Shoes, shoes, glorious shoes, who doesn’t love shoes!??!?  I don’t know if you remember the movie “Overboard” or something like that with Goldie Hawn in it but she had the best shoe closet ever built on that boat that I have ever seen!!!  Now unless you have live in a mansion or have a separate shoe closet away from your clothes you are like everyone else out there trying to make more room for more shoes without getting rid of any shoes!!!  I know you….I am exactly the same way!!  I keep hoping somehow my shoes will fit on the shelves and shoe racks I have without it being too obvious that I have WAY too many shoes.  But can we really ever have too many shoes…NO!!!  That would be ridiculous, we just need to find a better storage solution!  We are definitely NOT clearing the clutter this time!!

So lets make this simple, find all of your shoes…check under the bed, behind the sofa, in the garage, in your children’s closets, and don’t forget your husband’s side of the closet.  Make sure you have all matches, sometimes but not every time we have a lonely shoe because the dog ate the other shoe.  If that is the case, please have a proper burial service for the remaining shoe.  He cannot go on with out his partner.

I realize we LOVE, LOVE all of our shoes but if there are some shoes that might be a little out of style…you know which ones I am talking about.  The 1980’s are calling they want their shoes back!!  And if you have those ugly mud kicking boots still around that you haven’t worn since you were on your uncle’s farm twenty years ago, now would be the time to retire them as well.

Now you have all the “real” love, love shoes left!!!!

Try to determine which shoes are obviously seasonal shoes.  Take the shoes that are not going to be used for this season, and place each pair in a shoe box or a tote for storing.  Now if you really want to get fancy, you can take a picture of the shoe and tape it to the front of the box so you know what is in the box or we can safely assume you know what you have and where it is at all times, right?

I have tried several shoe organizers and all work well but you have to find what works best for you and your closet.  I like over the door shoe hangers for flip flops or flats, nothing heavy or bulky. If you have shelves place the shoes on them toe, heel…this give you an extra pair per shelf!!! When placing your shoes in the organizer, place the shoes you use most frequently at the most accessible spot. Place the shoes you use less frequently at the least convenient spot.

Some people like to sort by type of shoe: flip flops, tennis shoes, heels, wedges you get the picture…others by color.  You need to figure out which one works best for you.  If you wear a lot of black shoes or if you wear heels almost everyday to work then I would sort by heels.  You want the shoes you wear the most to be the most handy.  Leave your Cinderella Slippers towards the back of the closet unless you plan on going to the ball soon.

When the current season ends, exchange your seasonal shoes for the ones stored away. Place your current season’s shoes in their own shoe box for storage. Arrange your new season’s shoes in the shoe organizer using the same system as you did before.

Don’t you just love shoes!!! Now you can just sit in the closet and admire all your glorious shoes!!

Author Michelle Lehman of Organizing Solutions “Clear the Clutter” Michelle is a Professional Organizer in the Tulsa area. Her articles have been featured in the Tulsa World, The Oklahoman, and The Chicago Post-Tribune & Chicago Sun-Times.  Michelle appears on Newson6 KOTV and Fox23 News This Morning giving organizing tips and recommendations.
Photo Credit © Photobac | Dreamstime.com

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