COLUMNISTS

Get Organized: Foolproof ways to organize all your shoes

Marla Ottenstein

Get Organized

Unless your name is Imelda Marcos — infamous for, among other things, her collection of 3,000 pairs of shoes— it’s time to COLLECT, SORT, CLEAN & DECIDE.

To organize your shoes, your first task is to:

» COLLECT all of your shoes — from the Jimmy Choo heels to the Target flip-flops — from under the bed, behind the sofa and from every closet in your home before lining them up, by style and as pairs, on the floor;

» next is to SORT through and cull each and every shoe, boot and sandal, asking yourself: “Do I need, want, use or like these? Are they comfortable? Are they in bad shape? Will I ever wear them?”

» Then, before putting one single pair back, you need to CLEAN the area from where you removed the shoes.

» The last step is to DECIDE what to do with all the shoes you no longer want, need, use or like. (Donate, repair or consign.)

When organizing shoes, not only is it important to inspect the condition of each pair, but it’s also important to make sure every shoe has a mate.

With the exception of a few over-the-top ideas, such as Beyoncé’s automated and lighted shoe drawers, most of the solutions listed below are for people, like you and me, who don’t have a custom-built closet system:

1. Hanging canvas shoe holder with pockets: These cloth shoe organizers (6, 10 or 12 pockets) hang over the rods in your closet and are, in my opinion, major space hogs. Also, although they are washable, they tend to attract dust and dirt and smell something wicked.

2. If your closet has a standard door (i.e.: not a pocket or bi-fold door), a multipocket behind-the-door hanging shoe holder is a great way to store everything from shoes to craft supplies. To protect your shoes, avoid the temptation to jam more than one pair into each pocket.

3. If your closet has a standard door, an over-the-door metal shoe rack will work, but remember: Once you hang your shoes on the metal holders and close the door, the soles of your shoes could (and probably will) touch your clothes.

To keep shoes clean and dust free, store them in the original box. Taping a photo of the shoes onto the outside of the box will make getting dressed easier, and it looks nice, too.

4. Multi-tier stackable racks are ideal for storing sneakers in your garage, but since most of these are made of slatted wood shelving, it’s almost impossible to store high-heeled shoes. Additionally, because the shelving is open, any dirt on the bottom of your shoes will eventually land on the floor or on top of the shoes below.

5. Skip the under-the-bed shoe organizers. Out of sight, out of mind, which in my book means: If you can’t see them, you’ll forget you own them. Make a promise to keep all shoes in one closet and not to cheat by squirrelling some away under the bed or in the guest room.

6. While researching this column, I came across several revolving shoe racks — think “Lazy Susan on steroids.” The “free-standing” models, which are cumbersome and wobbly, take up an exorbitant amount of space. If you choose to have a closet designer install a revolving shoe rack, be prepared to lose a lot of space unless he/she is able to tuck the rack in a corner.

7. To box or not to box? If you chose to keep your shoes in their original boxes, be sure to clearly label the boxes, or better yet, take a photograph of which shoes go inside each shoebox and tape it to the outside of the box for easy identification.

Shoe cubbies like this one keep shoes neat and tidy. To keep your shoes clean and in good shape, be sure not to stack multiple pairs one on top of another. My favorite is the 12- or 15-pair shoe cubby, which can be lined up, one next to another, or stacked, up to three units high.

8. You can also opt to use plastic shoeboxes, which, believe it or not, now come in “tall” sizes to accommodate the too-crazy-too-tall high heel craze. (Container Store: 13” x 7.5” x 4.25”H) If you go the clear plastic shoebox route, make sure to stick with only one brand so the boxes will fit securely one on top of another.

9. Not only are shoe cubbies the perfect way to store your shoes, but they’re also a great way to maximize the under-utilized space in your closet. Cubbies can be stacked, one on top of another, or lined up, one next to another, in a neat row.

Remember, if you no longer tap, it’s time to pitch (donate) the tap shoes. If you have a favorite pair of shoes in need of repair, stop procrastinating and take them to the cobbler. If your shoes are uncomfortable or too scuffed-up to repair, it’s time to donate them to a worthy cause.

Premier Professional Organizer Marla Ottenstein offers expert residential and corporate professional organizing services. Licensed & Insured. Member: National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals. Her column appears on the first Friday of each month. For more information: ProfessionalOrganizerFlorida.com or on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ProfessionalOrganizerFlorida. Send questions about how to get and stay organized, to be addressed in future columns.