I was worried that this shoe cabinet would tip easily, but it is heavy! Definitely secure the cabinet to the walls if you have children or pets, but since we don't have this concern we opted to leave it free standing and have had no issue. The wood is sturdy and durable, and looks great too. It holds about 12 pairs of adult shoes easily (not including hightops or boots), and does so while maintaining an unintrusive footprint in the entryway. We are very satisfied with this product!