How to pack shoes for moving

Our shoes are among our most trusted and treasured possessions. Sacred, one might say. When they’re not keeping our feet warm and safe, they’re framing them just right for special occasions. The chaos of moving makes it tough to keep your shoes in shape, while a heap of ruined shoes is a universal nightmare. Luckily, there are ways to prevent this and store your shoes safely.

To lay a path to protecting our footwear, it’s vital to cover what we want, pre-empting any disastrous effects down the road. Above all, we do not want our precious heels or much-needed trainers crushed, scuffed or otherwise cracked under the weight of moving mania. Below are a few simple techniques to avoid such dreadful, and honestly, pricey outcomes. 

Your shoe safety arsenal 

Preparation and a few key materials are vital in keeping our precious shoes unharmed. But don’t go running for the door yet. These materials are easily accessible and if not, improvisation is your friend. All it takes is the following: Boxes (large and individual shoe boxes), cucumber paper, soft paper or fabric and – alternatively – shoe crease protectors.

Here’s why the aforementioned materials are so helpful in keeping your shoes safe when moving: To fend off some of the chaos that comes with moving, boxes and a marker help with order. To protect your shoes from damage to the material, structure and general quality, delicate papers like cucumber paper or fabrics like socks for stuffing are invaluable aids. 

As an alternative, shoe crease protectors are simply sublime. Although, it may take a little extra effort since they are a specialty item. In other words, they aren’t usually kept around the house for multiple pairs of shoes. They’re a solution befitting those most precious of designer items. A.K.A your Vuitton’s, Gucci or Prada, among others, consider this. 

Sorting, shielding and dividing

Sorting

Sorting will involve separating anything from seasonal specific and occasion specific footwear. 

• Summer Sandals
• Winter Boots
• Formal Pumps etc.

You can personalize this process and create categories that make sense to you. The main purpose of sorting is to make finding what you need when you need it a simple process. How you choose to do that is your womanly prerogative. And since moving can be stressful, it’s exceedingly more fun to add your own signature to your sorting. 

Another important aspect in sorting is separating the “must haves” from the “worn and passé”. Not only will this give you less to pack but removing clutter will make the unpacking process a lot simpler and not to mention tidier. Getting rid of the old will help match the tone of new beginnings and reveal a silver lining to an otherwise taxing life event. 

Shielding

Second and most importantly to separating is protecting your shoes. By this we mean preventing damage to fabric and structure. Throwing all your shoes in one box without wrapping can ruin an entire collection of special and necessary footwear. Wrapping your shoes in cucumber paper before packing can greatly reduce these irksome effects.

Another clever and invaluable trick to saving your shoes from damage is stuffing. I’m talking about keeping that beautiful structure to your heels and even your trainers. Some DIY ways to achieve this would be to stuff the toe tips of your shoes with socks or soft paper. But if you manage to get your hands on some shoe crease protectors, even better.   

Dividing

Multiple boxes provide opportunity for sorting and dividing. You could wrap your shoes and pack them side by side or customize dividers for added finesse. It’s simple; using one of the cardboard boxes to cut strips along the inner length of the box. Depending on the size of the shoes you could create another divider to split the lengthwise dividers in half for more space. 

If you’d like to be even more savvy and safe, you could use a square side of a box to place over the first layer of shoes, creating another layer of dividers. This will help prevent your shoes from turning on each other and being crushed by those packed above it. Lastly, use your individual shoe boxes for your more valuable shoes, pack them separately and that’s it.  

With a sturdy plan of action and a reliable pair of flats or trainers left aside for moving day, you’ve conquered the art of organising. Every domain requires a queen, so why not use this opportunity to crown yourself queen of handy shoe hacks. You get to feel a considerable sense of achievement. And your shoes will kneel at your feet for it. Don’t forget. It’s all for you!