Go Shopping!
No, don't go shopping for more shoes — well, at least not until you've found a suitable storage solution for the shoes you do own. Many houseware stores have innovative storage solutions that might be just what you need for your shoes. You might buy a:
- Hanging carousel organizer. Some even come with shelves that you can use for T-shirts and other miscellany.
- Under-the-bed containers. These are low to the ground and are easy to slide out from under your bed.
- Over-the-door shoe organizer. This won't work so well if you have a sliding closet door, but maybe you could hang it off the end of your bunk or on your dorm door.
Consider Which Shoes You Need and When You Need Them
You're probably not going to be wearing those gorgeous leather sandals any time during Colorado's frigid winters, and your ski boots are put to the best use when the powder is fresh. Store your off-season shoes somewhere other than your dorm room. If your parents are cool with it, bring the shoes to their place. If not, pack up your shoes with other seasons items and outfits and have a professional storage company hold on to them until the semester is over.
You might be able to get rid of some shoes altogether. Maybe those radical heels that you wore to the nightclub just don't fit your personality anymore, or maybe it's finally time to say farewell to that pair of Converse that are coming apart at the seams.
Reduce Odors
Odors can easily get out of hand in a small dorm room. If your roommate starts to complain, use these tips to stop the stink:
- Put your shoes in Ziploc bags and throw them in the freezer for a while. This will kill smelly bacteria.
- Use toothpaste to clean the little cracks and crevices in your shoes.
- Buy new insoles.
- Put old tea bags in your shoes.
- Shove some old newspaper into wet shoes. The newspaper will absorb the moisture and prevent odors.
Buy Multipurpose Shoes
When you go shoe shopping, don't buy shoes that are only good for one thing. Those amazingly sparkly heels might be gorgeous, but wouldn't it be more practical to buy a pair of shoes that you could wear on a date and to class? Be careful about your buying decisions so you don't get overrun by footwear.
Dealing with your shoes in a college space isn't easy, but with a few simple adjustments, you can organize your closet and make your dorm room smell like it doesn't have any shoes in it at all!
Image via Flickr by Stefan
