11 brilliant ways to organize shoes neatly by the door

One of the most frequently shared cleaning & organization tips is: take your shoes off at the door. Doing so dramatically reduces the amount of dirt and grime that gets tracked into your house (and ground into your carpets and floors).

In fact, taking off your shoes at the door has gone mainstream lately. It’s the norm in my house — and in pretty much every other house I visit.

The only problem is, you often end up swapping one type of clutter for another. Having dozens of shoes strewn haphazardly near the entrance is not only an eyesore, but it can be a tripping hazard too.

And for some reason, the problem always seems to get worse in the fall and winter months.

I suppose it’s because my boys pretty much live in their Crocs during the summer months – so they only have to put away one pair each. In the fall and winter we’ve got sneakers, boots, dress shoes, and skates all fighting for a spot. Not to mention mom and dad’s shoes too.

So what’s a family to do? I’ve rounded up ten simple solutions that’ll help you defeat the clutter in your entry way.

Reclaim a bureau – removing the doors and using painted buckets to store kicked-off shoes.

Fill edged cookie sheets or shallow trays with stones and voila - you have the perfect spot for mucky Wellies and boots.

For the creatively inclined, there are always nifty DIY projects, like this one made out of drain pipes and a tension belt.

Sometimes all you need is a simple rack set up.

Unique and colorful, this series of crates will give an artistic approach for your shoe storage. You can assign a color crate to each member of your family, so they will always know where their shoes are.

Using crown molding, you can turn your shoe storage into a unique artistic focal point for shoes with a heel. This also provides a place for shoes to hang and dry on rainy days. If you go this route, you will need an alternative option for flat soles.

Just keeping your shoes up off of the floor can be a big help. If you have room, use an antique shoe rack like the one pictured to maintain order. An absorbent patterned rug hides messy footprints and warms stockinged feet. Place a chair or bench next to the rack to make removing or putting on shoes a bit easier and more comfortable.

If you do not have extra room, or the desire to add another piece of furniture to the area or rely on large baskets, then a hanging organizer will be perfect. Hang on the back of your hall closet door.

A unique cubbied bench enables you to tuck away all of your shoes and still offer an inviting area to sit. {via Amazon.com}

If you want to avoid your shoes from being seen, a nifty shoe cabinet will do just that. This could do double duty – the cabinets will hide away unwanted shoes, while you can still use the drawer up top for mail and gadget storage.

Shoe racks and storage come in many varieties. You can use a variety of options to decorate your entry way, so that it will match the remaining interior decorations of your home….

This past summer, we finally invested in a built-in cubby for our shoes – at the same time we made over our laundry room and basement. So far, it seems as though it was money very well spent. We currently have zero clutter in our front hall and the boys never have to ask, “MOM! WHERE ARE MY SHOES?”

Do you take your shoes off at the front door? If so, what do you use to organize them (if anything)?