# How to organise an existing hallway shoe bench Canonical HTML: [How to organise an existing hallway shoe bench](https://spacemadeuseful.co.uk/organise-a-hallway-shoe-bench/) Practical guide · [Hallway](https://spacemadeuseful.co.uk/hallway-shoe-storage/) · Measure usable cubbies, choose which pairs stay beneath the seat and check room to sit, lift shoes out and pass the bench. Space Made Useful · Updated November 2026 · ![A wooden hallway bench with an empty seat and shoes organised in the cubbies below](https://spacemadeuseful.co.uk/assets/images/batch7-organise-a-hallway-shoe-bench.jpg) The main decision ## Keep the seat clear and fit shoes below it Measure the lowest rail and usable shelf depth. Put daily dry pairs where you can lift them out easily, then check that shoes and a seated person leave a clear way through. ## Measure the space below the seat as you use it Check the bench is assembled and secured as its maker requires. Find out whether the space below the seat is an open shelf, several cubbies or a closed compartment. Measure the usable width at the narrowest point. Include any frame, side brackets or shelf supports. Check depth from the back stop to the front edge that gives full support to a shoe or tray. Take the height reading where the shoe actually goes, including the lowest apron or rail above it. Measure the shoes in pairs, with both soles resting naturally. Note the longest and tallest pair and try to pick it up inside the opening. A high-backed shoe can fit in a cubby and still catch during removal. On a rail shelf, check that the heel and forefoot both have stable support. A short pair can fit between the side panels but fall through a gap in the rails. **Illustrative cubby check.** An opening has 18 cm from the shelf to the seat rail. A shoe is 15 cm high at the heel. A 2 cm-thick insert leaves only 1 cm above the heel. Try lifting the shoe past the front rail and use the shelf without that insert if you cannot get a comfortable grip. ## Choose a layout for the type of storage underneath On an open shelf, put regularly used pairs side by side in one row and keep them fully on the support surface. A shelf looks deeper when it is empty. Check where the toe lands when the heel meets the back and leave the passage clear. If a small pair needs a tray for support, choose one the shelf can support and check the combined height before adding it. For a divided bench, assign each cubby a job. A wider cubby can take a bulky pair and a small one can suit flats or a child’s trainers. Use a shallow removable tray only if you have room to slide it clear and lift it out. Where all the cubbies are the same size, test the largest pair first. Set very tall footwear somewhere appropriate if it cannot stand or be removed in its normal shape. If the bench has a door or a hinged lid, measure the complete opening as well as the inside. Check where your hands go and follow the bench maker’s instructions for using the lid. Leave room for the opening whenever the bench is in use. The [flip-down fit guide](https://spacemadeuseful.co.uk/check-shoes-fit-a-flip-down-cabinet/) shows how to check an angled front when a bench includes that kind of compartment. ## Keep room to sit, turn and stand up Keep the usable seat clear. Try sitting at the position you normally use and look at where your feet land. Measure how far the front of the bench projects from the wall, including any stand-off. Then check the floor area in front where someone sits and puts a shoe on. Set a bag or an umbrella in a separate suitable spot if you have to move it every time you sit down. With someone seated, have another person open the nearby door and walk through the hall as usual. Check the route both ways. A shoe that projects past the seat edge can catch someone’s foot at exactly the point where they turn to stand. Reduce the pairs or put them farther back where the shelf still provides support. If a larger unit is genuinely needed, the [buying guide to shoe storage benches](https://spacemadeuseful.co.uk/best-hallway-shoe-storage-benches/) compares layouts by depth, access and use. ## Keep the bench for the pairs used at the entrance Put the pairs you use while seated where you can reach them. Keep dry school and work shoes there if that suits the household. Put out-of-season pairs elsewhere and give wet footwear its own suitable drying position. A shared bench works best with a regular place for each person’s daily pairs. For more people than cubbies, assign the accessible section by frequency of use and keep a separate spot for the rest. If the bench has space for two rows, test whether both remain useful. Put frequently used shoes at the front and try removing a rear pair while someone stands near the seat. A deep cubby can work for a complete occasional group in a suitable tray. Check that the whole loaded tray is supported and that the handle remains clear of the front rail. Review the arrangement after a few normal days. Check whether shoes remain on the floor when there is space on the shelf. A pair might need more clearance to pass the front rail, or the correct cubby might be hard to reach when someone is sitting. Change its position or use a better-sized compartment. If a child uses the bench, use the [children’s shoe guide](https://spacemadeuseful.co.uk/organise-childrens-shoes-by-the-door/) to set up reachable storage without relying on climbing or pulling on the furniture. ## Questions before you choose ### What should go below a hallway bench? Start with dry daily pairs you use while seated. Give tall or wet footwear a separate suitable position if the bench cannot accommodate it. ### How do I measure a shoe cubby? Check the narrowest clear width, supported depth and height beneath the lowest rail. Leave room to grip and lift the shoes. ### Can I add a tray under a bench? Check the shelf supports the loaded tray, and include the tray thickness when you measure clearance. Leave room to pull the tray out and lift it. ### Can shoes extend beyond the seat? Keep soles supported and the front route clear. Try retrieving the largest pair while someone is seated to check for awkward projection. ### How should we share a bench with limited cubbies? Give the easiest cubbies to the pairs used most at the door. Keep occasional footwear in another suitable spot. ### Can I use the top for bags? If you sit there, set aside another suitable spot for bags. Keep the usable seat and the space to stand clear. ## How we put this guide together We reviewed UK bench examples and manufacturer assembly guidance for rail, cubby and enclosed layouts. The worked example shows how a low rail and an insert can reduce useful height. [Read our source policy](https://spacemadeuseful.co.uk/source-policy/) **Space Made Useful** We compare documented dimensions, opening mechanisms and other details that help you choose storage for the space you have. [How we research our guides](https://spacemadeuseful.co.uk/editorial-policy/).