I put my shoes in a cloth shoe-pocket bag on the inside of my closet door.

I don't have a lot of shoes, so mine fit mostly in the bag (a recent spate of shoe-buying, though, has me w/ about 3 pairs too many; probably I'm going to steel myself and get rid of a couple of pairs--or move some to out-of-season storage once summer ends)

Hey Lynn, I have several of these step stools stored in various places (I'm 5'4") because of how flat they fold up. It also comes in 2 steps.

You've already seen my shoe storage.

Here is a link that might be useful: Turtle Step Stool

I have one of those Shos Away shoe organizers you hang on the back of the closet door. The shoes go in in pairs, from the sides. Instead of each shoe in a pocket, both shoes of a pair go into the same pocket. It holds 30 pairs. The pockets are clear so you can see the shoes.

I've had it about 5 years and it's worn great. I think I paid $30 for it. I LOVE this product! I don't have 30 pairs of shoes, so I use the "open" pockets to store scarves, belts wound up in a ball, hose, etc.

Here is a link that might be useful: Shoes Away Organizer

Lynn, I'm happy my shoe storage has inspired you. Before we did our closet I bought one of the over the door shoe racks. Since we finished the closet before we added the door I gave it to our daughter when she moved to Cali. Granted she'd need about twenty doors with these on them to store all her shoes, she takes after me when I was her age, but they do work.
~Becky

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

I store mine on shoe 'shelves' that fit in my closet above the hanging pole. They are about 30" wide and the spacing between the shelves varies from 5 1/2" to 6", depending on the manufacturer. When I place the shoes on the shelf, I don't put them side-by-side. I place them the same way they come in the shoebox, with the heel down so I can see the color and heel height at a glance. I get 9 pairs per 30" shelf, so if it was sitting by itself it would store 27 pairs of shoes.
The units come with two shelves. When placing them in the closet, I stacked them two units high. To allow for the wall that comes down from the ceiling at the front of the closet, I put in two units side by side, then had hubby lift up a unit so I could slide another one under it.
Barbara

Thanks for all your ideas! I forgot to mention that I don't have the usual closet door in our closet. They're a pair of handmade pine half doors, that I really don't want to hang anything on, even if I could. I do think that the hanging shoe bags are great for holding shoes and all sorts of things, though.
Mustangs, I love that turtle step stool! I wonder if they sell them at Bed, Bath & Beyond or some other place locally. If not, I'm getting a couple from the HSN. They're so thin when they fold up, that I can store them easily in my closet and kitchen. As for your shoe storage, I've been thinking about it all morning. As you already know, I love your idea! I'm thinking that I can store the shoes I don't use that often like that (with the help of a turtle stool) and put the rest of them on shoe shelves. I am a shoe lover and have quite a collection to store.
Barbara, you sound so organized! I think your idea about putting shoes on shelves so that the heel height can immediately be see, is a great idea. Thanks!

I have ALOT of shoes! Probably half are athletic shoes because I work from home & usually wear those on a daily basis. I also use shelves. Since I live in Arizona, most all my non-athletic shoes are sandals, so they often are relegated to either the shallowest shelves (IE the very top shelf in the 2nd photo) or sometimes, several pair are stacked on top of each other. The last picture is a horizontal "shelf" where I keep the shoes I use most often. IE sandals for taking the dogs out first thing in the morning, my running shoes, etc, so it tends to be more messy, since I tend to toss the shoes somewhere in the area, rather than place them where they belong. ;-)

PS - lynninnewmexico, I love those doors! Very beautiful!

Thanks Roxiel! Every door in our house, except the door to the garage (had to be up to code there) and our French and patio doors were all handmade in the same style. One had to be repaired once and I was shocked to see that they're made up of all these small pieces that fit together, via grooves in the wood. I will NEVER try and repair one of those myself . . . I'd never get it back together!

Lynn, I like your doors too!

As far as the turtle stool, I did see them at BB&B. I have one in the LR, pantry, and closet. It unfolds quickly and as already noted, it folds flat.

I like this unit from container store. I personally like shoes in containers.
I also found this that looks interesting and might take up less space.
http://www.scandinaviandesigncenter.com/Products/usd0/Accessories/Hall/2035/Pejl+shoe+storage

Ikea also has something similar to container store for less $. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10031987

Here is a link that might be useful: Container Store Shoe Cabinet

Our shoes are on an elfa shelving thing from the Container Store. The bottom three shelves are actually slide out racks like this. Each rack holds 9 pairs of shoes:
{{!gwi}}

My most-used shoes are on the bottom three racks and the middle shelves. Less-used shoes are on the top shelves in boxes. I have to get out the stepstool to get these shoes, but I don't wear them that often. DH has some shoes on the shelves, but he also keeps a few pairs under the drawer units. I counted once and I think I have about 60 pairs on this thing.

I'll post a separate thread with more pics of my closet.
{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}

Set up this system for less used shoes...the frequently used ones are in a metal basket under my desk, where I change into them!
I like them in closed container and the photos make it easy to know which pair is in the box. The photos make it look very neat, I think, too.
I have a folding step stool too, I think I bought it at an RV supply store.

I use clear boxes:{{!gwi}}

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

Mine are on a small (4 shelf) bookshelf in our coat closet. The "everyday" shoes are on the floor (pumps and loafers for work, along with my hubby's work shoes). I have a pair of flip-flops that hang out by the kitchen door all the time in summer, since those are what I wear casually). Everything else is either on those shelves, or on the floor of that closet (boots don't fit on the shelves). I don't have nearly as many shoes though...11 or 12 pairs total, maybe?

You all have such neat ideas for your shoe storage!
Brugloverz9, that is the greatest idea . . . I love it!!!!! Brilliant, actually. Thanks so much. I'm using this one for sure.
As for the stepstool, I headed down to BB&B on Friday to buy one, per Mustang's Turtle stool suggestion. But, I got side-tracked and came away with a few great finds . . . totally forgetting the stool! I'll pick it up this week when I head back to town.
Lynn

I just purchased the clear containers from the 99 cent store and home depot and did the same thing with my shoes. I love how my closet looks now.

Ok so now i don't feel so bad.
My good shoes are either in clear or the cardboard shoe boxes that they came in..labelled..planned on photos to label them..but haven't gotten to it..

I am a person that seldom..if ever..wears a dress..although i have lots of beautiful dressy dresses and shoes..they seldome get worn..so the beautiful dress shoes are in the boxes..as well as some of my summer sandles.

I have cubbies for my other shoes..mostly garden shoes..and walking shoes..and running shoes..and sandles..and a few slippers and flippy floppies..which i hate.

they are in cubbies and the few i wear daily are generally around the house.

boots are on a shelf on the floor of my coat closet