DIY Network

Organizing Shoes A professional organizer shares the best methods for organizing and storing shoes. From "Home Made Easy" episode DHME-117

Jessica Sabat, professional organizer, joins host Stephanie Lydecker and discusses the best methods to store and organize shoes to make access to them more simple and convenient.

advertisement

	Jessica shares great tips on storing and organizing your shoes.
	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

1. First, go through all your shoes and really figure out which pairs you wear and which you really don't need. Think style and function. Group your dress shoes by style and color. Continue with casual shoes and sport shoes.

2. Prioritize the shoes. First come the ones that you will wear this season, then the ones you will wear least this season, and finally the ones you don't expect to need at all this time of year.

3. Shoes are a big investment, so storing them properly will help them last longer. Shoe trees are great to use. Another idea is to stuff tissue paper in the toes of the shoes to keep the shoes from getting crushed. This is a great to do when you are traveling!

4. The out of season shoes can be stored several ways: in a single box (figure A) or a basket stored on a high closet shelf, or tucked in a less convenient corner of the closet—or even in the attic or basket.

5. The shoes that are "in" this season get stored with those you will wear the most being easiest to retrieve, and the more "occasional" shoes getting the "next best" spots.

6. Closet space issues are a huge concern for most of us. Utilize space under the bed if your closet is too small. Use large clear bins that can slide under the bed easily (figure B). You can also use a drawer from an old chest you are going to throw out or find at a yard sale to maximize storage space.

7. Think about using a small bookcase with adjustable shelving in your closet to store your shoes. This way you can customize your storage needs without having to purchase expensive closet organizers.

8. Short shelves can be for flats, slippers, and sandals, and taller shelves can be designated for boots and heels.

9. To keep everything in its place label the different shelves as a reminder of what goes where.

10. Keep shoes of similar style and color on the same shelves.

11. If you have the space, stack up your shoes in the boxes they came in. It will look more organized. Place a piece of cardboard in between each row of shoes to make it easier to slide the shoes out. Tape a picture of the shoes to the front of the box so you can locate what you are looking for instantly (figure C).

Tip: Donate any unwanted shoes to your local charity.

GUESTS :

Jessica Sabat
Professional Organizer
Website: www.optimumorganizing.com