This Space-Saving Shoe Rack Finally Decluttered My Entryway (I’m Buying Another!) 

I live in a shoes-off household, which also means I’m constantly tripping over a pile of footwear by my front door. Some of the shoes are mine, but most are my husband’s (though he won’t admit it!). And when we have family and friends over, the area is basically a landmine of sneakers, sandals, and slippers, and everyone falls over their own shoes in an almost comical way. I either spend the first 10 minutes of guests coming over rearranging the entryway, or I just leave it a mess — it’s a lose-lose situation.

For more than a year now, I’ve been using the Yamazaki Tower Shoe Rack (which won the title of Best Shoe Rack in Small Spaces in our Organization Awards), and I’m this close to getting a second because it’s been key to managing the mess around my entryway. There’s a short and a tall version, and it comes in white or black so you can choose the best combo that best complements your decor and space; I have the tall shoe rack (no surprise there) in white.

I’ve tried the traditional shoe rack that’s wider than it is tall, but it kept getting in the way of the nearby closet door. However, going vertical with Yamazaki’s tall shoe rack — now that’s a much more elegant solution for my space (or well, the lack thereof). 

Yamazaki’s tall shoe rack has five tiers to hold as many pairs of kicks, so it doesn’t take up any more floor space than a shoe box, and the minimalist design keeps the 31-inch-tall rack from overwhelming cozy corners. If you have the space (lucky!), you can even put a few together to create a wider rack — they’re not billed as modular units, but the clean silhouette means they’ll fit snugly side by side.

The streamlined design also means the shoe rack can double as a bookshelf, umbrella holder, or even a closet organizer. However you use it, your arms will be glad to know that the sturdy steel frame is surprisingly lightweight — this came in handy as I moved it around my entryway to figure out the best landing spot.

Like most couples, my husband and I own more shoes than the rack has space for, but this has forced us to purge anything we haven’t worn in years, and it’s helped us prioritize space for the ones we wear most often, too. Those get prime real estate and aAnything else that’s more seasonal or for special occasions (like winter boots or tuxedo shoes) goes into the entryway closet where we’ve hidden our previous wide shoe rack. 

The second Yamazaki Tower shoe rack I plan on buying will go on the other side of the entryway so nobody trips over their own shoes, and I won’t have to waste my time cleaning up the area. Talk about a win-win! 

Buy: Yamazaki Tower Shoe Rack, Tall, $65

Want to see more award-winning products? Explore our 2024 Organization Awards for our top picks.