Shoes look easy to pack, which is why so many end up crushed at the bottom of a garbage bag. A shoe keeps its shape only when something supports it, and a pair stays a pair only when the two travel together. This guide covers everyday shoes, boots, heels and the pair you wear on moving day.
Start with a pair, a wrap and a box
Keep each pair together from the first minute. Loose shoes are the ones that go missing between the closet and the new house, and a single shoe is hard to match once it sits in a mixed box.
Wrap each pair in two or three sheets of clean packing paper, or slip the pair into a plain bag and fold the top over. Newsprint can leave ink on light leather and canvas, so use blank paper for anything pale.
Stuff the toes so they hold their shape
Crumple a sheet of packing paper into each shoe, pushing it into the toe first. Boots with tall shafts take a rolled sheet or a rolled magazine inside the leg so the shaft does not fold in half.
Heels deserve extra attention. Wrap the heel with its own sheet, then wrap the pair, so a thin heel cannot poke through the paper and into its neighbor.
Build the box from heavy to light
Pick a small or medium box. Shoes weigh more than they look once a few boots are inside, and a large box of footwear becomes a hard lift on a staircase.
- Line the bottom of the box with one flat layer of crumpled paper.
- Place the heaviest pairs first, boots and work shoes, side by side.
- Add a second layer of lighter pairs, such as sandals and canvas shoes, on top.
- Fill every gap with paper until nothing shifts when you tilt the box.
- Close the box, tape the seam, and label it with the room and the word shoes.
Shoes that need a little more care
Leather dress shoes keep their shape best with a shoe tree or stuffed paper, and a flannel bag over each pair stops scuffs. Athletic shoes are forgiving; they can fill the open space around more delicate pairs.
Ski boots, snowboard boots and hiking boots belong with the gear for those sports. Pack the liners inside the shell, buckle the boots closed, and let wet liners dry before they go in a box.
Where shoe boxes fit in a bigger move
Original shoe boxes are tidy but hard to stack, because their lids crush. If you want to keep a few, stand them on their sides in a larger carton and fill the extra space with paper.
Packing the closet around the shoes goes faster when you work in order; see how to pack a closet and how to pack clothes. If you would rather hand the whole job over, packing services from O'Brien's cover full packing, partial packing and box packing only.