Shoe Storage Easy Ways To Keep A Shoe Cabinet Fresh

Many people resort to purchasing a shoe cabinet to help organize a large footwear collection, not realizing that it takes a little bit more than simply throwing the shoes in the cabinet to keep everything neat and tidy. If you’re serious about keeping your shoes neatly organized, smelling fresh and in good shape for years to come, you should think about following these shoe cabinet care tips.

Choose A Well-Aired Shoe Cabinet

Perhaps you’ve already purchased your shoe cabinet, but if you’re on the hunt to buy something new, look for a cabinet that’s well aired. This could mean an open shelving unit or a closed cabinet made from breathable material like natural wood. The benefit of the latter is the cabinet will also keep your footwear protected from dust and ultraviolet light. 

Don’t Store Freshly Worn Shoes

After you remove a pair of shoes, it takes about 24 hours for any sweat to dry and bacteria to diminish. Therefore, it’s best to leave your shoes in open air for that amount of time before stashing them away in a cabinet where they’re likely not able to fully dry and therefore could harbor additional bacteria and stench. 

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Combat Stinky Shoe Smell With An Air Freshener

Despite how careful you are, there’s a chance your shoe cabinet could start to harbor a stinky foot smell. One way to combat this is by placing an air freshener in the cabinet. It could be store bought, or you could go the natural way and place a sliced lemon or a jar of coffee beans in the cabinet to help diminish any odor. 

Neatly Place Your Shoes In The Cabinet

It might be tempting to carelessly throw your footwear in the shoe cabinet with an “out of sight, out of mind” attitude. But if you don’t place your shoes neatly in their home, you risk your footwear becoming misshapen and you may end up forgetting about shoes that get buried in the pile. You should also avoid over-crowding your shoe cabinet, which can also lead to odors developing and your shoes to lose their structure.

Consider Sorting Your Shoes According To Season

You’ll be able to keep your shoe cabinet organized much easier if you separate your shoes according to season and store the off-season footwear elsewhere. However, always be sure to thoroughly clean your shoes before storing them long term, otherwise you risk the shoes growing mold or developing stains from dirt and grime. 

Give Special Occasion Shoes Their Own Home

It will make your life a lot easier if you give special occasion shoes their own home by either storing them in a completely different space or at least giving them their own shelf in your cabinet. It helps to sort the shoes based on the occasion you would use them for.