Moving can be a challenge at times. When you add the complexities of packing up your shoes in a way that makes sense and doesn’t take up all of your boxes, it can become an even bigger challenge. But at the same time, you probably don’t want to say goodbye to your favorite pairs of shoes either. This is why it’s crucial to find a solution that allows you to figure out the best way to pack shoes and transport them.
The good news is that even though the process can seem overwhelming, there are steps you can take that will help you figure out how to pack shoes for moving quickly and effectively.
To help you navigate the process and ensure that your shoes are secure, compact, and easy to sort, let’s look at the best way to pack shoes for moving and the most useful practices you should utilize.
Packing Shoes for Moving the Right Way
When figuring out how to pack shoes for moving, the key is to take a structured approach and understand a few nifty tricks that will protect your shoes and other items throughout the move. Let’s look at the tips that you should consider below.
Review Your Shoe Collection
Moving shoes is a big hassle, so you should also treat it as an opportunity to reduce your collection and make the process much easier. After all, if you’re like most people, you have probably accumulated quite a few pairs of shoes over the years (some of which you probably haven’t worn for a long time).
While it’s fine when your shoes are stashed away and out of sight, packing (and then unpacking) them is a big hassle you want to avoid, especially if you are not likely to wear the shoes ever again.
Instead, take out your entire collection and try to identify the pairs that are the most valuable to you and those that serve a purpose, which means they are worn at least once in a while. Then, you’ll be left with the ones that either don’t fit too well, have worn down, or simply don’t match your style anymore. These are the ones you should say goodbye to.
Clean the Shoes
Shoes are probably one of the dirtiest items you have. They collect a lot of dirt, debris, and dust, which can transfer to other items and make your move much messier if you don’t get ahead of the problem. Before you start packing shoes, you should thoroughly inspect and wash each pair that you plan on bringing with you.
Take a dry and wet cloth and carefully wipe down any dust, dirt, and grime that might have accumulated on the shoes. Be careful with more delicate shoe materials to avoid leaving marks. A key part of packing shoes for moving is ensuring that they arrive at the new destination undamaged, as the entire process can pose many risks to your favorite pairs if you’re not careful.
Air Them Out
Preventing unpleasant odors is another crucial part of the best way to move shoes since odor can easily transfer to other items in the box if even one pair of shoes is smelly. That’s especially important for sneakers that have an unpleasant odor and carry moisture.
To avoid that, make sure you leave the shoes to air out at least for a few hours but preferably for around a day in a ventilated environment. That should give plenty of time for any unpleasant odors to disappear. If the smell still persists, you can use baking soda or dry tea bags to collect residual odors and moisture from within the shoe.
Divide Them by Season and Type
When figuring out how to pack shoes when moving, you may be tempted to just throw them into a suitcase or a few boxes and figure out what goes where once you get to your destination. While that may save you a bit of time upfront, you will have to deal with the double hassle of having to sort through piles of random shoes once you are ready to unpack.
To avoid that and to figure out how to pack shoes to save space, you should consider sorting them upfront. That way, you can place them in separate boxes that will be easier to unpack later and give special care and packaging to shoes that you deem more fragile or valuable.
Tie Them Together
As previously mentioned, there are pairs of shoes that you may want to throw together in a box. Whether it’s a few different types of sneakers or casual and seasonal shoes, it can be a convenient way of organizing your shoe transportation without having to spend too much time on the process.
But if you don’t want to go through the time-consuming process of untangling the shoe mess, consider tying the shoelaces of the pairs so that they remain together and are easy to sort out later. In fact, this method can be applied in most scenarios where you have shoes with shoelaces. Having your shoes stay together for the duration of the move is a good way to ensure that no shoes get lost or misplaced.
Stuff Them with Paper or Socks
One of the most important parts of learning how to pack shoes for moving is ensuring that they remain in good condition throughout the journey. That means you need to have a process for protecting the shoes from losing their shape or suffering other types of damage.
One good method you should implement is stuffing your shoes so that they don’t succumb to the pressures from the outside. When you stuff your shoes, you won’t have to worry about them getting squished, which could cause permanent damage, leaving a mark you can’t remove.
Many people use stuffing paper for this purpose, but, understandably, not everybody has that on hand. It’s also not the most environmentally-friendly option. The good news is that socks work perfectly well. They will also help you save space since you won’t have to figure out where to put the socks.
Consider Wrapping More Valuable Shoes Individually
Scuffs are a nuisance on any shoe. If you have valuable and fragile pairs of shoes that you want to protect, it’s better to go the extra mile to safely reach your destination. That’s when wrapping each shoe might be a good strategy to consider.
By wrapping shoes in packing paper or even towels, you can ensure that they won’t get scratched, scuffed, or otherwise damaged. Since some shoes are more fragile than others, it’s a good idea. Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to individually wrap each shoe since most will do just fine in a box or suitcase.
Pack Your Favorite Shoes Together
Everyone has a couple of pairs of shoes that they enjoy the most. These might not be the fanciest or most expensive shoes they own, but they’re the go-to pair of shoes for everyday wear. Since these shoes play such a big role in a person’s life, it only makes sense to have them easily accessible throughout the entire moving process.
Consider packing your favorite shoes together. That way, you can avoid finding yourself in a situation where your favorite shoes are in some inaccessible box that you would have to dig through to get them. At the same time, it can reduce the disruption that the move will have by keeping the shoes in reach.
Some people even like to use baskets instead of boxes for their shoes since they are open and can be accessed faster. Instead of opening a box whenever you need your favorite pair of shoes, you can simply get them from a basket in mere seconds.
Begin Your Easiest Move Yet with Lou Moves You
Moving can be a hectic process, so you must utilize every strategy to make it more organized and convenient. Understanding the top ways to pack shoes for moving can serve as a good foundation for your journey, so you don’t get frustrated and risk damaging or losing them.
If you want to simplify the moving process, hire a moving company to help you get all your possessions to your new home quickly and stress-free. Lou Moves You can provide you with the most professional and experienced movers in NYC that will take care of everything from start to finish and make your move feel like a breeze. Get a quote today to get started!
