How To Declutter Shoes For Shoe Lovers

How to declutter shoes - a guide for shoe lovers

Are you a shoe lover struggling to declutter your shoes? Read on to learn how to declutter shoes in 5 simple steps.

Hi, shoe lovers! Do you find it difficult to declutter shoes?

Perhaps you’ve loved shoes since you were a little girl, and now you’ve grown an admirable collection.

Or maybe shoes make you feel and look good, and you love the confidence a good pair brings.

If you have a shoe addiction, I can relate!

I was introduced to fashion at a very young age, and I LOVED dressing up. Over the years, I’ve shopped a ton and accumulated plenty of clothes and shoes.

However, I realized my shopping habit soon became a serious problem when I ran out of space to store my shoes.

And, as much as I loved all of my shoes, I was probably only wearing 5% of my entire collection regularly.

Not to mention, I was spending so much on trendy shoes that didn’t last very long. I could’ve saved up and bought a pair of high-quality classic shoes that could last me for years!

If this sounds familiar to you, keep reading!

The truth is, we don’t need that many pairs of shoes. Decluttering shoes will teach you how to appreciate the shoes you love even more.

I know decluttering shoes is not an easy journey, especially for people who love fashion, but don’t worry, I got you!

Here’s how to declutter shoes in 5 simple steps and what you can do with them after decluttering.

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Table of Contents

How To Declutter Shoes In 5 Simple Steps

1. Determine your decluttering goals

Before any decluttering project, it is important to determine your decluttering goals.

Are you looking to downsize your shoe collection significantly? Or, do you only want to get rid of extra pairs that do not fit in your shoe closet?

If you LOVE shoes, it may be very difficult to downsize your collection at a go. Don’t worry, that’s completely normal. Don’t beat yourself up over it!

It’s crucial to declutter at your own pace so that you do not lose the motivation to declutter.

If it’s easier and less stressful for you, you can always do several rounds of decluttering instead.

However, if you are serious about decluttering most of your shoes, it’s a good idea to set a limit on the number of shoes you want to own.

Now, there is NO hard number to how many pairs of shoes you should have. The number of shoes relies on multiple factors like your job, the weather, and your overall lifestyle.

But, if you’re looking for a good starting point, a study has shown that women only use 4-5 pairs of shoes regularly. Start here, and you can add on when necessary.

2. Gather all of your shoes in one place

This step is key because you won’t know what to get rid of if you don’t know what you have.

The best way to do this is to gather all of your shoes in one place. Make sure you do this in a large open space, as you’re going to need room to sort out your shoes!

You’re also going to need your other decluttering supplies as well like boxes, trash bags, markers, and labels.

3. Get rid of these shoes first

Don’t waste time holding on to shoes you can’t wear anymore. They will only take up valuable space, which should be reserved for shoes you actually wear.

Here is a list of shoes you should remove from your collection immediately:

Worn/torn/cracked shoes that are beyond repair
Mateless shoes (shoes that are missing one side)
Stinky and stained shoes
Shoes that are too big or small for you
Shoes that hurt your feet
Old shoes that you haven’t worn in a long time (these will usually fall apart very soon!)

4. Evaluate each pair of shoes

Now that you have your entire shoe collection in front of you, it’s time to evaluate each pair.

Here’s a list of questions you can use as a guide when decluttering shoes. Remember, it’s very important to be honest if you want to be effective.

When was the last time I wore this pair of shoes?
If I haven’t worn this recently, why am I holding on to this pair of shoes?
Does wearing this pair of shoes make me feel good about how I look?
Do they fit my current lifestyle?
Does this need to be repaired?
Where can I wear this pair of shoes?
Do I have clothes that match these shoes?
Can I run around in them without hurting myself?
Do I have a similar pair and which one do I love more?
Am I willing to take up valuable space in my closet for this pair of shoes?

As a general rule of thumb, you should TOSS any pair if you…

Haven’t worn it in a year
Don’t have a good reason for holding on to it
Don’t feel good wearing it
Can’t use it due to a lifestyle change
Need a lot of money, time, and effort to repair it
Can only wear it to one location
Don’t have many clothes that compliment them
Can potentially injure yourself wearing them
Love a similar pair more
Are running out of space in your closet and you’ll rather make room for a different pair

When in doubt, always choose shoes that are comfortable, classic, and versatile.

5. Get rid of unwanted shoes properly

Don’t throw your old shoes into the trash! Although there’s no perfect way to get rid of them, these are a few alternatives to consider:

Sell

Selling your used shoes is a little tricky because they need to be in VERY good condition. You can either sell them for cheap or give them to family, friends, colleagues, or neighbors.

However, if your shoes still look brand new, you can sell them on:

eBay
Poshmark
TheRealReal (for luxury/designer shoes)

Donate

If selling your shoes is too much of a hassle, consider donating them to these places instead:

The Salvation Army
Goodwill
One World Running – A non-profit organization that donates shoes to developing countries
Soles4Souls – A non-profit organization that provides shoes and clothing to people in vulnerable circumstances
PickUpPlease – A free donation pick-up service that supports the Vietnam Veterans of America

Recycle

You can also recycle your shoes here:

Native Remix Project – They accept shoes of any style and brand, which you can ship to them for free
Nike – Drop off used shoes at participating stores. However, they only accept athletic sneakers (good news: different brands are allowed!)
Wearable Collections – Only available in New York. You can drop off your shoes at their location or any of their 31 weekly GreenMarkets or schedule a pick-up
Asics – Send your gently used shoes and clothing to them for free
Adidas – They accept both shoes and clothing, which you can ship to them for free. Bonus: you can earn 200 membership points and up to $40 worth of Adidas vouchers!
Columbia – Drop off used clothing and shoes at any participating stores

Why Should You Declutter Your Shoes?

If you’re a shoe lover, you’re probably wondering why you should even declutter your shoes at all.

Well, it’s important to declutter shoes because you’ll get to:

Free up valuable closet/storage space
Spend less time trying to find shoes you want to wear
Skip the hassle and pain of organizing a large shoe collection

*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that are at no additional cost to you, and I may earn a small commission if you purchase any products via my links. I only recommend products that I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are my own. Read the full privacy policy here.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many pairs of shoes should I own?

The number of shoes depends on factors like your job, location, and overall lifestyle.

A good number to start with would be 4-5 pairs – one for work/formal occasions, one for casual outings, one for sports/outdoor use, and one for cold weather.

How do I organize my shoe collection?

Now that you’ve decluttered your shoe collection, it’s time to organize them.

Not only does organizing help you to locate each pair easily, but it also makes the entire space look prettier!

Here are five great ways to organize your shoe collection:

A slim shoe rack

I love a piece of multipurpose furniture like this shoe rack.

Not only does it fit 15-20 pairs of shoes, but it comes with a drawer to store keys, coins, and other small items.

It’s slim, sturdy, and beautiful, which makes it the perfect addition to a small entryway.

Remember, although these shoe organizers can store many shoes, it is NOT an excuse for you to keep or buy more shoes!

Conclusion

I hope this post has prepared you to declutter and organize your shoes.

Use these tips to get started and you’ll be on your way to building a minimalist shoe collection.

All the best with decluttering and don’t forget to share your experience in the comments below!

More decluttering tips here:

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