you have built-in shelves in your closet dedicated to your shoe collection. However, where it won't make much of a difference is with any hanging shoe organizer that has pre-designated pockets or shoe shelves with a separate cubby for each pair of shoes. You can, however, reserve these units for your sandals, flats, slides, and other slim-profile shoes that can be stacked in multiples, pulling the boots and sneakers and organizing them heel-to-toe on the floor or their own shelf. Either way, it's a shoe storage solution worth trying!

To save as much space as possible, play with the shoes to make them fit next to each other perfectly. Try to use the "S" shape of each sole to nicely complement the other one. After you scoot all the shoes closer together, you'll likely find that you're able to fit an additional 1-2 pairs on each row using this method. If you run out of shoes to store, use the extra space for something else that's easy to grab and go, such as a pet leash, house slippers, or an umbrella. It's a great way to clear out anything else that may be cluttering your floor or entryway. Once all of that floor clutter is gone, it will make walking, mopping, and getting ready much easier.