Shoe Organization

The key to successful organization is to realize your weaknesses and work around them. I've spent so much time trying to change my innate habits, but eventually found the easiest, most successful way of tackling my clutter is to work around who I am.

Case in point, our foyer. It's filled with shoes. At least 18 pairs. And that's just ours. You should see it when we have guests over. We both recognize it's a problem, but in two different ways. The hubby thinks the shoes don't belong there at all. While that may or may not be true, that's where they've been for 3+ years, so that's where they'll always be. Lesson learned. No point anymore in trying to change.

Photo courtesy of MarthaStewart.com

So off I went on a search for shoe organization. My initial thought was a rock-filled shoe tray. They're gorgeous, functional in that they drain water and snow away from the shoes, and they fit my style perfectly. However, finding a tray that fit our foyer perfectly was not in the picture. Plus, they only fit one level of shoes and would take care of about 1/3 of our problem.

Photo courtesy of ShopHeroic.com

Luckily, during my Thanksgiving preparatory trip to Costco I found the Seville 3-Tier Metal and Bamboo Storage and Shoe Rack.  I bought two, of course. They're super easy to put together (no tools needed) and can be assembled in many different combinations to fit your space/needs. The end result is a totally organized foyer and time saved trying to find matching pairs.

P.S. This lesson can be applied to more than just organization. Playing to your weaknesses rather than trying to change them is the easiest way to accomplish your goals.