The Old SOFT Shoe

I read recently that the average man owns five pair of shoes and the average woman owns fifteen pairs of shoes. In this instance, I am happy to report I am way above average. All the women in my family are above average and most of my friends are above average. Because of these associations, I have witnessed many struggles to organize shoes and have my own preferences for making it easy to find, retrieve and store those lovely little foot protectors.

When thinking about arranging shoes in an orderly fashion I recall the word SOFT (as in soft shoe - a dance step). That stands for Sort, Observe, Find, and Test.

The first step is to sort your shoes. Match up pairs and put them in categories. I prefer to use the categories of sandals, flats, heels, formal shoes and boots. Within these categories, you can continue to sort by colors or seasons if you like.

Once the shoes are sorted, observe their style, condition and fit. It is unwise to keep shoes that are terribly scuffed, broken or in disrepair. It is also uncomfortable to wear shoes that pinch, cause blisters or are ill-fitting. Also look for shoes that are out of style. Separate those shoes from the ones that look good, fit right and are stylish. Then discard or make arrangement to donate them.

The next step is to find out how many pairs of shoes you have left to store and find the organizing tool that fits your needs. I like cubbies for my flats and everyday shoes, bins for my athletic shoes, shelves for my boots and clear boxes for my heels and formal shoes. There are all kinds of solutions on the market from stackable shelves to free standing cabinets and shoe wheels that minimize use of closet space.

Once you have chosen your storage system arrange your shoes so that you can see them and you have access to them. If using boxes, you may want to take a picture of the shoe and place on the box so you can easily identify what is inside. If you have to seasonally switch shoes to more accessible places from less accessible places, you can use storage boxes that have a spring/summer picture on one end and a fall/winter picture on the other.

Finally, test the system. Are you able to easily find and retrieve shoes when you want them and easily return them to storage when you’re through wearing them? If not, tweak your system until you have a great fit.

Some sites with storage solutions for shoes are:
www.stacksandstacks.com
www.neatcontainers.com
www.clear-shoe-boxes.com
www.organize.com
www.homedecorators.com
www.lowes.com
www.homedepot.com

A professional organizer can help you choose the right systems for your organizing style and maximize the space you have available.

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net