Earlier this week we showed you some clever no closet ways to store clothes and gave you a few examples of space saving techniques from our house tours. But what about many peoples' 'stuff' weakness, shoes? We know we should leave them at the door, but they can really, um, start to pile up. If you have more than you can handle, check out our round-up of creative ways to store your shoes, after the jump.

Of course the best way to deal with shoes in a small home is to pare down your collection, but that can't be done so easily, especially for those of us who live in 4-season climates.

Get Creative!

  • Take a look around at parts of your home that could be used in an unconventional way &mdash even standard trim and stair treads can make unique shoe storage.
  • Shoes don't need to be stored in conventional ways. Many objects, meant 'for something else' can be more or less transformed into a shoe rack.
  • The many number of uses for shipping pallets is undeniable, and shoe storage is definitely one of them. This person also made a shoe rack made from pipes. The same idea could easily be made from coffee can or other containers that are at least 4-6-inches in diameter.
  • A vintage mail sorter, library card catalog or a wall mounted magazine rack can do double duty as shoe cubbies.
  • Have any extra room in your pantry or kitchen cabinets, or perhaps you recently renovated and are looking for ways to reuse the old cabinets? Upper cabinets make for great shoe storage &mdash just add a couple of extra shelves and you're good to go.

At The Landing Strip

  • Taking your shoes off at the door, whether it's a small entry, a landing strip, or a mudroom is the best way to not only keep your shoes in one place, but more importantly reduce the amount of dirt and contaminants that enter your home.
  • Wet shoes are best left outside the home, but if they must be brought inside, place them on a surface that can drain and dry without mucking other surface up. Fill a boot tray with river rocks or make a mat out of reused wine corks &mdash check out instructions for both here.
  • Wall mounted shelving is an easy way to store shoes without taking up any floor space. Check out a great DIY here of how to make wall mounted cantilevered shoe racks.

In the Closet and Bedroom

Even though keeping shoes in the bedroom and clothes closet is undesirable because of the dirt and allergens shoe track in, it's also one of the more convenient storage spaces in the house.

  • If you're going to store shoes in your closet, try to put them in a container to prevent accumulation of dust and spread of dirt. Some people prefer to use clear containers for easy to find storage, but using the box the shoes came in is generally just as good and certainly a lot cheaper and greener.
  • If you have an open bed frame, take advantage of the free storage space! This underbed shoe chest from The Container Store would be a great way to keep shoes under the bed without touching any dust bunnies.
  • Hanging shoes and boots from a closet rod is a good storage method without stealing much space from your clothes. Get a ready-made version from pretty much any department store, or try out one of these hanging boot methods.

Go Vertical

Short on floor space? The easiest solution is to go up, and one of the least expensive ways to do this by using a readily available bookcase.

  • Durable and industrial metro racks will hold the dirties of shoes and their modular construction means they can be found tall and wide &mdash check out this super size shoe rack.
  • IKEA and The Container Store both make slim vertical cabinets perfect for holding shoes.
  • This house created a faux built-in shoe rack by simply putting a bookcase in a recess in their entryway. By storing the shoes up high they avoid the inevitable pile of shoes by the door.

How do you store your shoes? Let us know in the comments!

Related Posts:
• Blogging Marie Claire Maison & Northwest Home: Shoe Storage
• The Benefits of Leaving Your Shoes At The Door
• Top Ten: Shoe Organizers
• 5 Places To Place Your Shoes
• 37 Reasons to Take Your Shoes Off

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