Style Tips: Best Ways To Organise Shoes

You’ve amassed more shoes over the course of a few months than you care to admit to. Your loafers are all mixed up with your brogues, your collection of trainers would put professional athletes to shame, and you’ve lost the special pair of heels that you wear perhaps once a year but now need for an up-coming social engagement.

We’ve all been there, and had to recognise when the chaos (that is our shoe collection) needs to be organised. It's undeniably stressful at times, but there are several ways to combat the problem to make it as smooth as possible, whilst ensuring that you never descend into shoe uproar again (hopefully). Here are a few tips to help you get tidy.

1. Invest in some good storage: It is so easy to chuck your shoes on any available floor space, especially after a long day spent being fabulous. It is, however, better for your sanity and all round well-being (hands up if you’ve sustained injuries after tripping over a stray boot?) if you have a basket, a box or a rail to keep all of your shoes in one place. Think about how much space this could open up in your home! You could even get creative with your storage, using ingenious and sustainable methods of  keeping your collection neat but pretty. Alongside the obvious IKEA classics, people have used empty wine racks, colourful buckets and empty paint cans nailed to the wall to store their shoes. Shelving and proper storage is essential! Sometimes shoe boxes take up too much room, especially if you have limited closet space. If you're on a budget, then go for a creative DIY.
2. Pair up: This is the part that could take quite a long time. For your collection to be truly organised, you need to find all corresponding pairs of shoes and keep them together. This could involve you rooting around in all sorts of bizarre places for shoes that you didn’t even realise were missing. Once found, dust down and keep together in whatever storage receptacle you have opted for. For me, I separate my vintage shoes from the rest.
   
3. Edit your collection: Often, this is the part I personally find the most difficult. You might not realise it yet, but you probably do not need as many shoes as you actually have. Many of us have very sentimental relationships with our clothes, making it hard to part with pieces that we have enjoyed wearing and that have helped us to project confidence and assuredness. Shoes are no exception, giving us the boost we need and providing the perfect twist or finish to our ensembles. I can guarantee, however, that there are shoes you have not thought about wearing for a long time that can be donated to charity, or are simply beyond the point of repair. Be ruthless and get clutter-free! 
4. Make a promise: You are a responsible grown-up, independent and self-sufficient human being. Life can get hectic at times, but you are fully capable of keeping your shoe collection organised. You may even find that coming home to a neat and tidy space helps to clear your head after a busy day … I know that I do!

Images: (c) visualphotos.com, giphy.com, and pixabay.com. This post is sponsored by Manchester based UK women's wholesale fashion supplier, MaryJaneFashion.com. All opinions are honestly expressed.

How do you store your shoes? Do you use shelving, baskets, or have everything stored by colour, style, and/or heel height?

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