I'm going to level with you: the original title of this post was supposed to be "Stylish & Functional Shoe Organizers" but in the end... not so much. Sure, there are beautiful shoe closets out there (Carrie Bradshaw's comes to mind), but the best of the bunch tend to be somewhat utilitarian in looks as well as use.
Still, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Those of us who have a lot of footwear can attest, plain and simple is often best. Here are the five types of shoe organizer I've found to be worth their weight in wedges:
1. A super-functional rack. This solution takes up a bit more room than some of the others, but can be hidden at the bottom of a closet. This Crate and Barrel version can be extended lengthwise and stacked, too.
2. A hanging organizer. I'm pretty sure everybody has owned one of these at some time or another, and for good reason: the hanging organizer is light, slight and über-functional for those shoes you reach for regularly. This one is the classic IKEA Skubb.
3. Clear Shoe Boxes. This option is attractive, and probably the best choice for the longterm health of your shoes. My best friend does this in her tiny NYC studio, and it's amazing how well it keeps her (totally covetable) shoe collection corralled. These ones are from The Container Store, and come in different heights for flats and heels.
4. Under-bed Storage. For out-of-season shoes or just for serious collections, utilizing space under the bed makes sense. This organizer from Bed Bath & Beyond has a zip-able clear top and dividers, to keep shoes clean and visible.
5. Back of the Door. For those with limited space (isn't that all of us?), using the back of the closet door is a good option. This organizer from Target holds 12 pairs of shoes.
There are other shoe-control options out there, of course - wheels and towers and whole cabinets devoted to the cause- but I find that a lot of these are overkill, and take up space rather than save it. Do you have a favourite shoe-storage product to share?
(Images: As credited above.)
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You lost me at "these ones."
I have 2 of the Crate and Barrel expandable and stackable shoe racks, shown as the 1st option and I have to admit I am highly disappointed. Any slick sole shoes will slide right off of the rack, so all of my dress shoes end up on the floor as soon as I try to place or remove any pair from the rack.
I am a big fan of the ikea skar and hemnes type shoe racks. They're closed storage, I think open shoe storage looks messy. AND, they take up virtually no space being only 7.5" from the wall. I have a few by my back door mounted on the wall behind the door.
I have the same problem. I turned the rack around so the shoes slid towards the wall, which is not ideal either. I have since replaced the rack.
I would like to agree with what has already been said in the comments regarding the tiered racks. They are pretty much awful. Not only do the shoes slide off, but the racks themselves are not well-made.
I have back-of-the-door from target, but at my new house, doors won't close with it on. Solved that by getting a towel rack at Ikea, mounting it on the wall behind the door and hanging the bag there. My under-bed needs to be replaced with the one you are showing -- better organization would help a lot. And have a wood shoe rack from Ikea that sits in the bottom of the closet for boots and sneakers. Gave up on the hanging bag -- took up too much closet space
I admit to being a bit spoiled being married to a carpenter. When we built our house I got to design my walk-in closet with cubbies along one wall for foldables. We left space under the cubbies for shoe drawers, which I must say is brilliant if you have the space. If you can find a small dresser with shallow drawers it would probably work as well.
I was really thinking of replacing my current white racks with those fancy chrome C&B ones, but not after reading how disappointed people are with them. I got these at Home Depot:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100627453/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=shoe+rack&storeId=10051
Stacked 3 high, they were easy to put together, very sturdy and hold everything from my 4" heels to my husbands heavy work shoes. Nothing has ever 'slid off.' Only $10 a pop too. If you are looking for open storage these are a great option.
I have two of the #1, but from Target or somewhere like that. It stacks nicely. It mainly holds heels so I've never had a problem with anything sliding off. If you do, that seems like something a bead of hot glue along the railing could pretty easily fix.
I use a bamboo and canvas hanging organizer. It's about half the width of the IKEA organizer shown above but each shelf will hold one pair of shoes. Boots won't fit. I wanted to get everything off the floor and my shoes usually fall off tiered racks. My organizer is by Honey Do or something like that and I got it on Amazon.
What about knee-high boots? I have loads of these, and end up ruining them by piling pairs on top of each other. Ideas please!!
I have many of these stacked to 5 feet tall. They are really sturdy and have never broken down, but they are a little chunky aesthetically.
http://shelfexpressions.com/shoeracks.aspx
I also really like the IKEA shoe cabinets. I have the trones in my front hall, and it's been a total godsend (and created an awesome little landing strip!) I'm also planning on getting a stall shoe cabinet for my bedroom. Most of my shoes are in the underbed storage option showed in this post, but honestly, I really need the space under the bed for other stuff. My husband and I have really pared down, but when you cram two adults and two large dogs into 530 square feet, you're bound to have storage issues!
Kaz, I had the same problem with knee-high boots. They always flop over and end up in a heap at the bottom of my closet. I've just started hanging them from the lower rod in my closet, like this: http://www.mommygaga.com/2012/10/simple-mom-hacks-organizing-your-boots.html
Or you could take cedar boot forms and replace the top knob with a hook, like this:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/-raO8em64ZKc/Tu-i_Fmzz5I/AAAAAAACQw4/Gu2XgZYekfU/mla_104332_0109_boothand_xl.jpg?imgmax=512
None of the options listed above work for me in my new apartment. I had luck with the IKEA Algot frame with 4 wire mesh baskets. It fits neatly in my closet and makes it easy to keep my shoes organized and accessible:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S89903473/
For all you Apartment dwellers out there, I totally sympathize with you and know your plight.
I bought a cabinet called the shoe go round that stores 40 pairs of my shoes and what a space saver.
I, like you,... have tried the racks, cubby holes and etc. but each one had their drawbacks.
I'm totally happy now and what a difference.