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Home / Blog / Shoes

How to Store Shoes (A Complete Guide for Men)

Published on July 13, 2022 by Ryan Hallstrom · Shoes May contain affiliate links (what's this?)

Looking for a better way to store your shoe collection? Read on for the best shoe storage methods you can use. 

Table of Contents

  • Store Your Shoes Properly (Why it Matters)
  • Storing Different Types of Shoes (What You Should Know)
    • How to Store Athletic Shoes
    • How to Store Casual Shoes and Boots
    • How to Store Dress Shoes and Dress Boots
    • How to Store Specialty Footwear
  • How to Store Shoes at Home
    • Storing Shoes Under the Bed
    • Storing Shoes on Racks
    • Using Hanging Shoe Organizers
    • Storing Shoes in Boxes
    • Shoe Mats
  • How to Store Shoes when Traveling
  • Conclusion
Men's shoe collection
Let’s face it: shoes take up a lot of space.

You come home after a long day and take off your shoes. Where do you put them? The average Joe throws them into a jumbled pile by the front door. 

Guys, there is a better way.

Quality footwear is an investment and your shoes and boots will last longer if properly stored (and as an added bonus your house will look tidier too!). 

First we’ll go over special considerations for storing different types of shoes and then we’ll examine different shoe storage / organization options for home and for travel.  

Store Your Shoes Properly (Why it Matters)

When your shoes are haphazardly left out in the open they are more likely to get beat up. You might trip over them, scuffing, staining, or otherwise damaging them in the process.

How To Shorten Your Shoelaces
The amount of dust and scuffs shoes collect over time depends on how you store them. | Photo by [email protected] / Depositphotos.com

Also, if you have pets or small children, they are more likely to mess with your shoes when they’re out in the open.

Another concern, especially for dress shoes, is dust and dirt accumulating over the top layer of polish, which can dull their finish and potentially cause micro scratches. 

Besides keeping your shoes in good condition, properly storing your shoes helps you to stay organized. Getting out the door is easier when everything is neatly stored in the same place every day. 

Storing Different Types of Shoes (What You Should Know)

Here are some things to consider when storing different types of shoes. 

How to Store Athletic Shoes

By “athletic shoes” I don’t mean designer leather high tops. I’m referring to shoes that you wear when you are actually exercising. 

When storing athletic shoes, your main concern is going to be how dirty and smelly they can get. 

If your shoes are especially dirty, you can wash them with a clean towel or washcloth and a solution of water and dish soap.

If your sneakers are wet, stuff them full of crumpled up newspapers. Replace the damp papers with fresh pages every six hours or so until dry.

If your athletic shoes tend to develop an unpleasant odor, hit ’em with some Odor-X.

How to Store Casual Shoes and Boots

This category includes casual non-athletic sneakers, canvas, suede, and leather shoes and boots.  

Casual shoes don’t need as much care and attention as dress shoes, however they still need to be properly maintained and stored.

Allen Edmonds shoe trees
You can use shoe trees in both dress and casual shoes, especially leather ones.

Leather shoes and boots should always be stored with shoe trees inserted. Shoe trees maintain the shape of the shoe, help to suck out moisture, and can help reduce odors. If you don’t have shoe trees yet you can stuff newspaper or paper towels into your shoes to get similar benefits.  

Again, making sure your shoes and boots are clean before storing is especially important for casual footwear because they are likely to be worn in situations in which they’ll get a little dirty. At a minimum, go over casual shoes with a brush before storing to knock off any loose dirt or grime.

How to Store Dress Shoes and Dress Boots

Taking the effort to store dress shoes and boots well is vital. You should maintain shine, prevent them from excessive exposure to damaging UV rays, and keep them from getting dusty between wears. 

Having a regular routine for shoe maintenance is especially important for dress shoes and boots. Many men find that inspecting their dress shoes  as soon as they take them off, brushing and / or shining if necessary, is a good “no brainer” system.

Makeshift shoe care kit
It’s a good idea to have a shoe care kit ready to go for when you need it, including all the essentials: a brush, polish, cloth, leather conditioner and extra laces.

If you don’t wear a particular pair of shoes very often (for a lot of guys this will be black oxfords), store them in a bag, box, or another type of closed container.

However, try to avoid storing leather shoes in plastic bags, as the plastic doesn’t allow the leather to “breathe,” which, over prolonged periods of time, can be harmful to your shoes. 

How to Store Specialty Footwear

What do rock climbers, organists, soccer players, and firefighters all have in common? 

They all use specialty footwear. 

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of different types of specialty shoes. Specialty footwear may require other specific storage considerations.

As usual, follow instructions from the manufacturer. If you have specific questions or concerns, ask around and learn how leaders in your sport or industry maintain and store their specialty shoes.

How to Store Shoes at Home

Storing shoes at home doesn’t have to be hard. Even if you have dozens of pairs of shoes and a small living space, there are storage solutions that can help keep your shoes organized and damage free.

Leather shoes in shelving unit
Photo by NewAfrica / Depositphotos.com

After being worn, ideally shoes should be cleaned and stored in a dry place away from direct sunlight. Having your shoes well organized and kept safe from curious pets and small children. Thus, storing shoes in closets or under the bed are good options. 

There are so many ways to store shoes and with thousands of products on the market designed to help people store their shoes at home, it’s not possible to cover everything here. Here are just a few of the most common types of home shoe storage solutions. 

Storing Shoes Under the Bed

Arranging your shoes under the bed is one of the most common ways to store shoes at home. However, it is not ideal.

The reason is because you shed skin when you sleep, which becomes dust (pretty gross, I know). This dust isn’t good for your shoes.

Shoe stored under bed
Source: IKEA

While probably not much of a problem for shoes that you wear all the time, pairs that don’t see much use are going to get dusty quickly.

Instead of leaving your shoes out in the open under your bed, you should consider storing them in some kind of container to block out the dust (in bags, boxes, plastic containers, etc.). 

Storing Shoes on Racks

Racks are great for storing shoes in closets and near entryways.

Shoes stored in racks
Photo by DesignPicsInc / Depositphotos.com

A lot of people underestimate the amount of shoes that they have, resulting in racks filled to overflowing. Make sure to have enough rack space for all of your shoes and be sure to leave some empty space for when you get new kicks, or, if it’s a rack near an entryway, for when you have guests over. 

Using Hanging Shoe Organizers

Hanging shoe organizers can be a lifesaver if you don’t have much floorspace to work with.

Hanging shoe organizers
Source: Walmart

One drawback of this storage method is that if you have a lot of shoes, they might not all fit on one door. Also, the shoe organizer can move around when you open and close the door which can be annoying.  

Storing Shoes in Boxes

Storing shoes in their boxes is perhaps the best option when it comes to protecting your shoes while not in use. Shoeboxes are also helpful because they can be easily stacked on the floor or on a shelf.

Shoes stored in boxes
Photo by akoldunov / Depositphotos.com

That said, they aren’t always practical to use. If you live in a wet environment, you’ll need to dry out your shoes before storing them in a cardboard box. Additionally, it’s not very convenient to have to play “shoebox Jenga” when you’re in a hurry to get out the door. 

Shoeboxes are best for long term storage. 

Shoe Mats

If you live in a wet and muddy place, a shoe mat might be your only practical option for storing shoes that you wear regularly.

Shoes on a shoe mat
Source: West Elm

A grooved rubber mat will allow shoes to dry out without getting water on your floor. 

How to Store Shoes when Traveling

When you’re packing for your trip you might not take much thought as to how you store your shoes. However, if you get this wrong the consequences can be stressful (or even catastrophic). You risk harming your shoes and your other belongings, as well as unnecessarily spreading foul odors. 

When packing shoes for travel there are three main guidelines: 

First, make sure that your shoes are clean. No matter how you store your shoes when traveling, clean shoes just makes things easier. 

Second, have a layer of protection between your shoes and your other items. The easiest way to accomplish this is to place your shoes in a protective shoe bag or a box. In a pinch, a plastic bag works fine. 

My personal “system” is to pack casual or athletic shoes in plastic bags and individually wrap clean dress shoes in old t-shirts. 

Third, avoid packing shoes near items that might damage them. Unless they’re stored in a hard box or case of some kind, even with a protective barrier shoes can still get nicked (or worse) when packed for travel.

This is an especially common problem when a bag is overpacked. To reduce the chances of your shoes sustaining travel “battle wounds,” keep them away from hard objects that might press against them as your bag moves.

I’ve found that packing shoes towards the top of my suitcase helps to avoid mishaps. Many overnight bags have special built-in shoe compartments.

Use them. Even with this feature to isolate dirt and odors, it’s best to make sure your shoes are clean.  

Tip: A travel-sized shoe horn is an inexpensive, yet helpful tool to stash in your luggage.

Follow these three simple rules and you can travel without worrying about your shoes. (Honestly, I hope you’ve never worried about your shoes while traveling– that’s just lame). 

Conclusion

After you have your shoe storage systems in place, keeping your shoes organized will be effortless. 

How do you store your shoes? Let us know in the comments!

Shoes shoe storage

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About Ryan Hallstrom

TMM's Senior Editor, Ryan Hallstrom is from Horseheads, NY, the only town in America named in honor of military packhorses. When he’s not writing about menswear, Ryan enjoys reading, whittling, running, and perfecting his penmanship.

Background: In 2021, Ryan graduated from Brigham Young University where he majored in American Studies and Russian. Before completing his schooling, he had a wide range of job titles including finish carpenter, usher, elevator operator (yes, that’s a real job), landscaper, tour guide, and more.

In January 2022, Ryan began working full-time as The Modest Man’s Senior Editor. In this role, he not only edits all articles prior to publication but also is a frequent contributor to the blog. He enjoys crafting in-depth product reviews (often testing items in extreme environments), helpful self-improvement articles, and detailed clothing guides.

His interest in men’s style stems from the examples of men in his family:

“Growing up, a lot of the men I looked up to dressed well. My dad is always clean-shaven and makes sure that he looks presentable before heading out the door, and my grandfather, who owned and operated a dairy farm, usually wore work pants with a sharp crease and a button-up work shirt.”

However, it wasn’t until the end of high school that Ryan began to care about how he looked. Gradually, over the next few years, he started to dress better and learn about style. “Finding clothes that fit helped me to become more confident. I find that when I try to dress well, I feel better.”

Expertise: Ryan has loved writing since an early age, and in college began contributing to and editing for university publications. After college, he began freelance writing and editing. He’s written from blogs and magazines such as Real Men Real Style, Life in the Finger Lakes, and Gentleman Within.

An avid traveler who spends plenty of time outdoors, Ryan appreciates clothes, footwear and accessories that can take a beating. His reviews often include long-term, thorough testing in extreme weather conditions.

Ryan has also spent more time in a suit and tie than most guys, so he's well qualified to write about classic menswear, business casual and formalwear.

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