Spending time sorting and packing your stuff is inevitable when you’re moving out. This is why you need to be smart while going through all your items to make sure that you’re not ruining them by stuffing them into boxes.
Boots, in particular, can be quite tricky to pack for a move. Even if you’ve hired professional movers, you still need to spend time to make sure that your stuff will arrive safely to its next destination. After all, boots can be expensive!
So if you’re wondering how to pack boots for moving, you’ve come to the right place because we’ll list the best tips to keep your boots in shape while you’re relocating.
This article may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through one of these links I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Table of Contents
Best Tips to Pack Your Boots for Moving
Don’t Wait Until The Last Second
Everything at your house should be packed properly before you move. This will give your movers the chance to pack and unpack your stuff easily and will guarantee that your items will arrive safe and sound to their new destinations.
Even if you’re doing the move yourself, trust me, you DO NOT want to still be trying to pack while you’re carrying things out to the moving truck. We’ve made that mistake just once and will never do it again.
Boots, especially the taller ones, can bend and get damaged when you just tuck them into boxes. This is the number one way to ruin your boots – waiting until the last second and then just tossing them into a box or a bag.
Whether you have budget-friendly or expensive boots, you don’t want to ruin them, so they can stay wearable. After a move, the last thing you want is to spend money to update your wardrobe.
This is why we’ve prepared a list of some cool tips that would allow you to maintain the shape of your boots when you’re moving out. Check them out.
Go Through All Your Footwear
The first thing you need to think about is which footwear to pack.
Go through your closet and do an honest inventory of your boot collection.
If you’re moving to another state, make sure that you’ll be using all the footwear you’re packing. Some footwear might not be suitable for your new lifestyle or the weather at your new location.
You should also check if something is already damaged or out of fashion. If you’re not decluttering regularly, you might end up with some shoes, slippers, sandals, and boots that are no longer wearable. In this case, you can either sell or donate your old boots
.
Make Sure That Your Shoes Are Dry
Mold is quite challenging to deal with, and the best way to avoid it is to make sure that all your footwear is dry and clean before packing it. Sports shoes and leather boots are prone to mold, especially if they’re not dry by the time you’re packing them.
You should also pay attention to your rain boots that need to be thoroughly cleaned and dried before packing them.
Use a brush to remove all the dust and mud from your shoes. Then, if you have the extra time, this is a great time to get some Conditioner and give your boots a full refresh!
Stuff Your Boots
Shoes and boots might lose their shape while you’re relocating. This is why you need to think of a way to maintain their structure, so they don’t get damaged in case something heavy is put on top of them.
Stuff your ankle boots, shoes, and sneakers with scrap paper or old magazines. These will add the needed volume to keep your footwear the way it should look. Newspapers should be avoided, especially if you have light-colored boots because the ink might transfer and ruin the look of your shoes.
You can also stuff your shoes and boots with socks. This will save you the hassle of packing your socks for the move.
As for taller boots, you can use empty water bottles. After stuffing the bottom of your boot with paper, add an empty water bottle to keep the neck straight.
Since taller boots take more space, you can lay them flat in their boxes so they don’t lose their shape. You can also skip the bottles if you’re packing them in their original box, which perfectly fits the pair you’re packing. Place your boots in alternating directions to save space inside your shoebox.
Keep Your Shoes and Boots Fresh
Shoes and boots can get smelly if you store them for too long. If you have shoes that smell particularly bad, put them in the freezer for some time before packing them because the cold temperature will kill the bacteria.
However, I want to reiterate you need to make sure that your shoes and boots are 100% dry before packing them.
After removing the bad odor, use tea bags to keep your shoes and boots smelling fresh. Tea absorbs bad odor, so your shoes will look and smell great.
Don’t Forget Packing Paper
Packing Paper, or tissue paper, is an inexpensive accessory that you can use if you want to maintain the look of your shoes. If you’re packing several shoes together, the process can damage the finish and cost you several hundreds of dollars.
Use tissue paper to wrap your expensive footwear because it will reduce friction. You can also use wrapping paper to make sure that your shoes will look amazing once you arrive at your new place.
Use Bubble Wrap To Pack Your Heels
Heeled shoes and boots can be a little bit more difficult to wrap. The heels can pierce whatever you’re using for wrapping, and they might ruin another pair of shoes.
Instead of putting your shoes into plastic bags, use bubble wrap instead. It will protect your shoes from friction and won’t rip easily.
Use the Original Boxes
If you have designer or expensive dress shoes, using their original boxes can be a better option. These boxes are specifically designed to fit your shoes, so they won’t lose their shape.
This is a great time to casually mention to your significant other how your “unnecessary hoarding” of boxes is coming in pretty handy.
If you can’t find the original boxes, choose other boxes of similar sizes, and check that the lining inside won’t damage your footwear. Use packing paper to fill in the empty spaces so your boots stay secure in place and you’re good to go.
Pack the Heavier Boots First
Once you’ve sorted out, cleaned, dried, wrapped, and boxed your boots, it’s time to put them into larger boxes. These are the ones that the movers (which might just be you and the friends and family you talked into helping) are going to move first.
Start with the boxed shoes and boots. Pick the heaviest and bulkiest ones and put their boxes first. By packing the heavy boots at the bottom of your bigger box, you can make sure that they won’t crush the other shoes.
For the unboxed shoes, put them into medium-sized boxes, but make sure that they’re properly wrapped. If there’s some space left in the larger boxes, put these on top.
If you’re not putting your shoes in boxes, make sure that the delicate ones go on top. These include shoes that are made of lace or other fabric. You should also try to pack similar colors together.
Final Thoughts
Packing boots (and packing shoes in general) should be one of the easier things to pack during the course of your move. The biggest key is to not completely overlook them and then being unprepared and throwing them all in a box last minute.
And, while decluttering is important, you don’t need to discard all your old shoes and boots. Instead, you can safely and smartly pack your boots, so they will arrive safely at your new home.
It’s important to go through all your old footwear to donate or discard what doesn’t work for you. After you’ve decided on the boots that you’ll pack, follow the tips we listed in the article to pack them properly.
