11 Best Ways To Store Shoes In A Walk-In Closet For A Clutter-Free Space

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If you've been scrolling online and drooling over snaps of joyfully organized walk-in closets, you may have decided it's time to de-clutter yours. And if there's one thing that's likely to spoil that organized aesthetic, it's several pairs of shoes strewn across the floor. The thing is, shoes rarely play nicely with the other items inside your closet. They come in so many different shapes and sizes, for starters, which means there's rarely a one size fits all approach to organizing them. Not only that, but if you're the sort of person who likes to have a shoe for every occasion, they can very quickly pile up.

Not to worry, though. In this guide, we're going to help you find a better solution for shoe storage in your walk-in closet. There are some nifty DIY projects, like recessing some shelves between the studs of your space. Alternatively, if you need ways to keep your closet organized without custom shelving, there are plenty of those, too. From freestanding cube storage units to stackable shoe boxes and shelf risers, if it's time you gave your closet clutter the boot, you're sure to find a way to restore order in the sections below.

Specifying what your walk-in closet needs for the ultimate storage and organization depends on several factors. It depends on the space available to you, for starters, as smaller closets are naturally more restrictive on what you can do with them. However, if you have the space — perhaps an unused corner, or a wall where vertical space is going to waste — then some floor-to-ceiling shelves are worth considering. Each of those shelves provides an excellent resting place for your favorite shoes. As for how to do it, you can easily build your own shelves, which will allow you to customize them to fit your space down to the last inch. Alternatively, you can also buy adjustable shelving units, like Trinity's 5-tier Wire Shelving Rack, which is among the most-recommended space-saving storage shelves at Costco. Units like this allow you to set different shelf heights, which in turn makes them excellent for taller pairs, like boots.

The point with this trick is maximizing your vertical space. With the right set of shelves, you can add a surprising amount of storage, while soaking up very little floor space. Once they're in, you can then capitalize on your storage by keeping everyday pairs within easy reach, perhaps on the middle shelves. Reserve the highest tiers for more occasional or dressy shoes, and consider using the bottom — maybe paired with storage boxes — as a place to keep out-of-season shoes.

Now, this tip is a little more involved, and it requires a little more space for the storage to work effectively. But if you have room, and you're not yet using it to its full potential, then installing a rotating shoe rack can solve two problems at once. This Rotating Shoe Rack from JWB Closet Hardware, for example, fits into one of your existing closet cupboards. Once installed, it looks like a regular set of slanted shelves. But if you go ahead and spin it, you'll see that there's actually a twin-set of shelves on the rear side, effectively doubling your shoe storage with the same amount of space as a regular set of shelves.

Depending on the product you choose, you may have to have it custom made to fit your closet or cupboard. Indeed, head over to the JWB website, and you can't actually buy it — you have to request a quote. With that being said, you could always DIY your own spinning shoe rack, or if you'd prefer to buy one that's readymade, there are plenty of similar products available elsewhere. This 7-tier Rotating Shoe Rack Tower from SpaceAid is ideal for slotting into a corner or a cupboard (if you have one), and rotates 360 degrees to reveal 28 divided shelves.

If you're not afraid to get your hands dirty with a spot of DIY, then this idea may well be for you. One of the best ways to maximize storage space in small homes and storage areas is to recess storage into the wall. It typically involves cutting a section of the wall away to reveal the space between the studs — and it's there that you'll want to add your pull-out drawers. In fact, you could add any kind of storage there, from pull-out drawers, to a set of recessed shelves. The reason we like the idea of drawers is that, once they're pushed away, your shoes will be completely hidden, thus solving your current clutter conundrum.

Once you've removed your drywall and opened up the space, you'll need to decide just how much of the job you want to do yourself. If you're up for building a frame, you could use something like these Pull-Out Cabinet Drawers from Draworia, which can be sourced in various sizes depending on the space you need to fit. Alternatively, you could buy (or even thrift) an existing drawer chest and fit that between your studs. Either way, you'll have a custom, built-in storage solution that keeps your favorite footwear hidden when it's not needed.

There are plenty of innovative ways to use storage cube organizers around the house. In the entryway and the closet, they provide an excellent hidden spot (or, indeed, several hidden spots) for your shoes. And there are various ways that you can incorporate them. For example, if you have overhead shelves in your walk-in closet, you can add one or two cube organizers to those shelves to lend a sense of order to an otherwise hard-to-organize space. Alternatively, if you have floor space, you could run a larger unit along one wall.

Now, as for which cube organizer you use, it really depends on how many shoes you need to de-clutter, and how much room you have to play with. For optimum versatility, look for one with a modular build, which will allow you to customize the storage to fit your space. These can be found in abundance on Amazon, including this 16-cube Storage Organizer from C&AHome. You can organize these in a staggered shape, with each "step" providing a handy shelf for taller pairs, and the cubes beneath providing space for your regular-sized shoes. Or you can install them as a single four-by-four unit. As an alternative, if you only have a few pairs to deal with, why not find a shoe storage bench with cube organizers built into the bottom? This cushioned Shoe Bench from VASAGLE has 15 cube compartments beneath the seat — giving you ample shoe storage, plus a place to sit and put them on.

If your closet is already replete with shelves and cabinets, and you simply need a better way to organize them, worry not. You don't actually need custom storage or brand-new flat-pack furniture in order to make your shoes behave themselves. Instead, if you have some shelves going spare (or currently overflowing with disorganized footwear), consider adding some shelf risers. These effectively double the amount of storage space per shelf, with shoes sitting on the riser shelf, as well as slotting in the gap beneath.

Shelf risers are suitable in just about any closet with existing shelves. They're especially useful in smaller closets where you need to capitalize on every available square inch. And they come in a variety of sizes and styles. Some, like this Expandable Shoe Rack from Yagizaai, can be expanded as you need them — great for ensuring a proper fit, or for accommodating a growing shoe collection. Finally, even if you'd prefer to forgo spending altogether, you can always make a DIY wood shelf riser with a few very basic materials.

If you haven't already considered them, then another useful way to make the most of your existing space is to use storage boxes. Yes, it's simple, but that's the point. Provided that you buy stackable boxes, they needn't take up any more floor space than, say, a set of shelves or a cube organizer. They're also great for adding a semblance of order to shelves that are otherwise overrun with shoes.

The trick to making this storage genuinely useful lies in the kind of boxes you buy. You can go and buy any old plastic storage bins, fill them with shoes, and stack them. But if you then need to access a pair that's in the bottom box, you'll have to unstack everything just to get what you need. Instead, look for boxes that have front opening lids. These Stackable Shoe Storage Boxes from Attelite, for example, are made from clear plastic, which makes it easy to identify a specific pair when you need it. They have small holes, which allow your shoes to breathe, and the front panels pull down for access, meaning no unstacking when you're in a rush to get out of the door.

This one is for those who maintain a strict one-in, one-out shoe policy. In other words, it's better reserved for smaller collections, especially those with fancy, dressy shoes that you want to display while keeping them organized. Shoe stackers are essentially individual platforms, or miniature risers, designed to store a single pair vertically. One shoe sits on the top tier, the other on the bottom, and they're ideal for maximizing space on your shelves.

Again, they come in various styles. For example, if you want to display your finest footwear on a golden metal platform, then that's entirely possible. You can equally find them in black, silver, or even rose-gold colors, depending on the style that best suits your shoe collection. Alternatively, if you're happy to settle for a more utilitarian (and, perhaps, more cost-effective) option, you can buy sets of clear plastic stackers. These Shoe Slots Organizers from WMBOOX, for example, come in packs of 15 for under $40, and are ideal for both regular flat-soled shoes as well as heels.

One area in the walk-in closet that's often overlooked for storage is the door. It's the same around the rest of the house. And yet, between them, our doors provide a surprising amount of square footage for keeping our most clutter-prone items contained. For this reason, we think it's important to suggest an over-the-door organizer, for those who have yet to hear of these clever contraptions. In fact, there are loads of smart ways to use an over-the-door organizer around the house, from storing craft supplies to alleviating the burden on your cleaning cupboard. But in your walk-in closet, one of the best uses for an organizer like this is to de-clutter your shoes.

Depending on your storage needs, you can buy over-the-door organizers in various styles, sizes, and materials. Some are designed for out-and-out footwear storage, like this 12 Tier Hanging Shoe Organizer from Whitmor. This particular product can accommodate up to 36 pairs of shoes, which ought to be enough to cover the needs of even the most shoe-centric fashionista. Others, like this Over-the-Door Shoe Organizer from FENTEC, are designed for more than just shoes. It has pockets of different sizes, which makes it handy for footwear, as well as other accessories, like purses, hats, and more.

We know. We said only a few sections ago that standard storage bins were a bad idea as far as quick and easy access is concerned. However, if you have shoes for every season, then it could actually make sense. In the middle of summer, when you're making the most of open toes and comfy, casual flats, your waterproof boots won't be needed. With a few plastic bins, you can easily rotate your seasonal shoes, so that only those you're likely to need now are on display. The rest can be stored safely inside the bin and tucked away when the mercury starts to spike.

The key to making bins work for you is two-fold. First, try to find a storage bin that allows your shoes to breathe. If you don't, they risk festering in the dark until next season. If that happens, not only will they likely be smelly, but they could also be covered in mold. Breathable shoe storage needn't be fancy or expensive. This 8-pack of breathable Plastic Storage Baskets from Ohmlove, for example, costs $28.99. You can also buy breathable fabric boxes, if those are more your style. Second, you'll want to find a space to store the boxes that doesn't impede on your walk-in closet's floor space. If you have some shelf space going spare, you could use that. Alternatively, you could always slide the bins on the floor beneath your hanging clothes. Provided that they're not getting in the way and tripping you up whenever you're fumbling in the closet for flip-flips, that's all that really matters.

In closets where the shelves are ocupado, and where you'd prefer to avoid carving out a section of wall, you may still have some wall space that's going unchallenged in your fight to combat shoe clutter. If so, you could always install a boot rack. These are ideal for larger, clunkier pieces of footwear that are tricky to store in cubes or on risers. They're also great for keeping any dirtied soles clear of your floor or shelves, and for air-drying boots after those long winter walks.

Fitted to the wall much like a hook rail, these racks feature elongated metal loops that stick out from the wall. Once installed, you then slot your boots between the loops, sole facing upwards. They're widely available on Amazon, with products like this Wader Boot Hanger from Zacurter fetching $24.99 for a set of two and storing four pairs of boots. Alternatively, if floor space isn't a problem, you can buy floor-mounted versions, like this Boot Rack Organizer from Housen Solutions, which has vertical metal rods to support your shoes.

Another place in the closet that's often overlooked as far as shoe storage is concerned is your clothes rail. However, like over-the-door organizers, you can actually buy specialized boot hangers that are designed to hang alongside your clothes. Such products are ideal for larger footwear that's tricky to store with other ideas in this guide, like stackers, risers, or cubes. In fact, depending on which one you decide to buy, they can be used for just about any type of shoe you need to store.

As an example, for larger boots, you may decide to buy something like these Double Adjustable Boot Hangers from SUNTRADE. Fitted with a standard hanger hook, plus a sturdy clip, you simply clip on your boots and then hang them from your rail. Alternatively, if you need to make space on your rail for multiple pairs, you can buy hanging organizers with multiple pockets. This Hanging Shoe Organizer from the Handy Laundry Store is a good example, offering storage pockets for up to seven pairs.