As part of ensuring you increase your shoe lifespan. You must know how best to store your shoes. Although the most obvious way is not the best way to store your shoes. Research on other methods that you are not familiar with how best to store your shoes effectively.
There are many benefits with this as shoes and boots are not as cheap to replace, and they are the hardest working accessories that you have. Thus, if you are those people who shove their shoes in the closet and pile them up as you have no strategy on how best to store them.
It’s time to learn how best to store and keep your shoes wearable and supple for a long time, and it saves you money as well. Although there are various ways to store your shoes, ensure that you keep them clean, dry, and shapely. Here are some of the best ways to store your shoes without ruining them.
Furthermore, we would also recommend you to read this great article: 20 Clever Ways to Store Your Vegan Running Shoes!, from Loom Footwear. This article dictates some of the best ways and storage options that you can go with to store your shoes and keep them safe for a long lasting use.
1. Clean them before storing them
Cleaning your shoes thoroughly before storing them is one best way to store your shores. Even though you store your shoes properly and they are not clean but full of mud, debris and are wet. This is a poor way to store your shoes. Hence, it is important to clean them, and depending on the type of shoes you have to store, you treat them.
For instance, if it is leather shoes, clean them, and apply a leather conditioner to the uppers and soles. Also, stuff your shoes to smooth out the toe box and heel before storage. However, be careful not to overstretch these areas as it is damaging to the shoe.
2. Select a shoe organizer that suits you
Since there are many shoeing organizers to choose from. Pick the one that makes sense for you, and that has enough space to accommodate your growing shoe collection. When the sneaker news is out, once you get your sneakers of choice, you can store them properly on your shoe organizer.
Either it is boxes or wire racks, the type of shoe storage that you choose is dependent on how long the shoes will stay when you are not wearing them. For instance, if you prefer storage boxes, your shoes will get protection from sunlight, temperature, and dust. If you prefer shoe racks, they are good for shoes you wear regularly and help air to adequately circulate the footwear. Consider placing your shoe rack where it is convenient for everyone.
3. Use shoe trees
As you store your shoes for the short term. Using shoe trees is one best way to ensure that you prevent your shoes from getting the creases and folds. This happens naturally due to humidity, gravity, and aridity. Especially in shoes that you wear regularly.
Yet they can take a toll on your shoe over time and make permanent deformations of its structural elements. Plus, materials used to make your shoes age and become stiff. Hence, using shoe trees will help you a lot to maintain the quality of the shoe. So try this way for short term storage as you set them on a shelf. Therefore, if this is the way you prefer, put away your shoes into storage every time you remove them, other than throwing them in a pile on the floor making them lose their shape.
4. Use silica packets
Adding silica packets to your shoes, especially lightweight shoes, is important before you put them away for storage. Since summer shoes contain fragile materials and are lightweight. They tend to tolerate humidity changes poorly.
Thus adding a pack of silica to their storage container will help to remove any possible dampness. Therefore, when you have a well-organized mudroom where you store your shoes. It is not a bad idea to reduce dampness in your shoes with these silica packets by placing one in each shoe.
5. Store shoes in a climate-controlled room
To prevent ruining your shoes due to extremes in humidity and temperature. Use climate-controlled storage that will be ideal for your shoes. Not just specific types of shoes, but all the shoes need to be protected from extreme climates. This will help avoid the weakening of fabrics, turning leather brittle, and also causing the glue to loosen.
For instance, shoes that people store in basements will end up in the bin as they are unusable after a season of harsh treatment due to the humid conditions. Also those that are stored in the attic as there is no control of temperatures. If you have too many shoes, you can opt to store some in storage units like Make space where they will be put in climate-controlled storage.
6. Use acid-free materials
As part of storing your shoes without ruining them. It is best for stuffing that you use acid-free tissue as the material for stuffing other than using a newsprint. This acid-free paper is absorbent, and it helps maintain the moisture level of the shoe, and so the shoe will not deteriorate.
In this way, you can stuff your shoes whether it is for moderate storage or long term storage. On the other hand, when the paper is not enough for you to fill in boots and shoes with thick leather. Use unbleached muslin fabric, as it also helps wick away residual moisture. Plus, it’s efficient in protecting sequins and metal buckles from getting any scratches.
To store your boots, roll acid-free cardboard to keep tall winter boots in perfect shape with this cardboard for the shanks, but for the feet, paper or muslin will still work.
In summary, it is important to store your shoes properly, and in a way that will not ruin them. Consider the steps above as you store your shoes. Plus, other obvious ones like not leaving shoes outside in the direct sun. Especially colored ones as it could bleach them. So start storing your shoes better, either it is for long term or short term storage.