It is great to have the perfect pair of shoes for every occasion, but where should you store them?There are lots of great shoe storage advice in this article, including tips for everyday storage and some do's and don'ts for long-term storage of your favorite footwear.Before tossing your sneakers by the door or your boots in the back of the closet, read on to keep your shoes looking good for years to come.
Step 1: It's a good idea to set up a convenient spot for shoes.
As soon as you open the door, make sure there is an organized spot for your shoes.There is a large mat near the main entry door that can fit the shoes of the household.The shoe mats have shoe outlines on them so you can line up each pair neatly.If you have wet or snowy shoes, make an absorbent shoe mat out of an old sheet pan filled with smooth pebbles.Every so often, rinse and pan the pebbles to keep them fresh.
Step 2: You should keep your shoes in an organized place.
It's a good idea to put the shoe rack or shoe cubby in a hall closet near your main entry door or just along the wall.The plastic, wood, or metal shoe rack will allow for good air circulation to keep your shoes dry and fresh.A shoe cubby can be used as a hallway bench.Try to make your own shoe rack out of everyday items.If you have an old wooden ladder, lean it against the wall.Line up your shoes on the rungs of the ladder.There are lots of shoe rack ideas online.There are a variety of options, from wooden pallets to pieces of wire fencing.
Step 3: You can hang shoes in a space-saving spot.
You can hang an over-the-door shoe storage caddy on the inside of your closet door.Pick a caddy that hangs on the closet rod.You can either keep your shoes off the floor or organize them so they don't accumulate in your closet.There are pockets for individual shoes in the hanging shoe caddy.Plastic pockets will not let your shoes breathe.
Step 4: Furniture can be used for shoe storage.
If the storage spot is big enough, has some air circulation, and is protected from the sun and high humidity, it can be a good spot to store shoes.You could put shoes in a couple of drawers in your bedroom, or put shelves in the closet.If you want to improve air flow, leave the door or drawer slightly open.Don't store your shoes in furniture that is located in a basement, attic, garage, or other place that gets cold in the winter and hot in summer.Under these conditions, the shoe materials will break down more quickly.
Step 5: The original shoebox is the best option for long-term storage.
There is a chance that you did not save all the original boxes for your shoes.Try to get in touch with any retailers that sell extra shoes.If you need a box that is the right size for your shoes, opt for a package delivery box.Before putting the shoes in the box, you should individually wrap them in a layer of acid-free tissue paper.They seem like a good idea, but don't use clear plastic shoe storage boxes.They do not allow for enough air circulation.If you want to see your shoes in the box, you have to take a picture of them and tape them to the outside of the container.
Step 6: The kind of tissue paper you find in shoes is acid-free.
Stuffing your shoes with balled-up paper helps them retain their shape.If you want to do this job, make sure you use acid-free tissue paper since acidic paper can damage shoe materials.Add just enough paper to keep their shape.Newspaper isn't acid-free and the print can cause shoes to oxidize.
Step 7: The best footwear protection is offered by Cedar shoe trees or balls.
For most of your shoes, Bunched-up acid-free tissue paper is fine, but cedar is a better choice.cedar has a great fresh scent that repels bugs and helps your footwear retain its shape, as well as shoe trees and shoe balls.There are shoe trees available.Use cedar to keep bugs away.Mothballs are made with toxic chemicals that aren't safe for kids or pets and that create an unpleasant scent that's hard to get rid of.
Step 8: Put boots on stands to hold their shape.
If you want to set each boot on one of the pegs, you can flip the boots upside-down.If you keep your boots right-side-up, you can slide a piece of foam pool noodle into the upper section of each boot.There are also empty wine bottles here.Magazines are rolled up.You could end up with a permanent crease if the tops of your boots flop over.
Step 9: A quick cleaning helps shoes last longer.
Your shoes pick up dirt, dust, and other particles that can cause the materials they are made from to degrade over time.All shoes benefit from being cleaned up before being stored.Before you put your shoes in storage, make sure you don't use any water.To clean leather and suede shoes, use a soft, non-scratchy brush.To remove stains, use a special leather or suede cleaner.To clean canvas shoes, use soapy water and brush them off.The plastic shoes should be washed with soap and water.
Step 10: You should arrange them by purpose and style.
It is worth your time to sort your shoes for longer-term storage.It's easier to find the shoes you want when you sort by purpose, style and season.It keeps things neat.Group together your dress shoes, winter boots, flip flops, sandals, and other summer and exercise shoes.If you haven't worn your shoes in a while, it's time to get rid of them.Donate or sell them to make it easier to keep your shoes.
Step 11: Make sure your shoes are dry.
They will return the favor if you treat your shoes well.Don't store shoes that are wet in shoe storage.It is possible that wet shoes will start to rot.If you want your shoes to dry quicker, set up a fan to blow air over the outside of them.To help dry out the inside, put some acid-free tissue paper in it for about an hour.Don't use plastic to seal your shoes.It's important for leather and suede, but all shoes need to breathe.If your shoes are wrapped in plastic, they could end up being discolored and moldy.Don't put shoes on top of each other.It is okay to save a bit of room by stacking flipflops, but avoid stacking shoes with more structure to them.Within a few months, your shoes will look more worn out and less stylish.