The Obvious Entryway Shoe Storage We Could Have Been Using All Along

Finding the perfect shoe organizer can feel like a never-ending search. One day, you're giddy over your new shoe rack, and the next, it's bursting at the seams. Then off you go again, looking for the next storage solution. Shoe cubbies, over-the-door systems, under-bed bins — there are just so many options to buy, try, and later regret. But what if we told you the solution doesn't always have to lie in a product? It may have been right in your entryway all along. Enter, your entryway closet.

We know, we know, you're probably thinking, "Duh! My entryway closet is already a shoe dumping ground." But we're not talking about tossing shoes on the closet floor and calling it a day. The idea here is to completely empty out the closet and line the space with shelves from top to bottom. That way, you can organize all of your shoes (and everyone else's) in one easy-to-access place. At the same time, this minimizes visual clutter and keeps dirt from shoes confined to the entryway.

But the best part? You don't need to be a DIY superstar to transform your entry closet into a beautiful and functional storage space for your footwear. All you need is a free weekend and a few basic tools, including a measuring tape, some MDF boards (or spare lumber), 1-inch-thick square dowels, a power drill (or hammer), and peel-and-stick wallpaper or paint.

First, find a new home for all those miscellaneous items that used to live in your entryway closet. Hang in-use coats, hats, and bags on hooks, and store out-of-season ones back in their respective bedroom closets. Once everything's out of the way, measure the area to figure out how many planks you need and how long they should be. Feel free to customize your shelving layout as you like. For instance, you could make one shelf larger to fit boots, as TikTok user @beamalikmd1 did in the video above. Or size a few down for flats and sandals.

Next up, get your pieces of wood ready. (If you don't have a saw, you can have wood cut at your local hardware store, like Lowe's or Home Depot.) Mount the square dowels on the side walls to support the shelves. We also suggest adding dowels to the back wall and even in the center to keep the shelves from sagging under the weight of the shoes.

From there, you can paint or wallpaper your boards for a more polished look. While you're at it, why not jazz up the interior, too? A color-drenched or pattern-filled entryway closet might actually get everyone excited to put their shoes away. Finally, secure the shelves in place and get organizing! Don't forget to include a basket or two at the bottom to corral house shoes.