I did this in my laundry room:

It is fixed, but the shelves are adjustable. I could take it down in a matter of minutes if I needed to. It's amazing how useful the shelves are, yet less than 3.5 inches deep.

bleusblue, who's shoes are you storing at the door? Just adults, or kids as well? You know your family. Are they all going to take the time to move the curtain aside and pick up their shoes and place them in the correct pocket?

I ask because this would never have worked in my family when I was growing up. Getting my brothers to toss their coats on a hook on the wall instead of on the backs of the kitchen chairs was as much as my mother could do. Opening a door, or moving a curtain, just wouldn't work.

Another thought--making the shelf removable just seems like asking for trouble to me. Wouldn't it be easier to remove the door if you need to bring in something big?

Could you post a picture of the door area? It might help us help you brainstorm ideas.

I've linked to an Ikea shoe cabinet that is 7 and 1/4 inches deep.

Here is a link that might be useful: shoe storage

I would suggest you correct the bad habit of kicking shoes off at the front-door, not accommodate it. Shoes belong in your closets (or alternative storage in bedrooms) not at the entrance for guests to see.

Another idea would be to see if some sort of closet system would give you more storage in the closet. You might be able to fit a couple of shelves for shoes under the hanging coats, for example.

Oh thanks everybody. Definitely re thinking this! You know that idea came in the middle of the night and I thought it was so brilliant -- I still think hanging shoebags right on a wall somewhere might be the right idea, but yes, maybe the Ikea thing would be a better fit. Less fuss for sure. I don't think we'd take the door off -- it's a heavy metal door but strong men probably do it as a matter of course. There are no kids here but a husband who can never find anything and thus, every pair must be there, All the bins will be used. Thanks Camlan.
Graywings -- where do you buy that narrow shelf? I have another spot where I can use it!
Grainlady -- shoes and BOOTS always come off at the door here and there is really no place for them on the first floor. Bedroom closets upstairs -- who will carry their shoes upstairs and downstairs? It really depends on what kind of house you have I suppose. The closet which is right at the door can handle a couple of pairs but then there are the boots which have to be out ... It's never ending here.

I am with you bleusblue ...
we always take off shoes in the foyer, by the door.
I cannot imagine walking through the foyer, up the stairs, down the hall, and into our room every time shoes needed to go on and off.

bleusblue, I think your shoebag on the wall would work great in on a porch or in a mudroom. (It would also be great in a craft room for storing supplies, or a bathroom for shampoos and such.)

It's putting it on the wall in your living room that is a problem. Then you need something to cover it, because who wants a wall full of shoes in the middle of their living room, but that cover would have to be removable in case you ever needed to open the front door all the way . . . .

When things start to get complicated like that, I start to get twitchy. Because the basic idea is good, but executing it in a particular place needs too many modifications, and it starts to become less easy to do.

Oh, and those Ikea shoe cabinets say that you have to fasten them to the wall. You don't, really. They are very stable on their own. Ikea just says that about any vertical sort of furniture--chests of drawers, bookcases, etc. If you had small kids who might pull them over on themselves, it could be an issue. But with just adults in the house, you really don't need to fasten the cabinets to anything.

I designed and made that shelf. It is pieces of wood (1x4s) held together with L brackets. The adjustable shelves are held in place by inexpensive bookcase shelf supports.

Graywings! I almost said it's unbelievable but I honestly see how I could do this -- or would have done it when it seemed life would go on forever. Now I would just ask my carpenter neighbour to make me one. I used to be able to move furniture by myself, almost anything and without harm because I had some ingenuity, I guess. Now, still strong but with some health issues behind me, I opt out. I miss it.
Camlan -- thanks for the note about wall fastening. That makes the decision even easier. I can use it and maybe ask my neighbour sometime to make a little securing hook. I noticed Ikea has another one Henne? that might work.
The hanging shoe bag would not be IN the living room. You walk in the front door from the hall (it's a condominium). stairs are directly in front of you, 3.5 feet. Stairs hug the wall to the right and that spot in the entry is where shoes will go. I'll put up a photo if I can make sense of it to show the space tomorrow.

Dear friends -- I'm too lazy tonight to straighten up this shameful display. But this is just because I promised I'd post the scene. My excuse is I'm recovering from seasonal sneezes and misery but it does often get like this. Anyway, you see to the right is the refrigerator already! Previously I had a shelf on the wall next to the door facing stairs. I realised one day that I hated to go into the kitchen because I was always squeezing by! Yes, I've got to clean up those magnets on the door. There are some shoes on the bottom two shelves of that book case and the top part becomes a catchall. The tidiest place I ever lived was when my family had a 2nd floor apartment and you came through the door into a long hall that led directly to the kitchen. Things did get dumped there (my poor mother) but they got cleared out right away. I have never ever lived in a place with a so-called landing pad which is probably why I haven't organized better. It's a new term for me. Hoping you can see this and thanks for all the help you gave me. I'll go with the Ikea and reorganize the TINY closet to the right of the bottom stairs in the photo.

bleusblue, that is a tiny space! I don't know why I thought the door opened into your living room.

I do think that you have enough room to make a basic landing pad there. I've attached a link to a post at Apartment Therapy with some hints/ideas. If you search on the site, you'll find a ton more.

You could probably put hooks on the brick wall for backbacks and bags, if you wanted to.

Here is a link that might be useful: apartment therapy

We take our shoes and boots off at the door as well. We live in a land of snow and ice - I will NOT have wet shoes tromping all over the house!

I have 2 wire shelves in the bottom of my foyer closet. Between hubby and two teenaged sons (all with big feet), we had a jumble of shoes in the closet, until I came up with this (I'm not home, so can't take a photo). Now I have 3 levels of shoes, and even if the boys kick theirs off onto the floor, DH and I keep ours tidy.

Would something like this fit in your closet?

Here is a link that might be useful: shoe shelves