This slim $22 shoe rack from Amazon solved the storage snag in our tiny entryway

It was a temporary solution but has been so functional for four years

A bright entryway with wooden floors and no storage. In the background there is a crittal floor to ceiling glass panel which shows a minimalist dining room
(Image credit: Zulufish)

We rapidly bought a newly built home with zero built-in storage and moved in within six weeks of viewing it. The tiny hallway quickly became a clutter hot spot as there wasn’t space to put the usual storage options.

We bought an affordable metal shoe rack from Amazon for the entryway as a temporary measure but it was so good, we're still using it four years later. And now, it's only $22 in the Amazon Spring Sale.

To our surprise, this small entryway storage idea has turned out to be a lifesaver for this tricky space and gone from a temporary solution, to something more permanent.

Why a metal shoe storage option worked out great for us

This rack helped us solve a lack of storage in our awkward and small entryway by capitalizing on the vertical storage space on offer.

Professional organizer Ben Soreff of House 2 Home Organizing says, ‘You've hit the nail on the head. When it comes to using limited space, you must go vertical. Shoes tend to collect in entryways as do jackets and bags.’

What I had previously tried

black and white entryway with black woodwork and door with stained glass, black round mirror and console, yellow and black 3d floor tiles, lantern light, crittal doors to living room

A small entryway can be tricky to provide storage for, which is why slimline furniture and going vertical are smart moves for functionality.

(Image credit: Zulufish)

We had a slim storage unit in our living room for shoes, pictured below, but found it meant tracking dirt and mud on carpeted floors. We could have taken shoes on and off in the small hallway, but with the stairs tempting us to sit down directly next to the slim cabinet, we were making a carpet cleaning mistake.

Ben adds, ‘Mudrooms and front halls are great because, as their title suggests, they prevent people with dirty shoes from walking directly into the house. If there is no mudroom or hall, then they track dirt, dust, or snow directly into the kitchen or living room.’

We also tried Joseph Joseph stackable shoe boxes, available on Amazon, but found them too fiddly for day-to-day use. However, these ventilated and sturdy stackable shoe boxes have turned out to be excellent for surplus, or out-of-season shoe storage in our under stairs area.

Ben adds, ‘Do a seasonal shoe swap and only keep everyday pairs in your entryway. After reviewing the frequency of use, you can store extra shoes in your closet.

A slim blue shoe cabinet on metal legs, standing on carpeted floor next to a staircase

This slim shoe storage cabinet from MADE was too broad to fit in our small entryway, so we placed it in our living room next to the stairs. But it didn't work out as we were tracking mud in to the carpeted space.

(Image credit: Punteha van Terheyden)

'Next the structure of your small entryway shoe storage is super important to maintain an organized system. Metal shoe racks are great as they typically take up less space than wooden ones, however, shelves will be easy to use without the shoes falling through.'

Even though we have a small child, with equally small shoes, we've not had any shoes falling through the metal bars of our Amazon metal shoe rack, as they're not set apart enough to be an issue.

Professional organizer Ben adds, 'Typically, the mudroom or entryway presents clutter challenges because it is the first opportunity you have to dump your items when you arrive home. We don't want to collect coats or shoes as the goal: we want to use them.'

He advises reviewing your shoes for quantity and frequency of use. 'Since space is limited, we need to do the winter/summer swap and store off-season items in the attic or basement (or use closets in a small apartment),' Ben explains. 'If there is a garage, you can set up a shoe rack and runner. If there is no garage, set up the shoe rack and cubbies in the hall or kitchen.'

Entryways and mud rooms tend to get messy because it's easy to come home and dump belongings in this space. If everything has a home to begin with, there's less chance of clutter building.

Learn more about the five stages of clutter to help avoid mess in your home.

Entryway storage ideas


Next, learn how to organize shoes in a small space to keep your nifty storage solution in good order.

Punteha van Terheyden
Head of Solved

Punteha was editor of Real Homes before joining Homes and Gardens as Head of Solved. Previously, she wrote and edited lifestyle and consumer pieces for the national press for 16 years, working across print and digital newspapers and magazines. She’s a Sunday Times bestselling ghostwriter, BBC Good Food columnist and founding editor of independent magazine, lacunavoices.com. Punteha loves keeping her home clean, has tested and reviewed the latest robot vacuums, enjoys cooking, DIY, and spending weekends personalizing her newly-built home, tackling everything from plumbing to tiling and weatherproofing.

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