25 Clever and Stylish Under the Stair Shoe Storage Solutions

Nothing is more unsightly than shoes lying around the entryway or living room. That’s when shoe storage comes in handy! And if you need more storage space, we’ve gathered a list of shoe storage ideas for an often under-utilized spot in many homes: under the stairs.

It’s a space that often goes unused in many homes. You may remember Harry Potter, the boy who famously lived under the stairs before discovering his true identity as a wizard. But for those of us without a magical world to escape to, under the stairs can be an awkward area to utilize.

However, with some clever shoe storage ideas, this space can be transformed into a functional spot to store your footwear. Say goodbye to unsightly shoes cluttering up your living room or entryway, and hello to a stylish and organized storage solution!

Cute and cozy under the stairs nook from Our Elmwood Home. — Cute and cozy under the stairs nook with space for shoe storage baskets from Our Elmwood Home.

Planning your under-stair shoe storage
Storage drawers
Mudroom
Coat closet
Cubbies
Ikea Solutions and Hacks
- Looking for more shoe storage and organization ideas?

Planning your under-stair shoe storage

Before installing your under-stair shoe storage, there are a couple of questions you’ll want to take into consideration. Answering these questions will help you better plan what storage you need.

Under Stairs Storage — This under-the-stair shoe storage is a unique way to store shoes under the stairs. Image from Real Living.

What are the dimensions of the space?
How many pairs of shoes will I need to store?
What are my storage needs, budget, and style preferences?
What type of storage solution will best complement my home’s decor?

Storage drawers

Stow away your shoe collection with hidden stair storage drawers. These hidden drawers are designed to fit snugly under the stairs and can be customized to fit any number of shoes.

Since the drawers seamlessly blend into the stairs, no one will ever know you are storing shoes there. The best part about these clever drawers is that they don’t take up any precious floor space!

Built-in under stair storage cabinets from Markham Roberts home, featured on Domino. Photography by Stephen Kent Johnson.

Under stairs storage drawers — Hidden shoe storage drawers blend perfectly into the stairs from Dovetail Designs.

Under stair shoe drawers from Apartment Therapy. Shoe storage under the stairs. Image credit: Kotomi Yamamura — Under stair shoe drawers from Apartment Therapy. *Shoe storage under the stairs.* Image credit: Kotomi Yamamura

Drawers, hooks, and baskets! This under stair shoe storage solution from Frome Interiors has it all.

Pull out drawers for everything from shoes to sports gear! Image from Decor Pad.

Pull out shoe storage under a stair case. — The Perfect pull-out shoe storage for under the stairs from The Little Wood Shed.

Shoe storage drawers combined with bookshelves in this storage solution from Magnolia.

Pull out under the stairs coat, shoe, umbrella, and bag storage — Beautiful pull out under the stairs coat, shoe, umbrella, and bag storage from Designed by Woulfe.

Mudroom

Don’t you think you have room for a mudroom? Think again! That awkward “under the stairs” spot is the perfect place for installing a mudroom for storing your shoes (and jackets, coats, backpacks, and anything else you can think of!)

It could be as simple as a few hooks on the wall with some shelves, or you could go all out with dividers, cubbies, drawers, etc. A mudroom is the perfect way to keep your house tidy and clutter-free.

Under stairs mudroom — An under the stairs mudroom from One Kin Design.

Under the stairs mudroom with drawers, open shelves, baskets, and hooks from Shelterness.

Another lovely under stair mud room from Pinterest.

Coat closet

A coat closet is an easy shoe storage solution, especially if you already have an under stairs closet. You can transform the closet into a coat closet by adding some hooks, shelves, and rods.

Coat closets are great if you want your shoes, jackets, and coats to be out of sight, and out of mind.

Under stairs coat closet — Under the stairs coat closet from Styletic.

Cubbies

Cubbies (or catchalls) are a fun and stylish way to keep shoes organized and off the floor. First, install a few shelves and add some baskets for a clean, classic design that looks good in every home.

Then, assign every member of the family their own cubby, and no one will ever wonder where their shoes are again!

These shoe cubbies paired with the open shelving make for a perfect storage space from Melanie Jade Design.

Under stairs cubbies — Under the stairs cubbies from One Kin Design. These cubbies would work great with baskets for storing shoes!

Ikea Solutions and Hacks

IKEA is the go-to for all things organizational! Here are a few of our favorite IKEA finds for under the stair shoe, jacket, and accessory storage.

The essential IKEA KALLAX cubbies under the stairs from Liesa Maier.

Colorful storage solution using the IKEA EKET system. Source unknown (let us know if this is yours!).

Under-stair shoe storage is a practical and stylish solution for those looking to declutter their home and make the most of every inch of space in their homes.

By using the often-unused area under your staircase, you can transform the spot into a functional storage solution for your shoe collection.