Shoes.  The mention of the word can get some people so excited they can’t contain themselves.  As someone who’s organized many closets, I’ve seen the love and passion people have for them.  The challenge many face is how to organize them.  Thankfully there are a handful of products out there to organize shoes.  Today, we’re going to talk about my favorite shoe organizer for the closet and how it recently transformed a closet.

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Closet – Before

This closet had ample space available for storage.  The middle section of the closet was being underutilized. This area had the opportunity to be great.

Many of the shoes were stored on the floor.  There was a shoe organizer shelf that helped keep some of them organized but they all couldn’t fit.

On the right side of the closet, there was an open space with a handful of shoe boxes.

On the left side of the closet, there was a hanging shoe organizer.

While these organizers can be useful, I’m not a fan of them for a few reasons.  One, they are flimsy.  The material is fabric and not sturdy.  Two, they sway back and forth, meaning each time you get shoes out, the organizer is going to move. Three, it’s not easy to see all the shoes, they can easily get overlooked especially the ones at the bottom.

She did not want to get rid of any shoes and for good reason, they were beautiful and she loved them.  There were shoes she didn’t wear all the time but wanted to have the ability to see them and access them.

Making the shoes the focal point and easily accessible was the goal for this closet.  The way we were going to accomplish this was with this stackable shoe bin.

Shoe Organizer For Closet: Stackable Shoe Bin

Regardless of the space being a closet, pantry, or garage, going vertical almost always wins.  Going vertical in the middle section was going to be a game-changer for a few reasons.  One, the entire section would be used.  Two, she would be able to see her shoes.

These bins are amazing because of their durability and accessibility.  The material is plastic so it’s sturdy and not flimsy.  The design of the bin makes it easy to get shoes and put them away without any issues.  While this detail may seem minute, if it’s a challenge to get your hand in and out of a bin, it’s not going to work.  That is something you don’t have to worry about with this bin.

Shoes come in different shapes and sizes which is why this bin comes in a tall version and a short version.  The beauty of these bins is that they can be interchangeable and stacked on top of one another regardless of the size.

The dimensions of the middle section were 8 x 12 x 60.  The right side of the closet above the hanging section was 7 x 12 x 9.  24 short shoe bins were ordered and 12 tall shoe bins were ordered to maximize the space available.

Organizing The Shoes

The original plan was to place all the short shoe bins in the middle and the tall shoe bins on the right side.  This plan changed, once the shoes started going into the bins.

Knowing the shoes she wore the most were flats and sneakers, those were going to be in the center to be easily accessible. I started with the most important shoes at the bottom and worked my way up to the top.  Flats are not as bulky as sneakers, they can easily be stored in one compartment with one shoe turned to the side.  With sneakers, each shoe needs its own compartment.  As the shoes started going in there, some of the shoes were taller than the bin and wouldn’t fit in there.  It was time to pivot.

The right side of the closet had the tall bins displayed.  I took those and swapped them out with the small short bins at the top.  Heels were all displayed on the right side of the closet.   Heels and flats are able to fit into one compartment because of their size and being able to change the direction of the shoe.

I prefer to organize shoes in one set per compartment as these can add up quickly if you’re doing just one shoe per bin.

All of the heels moved to the top shelf on the right side of the closet.  Below that went the boots and the sneakers.

Closet – After

Moving all the shoes to eye level and above was a game-changer.  All the shoes are visible, accessible, and beautifully displayed.  I am a firm believer in having your shoes, clothes, jewelry, etc. displayed because it makes you feel good.

Walking into your closet should feel like a store.  Does it need to be perfect? No, absolutely not but it sets the tone for the day.  If you walk into your closet every day begrudgingly it, it affects your mood.  You should feel great about the things you have and putting them on display matters.

All the shoes (with the exception of one pair) are now off the floor.  There’s no bending down to try and find a matching shoe or frustration with how to organize shoes in an effective way.

The shoe boxes are gone eliminating the visual clutter and wasted space.  The left side of the closet now has the seasonal shoes on top with the sandals in the clear shoe bin.  Sandals work well in these bins because multiple pairs can be stored in there.

Having these shoe organizers for the closet puts a solid system in place, making it easy to change out seasonal shoe items.

This shoe organizer for the closet is the best.  It creates space and maintains order at the same time.  Whether your closet is small or large, this shoe organizer works great for any type of configuration.