Walk a Mile in my Shoes
The entire readership of my blog could probably walk a mile in my shoes. I have enough of them to go around.
I store (most of) them in this:
As anyone can see, they do not all fit. Boots do not count. 
MTM used to have the rule that I could only buy a new pair of shoes if I removed a pair and threw them away. That was when I got really creative: stacking shoes on top of each other; storing them sideways; anything to squeeze in one more pair.
When we moved, I got serious about too-much-stuff. I threw away twenty pairs of shoes. Every thud in the trash can hurt my heart a little bit, but I did it. By the time I was done, I made enough room for MTM to fit his shoes in the cabinet, too.
It’s not just my love of shoes that causes my blue suede shoe ornament to warm my heart. This picture’s blurry, but when we renewed our vows in Las Vegas back in January, guess what I wore on my feet?
For more about shoes and vows renewals:
This post is part of the series Roll Out the Holly, about the stories Christmas ornaments can conjure. Click here to read the series from the beginning.
I love your blue suede shoes! And the one on the tree. I’m one of those seemingly rare women who isn’t too obsessed with shoes, but both my mother and my daughter are indeed, so I’m always amused at how the many, many pairs are stored. Your system is a good one! And you know I love Yo-Yo Ma. How is it possible I haven’t heard this recording before? Thank you for that!
Debra, here is a link for the whole Yo Yo Ma holiday CD: http://www.amazon.com/Songs-Joy-Peace-Yo-Yo-Friends/dp/B001BN1V8U MTM downloaded it for me as a surprise this year, and I have played it to death.
To have shoes, one must come up with a good storage system. What’s funny is that my one cardinal rule of packing for a trip is that I must wear the only pair of shoes I take. Shoes are too bulky for a suitcase.
Thank you for the amazon link, Andra! I’m going to do the same and download it!
I would be obsessed with shoes if I had the money and if I had feet that shoes actually fit on. My feet are quad E, so cute shoes and I unfortunately must only say hello in passing. I’m like the ugly stepsisters always trying to try on Cinderella’s slipper. No can do.
I’m relegated to the occasional sneaker, birkie (and even then sometimes they don’t fit), men’s shoes, and uuuugly comfort & foot problem-minded old lady shoe. Nothing wrong with comfort. I like comfort. But I wish they could be cuter. Even the cute shoes in the wide shoe shops are too small, and in the rare instance when they do fit, are outrageously expensive and out of my budgetary league.
Wish I could afford custom made shoes, because that would be friggin’ awesome!
Sorry, I’m whining. I’m envious of your shoe cabinet! So awesome!
Holly, one of my very favorite pairs of shoes cost $3 at Target. My collection is largely a downmarket one.
MTM had a EEE foot like yours. There’s one outlet store near us where he can get shoes that fit his feet, but they are expensive. He has a fraction of the number of pairs I do, but his collection certainly cost more.
Here’s to your finding a pair of cute comfort shoes in 2013.
Hear, hear! Thanks.
Check out http://www.fluevog.com They have some unisex shoes that are stylish and suited for wide feet. If you email them, some brilliantly helpful Fluevogian elf will give you advice about anything in the line. They are amazing to deal with, either on-line or in person. I own close to a dozen ‘Vogs- all unique and comfy. I only bought one pair ‘in person.’ I had to return one pair that didn’t fit properly, and there was no trouble with that process either.
Oh, those are some cute shoes! Thanks for the link. But even the sale price ones are mostly out of my budget league right now. I’m going back to work next year, though, so hopefully that will change…
You’re in direct competition with my wife, except we don’t have such a neat storage answer. Yet another decoration on the giant tree:)
MTM bought those units at a salvage store, Roger. I think they make the coolest shoe cabinet ever.
It’s the Shoes.
I remember this one!!
Wow, you have a LOT of shoes Andra. LOL… I believe that I have more shoes than Katy and I am sure that is hard to believe. Speaking of that I need to make plans for her to get some more in 2014. There is something horribly wrong about my having more than her. I hope she reads this because it is hard to get her to spend money on herself. She would rather spend money on the children than herself.
I’m preposterous. I made a rule when we moved that I had to get rid of any pairs I hadn’t worn by the end of the year. So……….I have been frantically getting them out and wearing random pairs……….
Shoes are hard to buy for another person, but maybe you could somehow trick Katy into letting you get her a pair of shoes or several.
Ha! I would absolutely do that!
I have about 150 pairs, and there are definintely some there that should/could go. However, so many are attached to fond memories, I am reticent… Surely someday I will need to wear my candystriping shoes (white nurse shoes with red laces) in public again? 
Give your old ones, even the crappy holey ones, to Soles for Souls. They give shoes to people around the world who need them. The high heels can go for a woman who needs to make a job interview but has none. The flats can go just about anywhere. The missing the mate pairs can go to people with only one leg. And so on. There are few shoes that they receive that they can’t put to good use.
I will definitely look this up for my next purge, Jessie. Thank you.
I envy the feet of anyone who can wear heels. When I was younger I did wear them, but never stilettos, only the square chocky heels and wedges. I’m all on the same plane with my shoes now. Low heels, no heels, clogs and comfy shoes rule my life. Cause as someone who has had a few foot injuries over the years, painful feet are a no go for me. I’ll do anything to avoid them.
When I was younger, I couldn’t stand heels. My mom always wore them, and I think they warped her feet. Sometime in my 30′s, my whole personality changed, apparently, because I started buying heels. I still don’t wear them much, and I can’t stand in them for very long. But, dang, they sure are pretty for a little while.
I am over platforms, though. The fashion gods need to move on to the next thing.
Make a Tennessee girl proud!
Maybe it’s in the water there.
Mmmmmm, now you’ve hit upon a love story that I can totally embrace as my own. *sigh* Shoes. I love shoes, okay, I LOVE shoes. Stilettos are my favorite (and yes, I do wear them even though I have bad knees – you must ignore pain to wear stillettos, er, I must), but I love different shoes, shoes that are unique. When I was in high school I think I had the largest shoe collection and all of them were about four inch high, at least, but a lot of them were funky high heels shoes. *sigh* Those were the days – everyone thought I was tall.
I only owned one pair of tennis shoes and Sterling’s father (6’1″ to my 5’2″) insisted I wear high heels even with my bikini (that was back when I listened when someone told me what to wear). And I have literally cried when I’ve given my shoes away. Trials and Tribulations of a Shoe Hoarder. 
I’d love to see some pictures of your shoes, Lori. (Although, I promise the new year series will NOT be a feature on my shoe collection.)
And, heels with a bikini? I guess that’s how they do it in beauty pageants. I’m sure you were lovely.
On the beach and on the dock I looked like an idiot. He thought I looked like the playboy bunny he always wanted… Ha.
Oh, and please forgive me but I’m coveting your shoe ornament…come to think of it I’m coveting a lot of your ornaments.
Sinful, yes, I know.
The shoe ornament also came from IKEA.
Yo Yo Ma and blue suede shoe ornaments! What more could a gal want? Why, more shoes, of course.
It is hard to believe, but I have slowed down on buying shoes considerably. Many of the pairs in the cabinet have been around for a decade or more. I don’t have too many trendy pairs.
my shoes have their own…….CLOSET! hahahaha
It’s really the best way, Emily.
Men have it so easy, flip flops, sneakers and a comfortable pair of Ecco loafers for dressing up. Flip flops rule!
Howard, flip flops DO rule……….because they stack in my cabinet, and I can get five pairs in one slot……….
I just knew you’d have a shoe on that tree somewhere
I have three of these, Kate.
Because, you know, one isn’t enough.
two points of interest:
1.) none of your shoes would fit me, I’m pretty sure you don’t wear 13′s!
2.) you walked quite a few miles in your own shoes yesterday!
I mean day before yesterday!
I walked to MUSC again yesterday, but I didn’t have to walk back. Today, I’m walking to Rue de Jean to meet Angie for some holiday cheer.
You must follow this link and read the comments. You are now infamous. http://wellheregoes.wordpress.com/2012/12/19/one-of-those-moments/
Wait! You walked to MUSC again and didn’t come visit? I am hurt…
I like this ornament, Andra, it’s quirky… and I like quirky!
And it invokes other good memories as well… all good!
Shoe fetish!!
I like the ornament though.
I love the ornament! And I am drooling over your closet!
Darcie, it is salvage supply furniture, but it works.
It looks very cool