Have a shoe collection that could rival a Hollywood celebrity’s? Even if your collection doesn’t include 3,000 pairs, shoe storage can get out of hand quickly — and there’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to find the pair that you want to wear.

Straighten out a disorganized shoe collection with these shoe storage ideas for any apartment.

Create your plan of attack
As with any organizational task, shoe organizing starts with creating a plan of attack.  Take inventory of the shoes you’ve got laying around and also consider how much space you’ve got in your apartment to store your collection. It may be helpful to actually collect all of your shoes out in the open so you can realistically determine how many pairs you have.

Once you see what you’re working with, it’s time to decide where to store your shoes. Plan on keeping all of the shoes you wear most often in one central place.  As best you can, allow for visibility and accessibility since you’re going to need to get at your favorite shoes quickly and easily.

For shoes that you only wear seasonally or occasionally, designate a separate space — like the top shelf in your closet, underneath your bed, or a hall closet — for the extra pairs.  This additional shoe storage space will be specially designated for your overflow.

Think you need more than two shoe storage areas? It might be time to do some shoe decluttering. The simpler your shoe storage situation, the easier it’ll be to maintain over the long haul.

Shoe storage ideas
Once you decide how many shoes you’re storing, you can purchase any number of different shoe storage containers to help you maximize your space.

For closet shoe storage, it’s best to buy organizational tools to help you keep shoes from piling up on the floor or disappearing underneath hanging clothes.  Good shoe storage ideas for closets include rotating shoe trees, over-the-door or wall-mount shoe racks, floor shoe racks, and floor shoe cubbies. These types of shoe storage make it easy for you to see the shoes you’ve got and put them back in the proper place when you’re done with them.

If you lack closet space and have to keep your shoes out in the open, don’t worry. There are a number of attractive shoe storage options available from retailers like IKEA, the Container Store, or Wal-Mart that are meant to be displayed. Look for shoe cubbies that are disguised as small cabinets. These units look like regular accent furniture but have doors that open to reveal ample shoe storage. You can also find wall-mount shoe storage units that contain several pull-out drawers for shoes. Mount one of these units in your foyer, and you’ve got an instant shoe storage solution.

When it comes to shoes you store in your overflow storage space, clear plastic shoe storage containers are a good choice. These small containers are the perfect size for pumps, loafers, or sandals, and, because they’re clear, they allow you to easily recognize the contents no matter how many containers you’ve got stacked in the closet. They’re also good for protecting delicate shoes and keeping dust off of your rarely-worn pairs. The only thing these plastic shoe storage containers aren’t good for is everyday use: too many shoe storage containers can be cumbersome to navigate. Individual containers also take up a lot of space, so save this shoe storage method for the out-of-the-way shoes.

Find a shoe storage solution that’s easy to maintain so you can avoid an unwieldy shoe avalanche. With the right organizational tools, you can whip your shoe collection into shape in no time.