Anyone who travels extensively has learned a crucial lesson: shoes are heavy, awkwardly shaped, and tough to pack. However, many homeowners forget this piece of information when planning a move. Throwing all your footwear into a bag may seem like an easy solution, but it’ll make loading and unpacking a challenge. Here are a few quick tips about the best way to pack shoes for moving.
Use Boxes, Not Bags
Shoes weigh more than any other clothing item, and most people have a lot of them. According to one survey, the average American woman owns between 17 and 27 pairs, depending on her age and lifestyle. So we’re confronted with two issues: shoes are heavy and you probably need to relocate a bunch of them at once. Cardboard boxes provide the sturdiness needed to transport heavy boots, sneakers, and other shoes.
Resist the urge to just throw all of your footwear into one big box. That space can fill up quickly, which makes this approach inefficient. Line up your shoes so that each one faces a different direction, then layer them on top of each other to fit more pairs into the same box.
Categorize Based on Season and Occasion
Shoes come in all shapes and sizes—we use them for every type of event, weather condition, and season. Use these built-in categories to your advantage when it comes time to move. Don’t forget to label accordingly! Your future self will thank you when the seasons change and you’ll be able to pull out your “winter shoes” box instead of trying to keep everything out all year long.
Buy a Flat or Collapsible Shoe Organizer
Many stores and online retailers sell collapsible or flat-laying shoe organizers to give each pair a home as you organize your move. Many organizers can also be stacked, which simplifies the issue of finding space in the moving truck for one giant, weighty box of shoes.
Prevent Damage
If you have nice dress shoes that are easily scuffed, it’s good to wrap them in packing paper before putting them in the box. If you have the shoebox they came in, that’s the best way to prevent scuffing and damage from other shoes.
Many types of footwear, especially leather, can crease easily when other shoes are pressing down on them. You can combat this by placing a tightly crumpled piece of packing paper in the toes of shoes to prevent flattening. For dress shoes, you can also buy inserts similar to the ones used in department stores to prevent creasing as well.
Hire Experienced Movers to Help with the Tougher Items
Shoes can be tricky to pack, but with heavier and bulkier items, you’ll need experts to help you move everything to your new home. At Fox Moving & Storage of Atlanta, we’ve got you covered. Contact us today for your free, no obligation quote.