Storing shoes in the off-season - how to do it properly?

Shoes stored for several months in unsuitable conditions are much more likely to be damaged and deformed. It may turn out that next season they will no longer be suitable for wearing. How to properly store your favourite boots, sandals, trappers and pumps? We suggest.

How do I prepare my shoes for storage?

Before we answer the question of how to store shoes that you're not currently using, it's worth preparing them properly. It's not enough to simply store shoes in a drawer or at the bottom of a cupboard and forget about them until the next season. If you don't take care of your shoes first, you might find that they're in bad shape when you take them out. So let's start by cleaning your shoes. If they're made of leather, first use a dry cloth to remove dirt and dust, then a wet cloth soaked in ordinary soap or leather care product. Leave the shoes to dry naturally. We can skip impregnation if we are planning e.g. to store shoes in a wardrobe or other dry place which is not exposed to moisture. The next step is polishing and buffing. The last thing you should do is to insert shoe lasts or rolled up newspapers into the shoes, which can be deformed. You can also soak the newspapers in essential oil, such as lavender. Once your shoes are ready, you can choose the best way to store your shoes.

How do I store my shoes?

One of the first places that come to mind when we think of storing shoes is a dedicated chest of drawers or a special shoe cabinet. This is a good option because this type of furniture has drawers or compartments that have been specially made for it. Remember to vacuum and clean them thoroughly first. Then arrange your cleaned and polished shoes so that each pair has enough room and doesn't squeeze the next. If you do have to stack one pair on top of the other, use special covers to protect them from scratches. Also use them for leather shoes and pairs that are particularly precious to you.

How do I store my shoes in a wardrobe?

The ideal piece of furniture has a number of features which make storing shoes in a wardrobe easier. They are, e.g. separated partitions, posts with a row of shelves, openwork, pull-out drawers, special showcases with transparent doors and even permanently installed rules. It is worth to think about this type of solutions, when we order a wardrobe made to measure or buy a ready one in the shop. And how to store shoes in a wardrobe which does not have so many options? In many shops with interior decoration we may buy various types of organisers, containers and separate shelves, which may be successfully placed in the wardrobe. If you have a large, separate shelf, you can always leave your shoes in boxes, stacked on top of each other. It's best to label the boxes to avoid problems finding the pair you're looking for later.

How do I store my shoes in the cellar?

Storing shoes in the cellar seems like a practical idea. Unused shoes then do not take up space in the furniture located in the hallway, bedroom or wardrobe. However, this is only a good way to store shoes if the cellar is dry and reasonably warm. Moisture and minus temperatures can harm leather footwear, which will then no longer be wearable. And how do you store shoes in a dry, clean and warm cellar? You can confidently place a chest of drawers or a shoe cabinet there. The shoes are then dealt with in the same way as before. A similar solution would be to store your shoes in the garage or attic - remember that the room must not be subject to extreme temperatures or excessive moisture. Also, don't forget to secure your shoes and bury them in covers. You can only afford to store shoes in places such as the cellar, attic or garage if you place the shoes in a lockable chest of drawers or wardrobe so that rodents or other small animals cannot access them.

Other ideas for storing shoes

If your wardrobes and chest of drawers are short of space and you don't have a cellar or other room in which to put your unused shoes, all sorts of organisers come to the rescue. They come in all shapes and forms and can be hung, mounted in cupboards or stacked to make storing your shoes easy. They can have pull-out drawers or lift-up flaps. Thanks to this variety, you can place them literally anywhere: under the bed, in an opening pouffe or on a troffer.

Read also:

How to clean sneakers in autumn?
How do I clean white leather shoes?
How do I clean suede shoes?