How to Pack Shoes for a Move

Get your shoes packed for your move with tips from All My Sons Moving & Storage, a full-service moving company that provides professional packing services. 

Glittery heels, durable running sneakers, and heavy steel-toed boots might have all come in fun, compact shoe boxes but when it comes time for you to move those boxes might not be around anymore. To keep scuff marks off your bedazzled platforms and your sandal straps from snapping, you should pack your shoes with special care.

Here are five steps to take to get your shoes packed for your move.

Raid the closet and inspect every pair of shoes you own. Should it come with you on your move, or is it just sitting there on your shoe rack attracting dust mites? Your move will be so much more manageable if you take only the items that you use and love, so pick through your shoes and decide what you need to walk away from.

Sort your give-away shoes into three categories:

• Sell: Shoes in good condition that you no longer want to keep can be sold for a little extra moving cash. You can host a garage sale, list the shoes on Facebook Marketplace, or try taking them to a local thrift store that offers cash for shoes. Some online thrift stores that will take used shoes in good condition for cash or store credit are ThredUp, Mercari, and Poshmark.

• Donate: If you’re not looking to sell your shoes in good condition, donate them to a local charity or a charity with nationwide collection like The Salvation Army or Goodwill. 

• Discard: Shoes that are no longer wearable and cannot be repaired should be discarded. Some Nike stores collect shoes for recycling. You can also recycle shoes with Gotsneakers or TerraCycling’s shoe collection box. The services Trashie and Retold Recycling will both take shoes and clothing. 

Once you have whittled down your shoe collection to the shoes that belong with you, it’s time to move on to cleaning your shoes.

Mud on your sneakers and gum on your heels should be scrubbed off. Clean all your pairs of shoes according to the material. Hose off the bottoms of boots and use a gentle cloth on your delicate golden slippers. Make sure food particles, dirt, and debris are all off your shoes and that they are completely dry.

Do any of your shoes stink? Get rid of the smell before you pack them. Foul smells can fester in hot moving boxes, especially if your shoes are going into storage for any length of time. You can kill stinky bacteria hanging out on your shoes by putting your shoes in the freezer, airing shoes out in the hot sun, or using baking soda on your shoes.

Wait, don’t pack the shoes you need to wear on moving day! Before you start boxing up your shoes, set aside a few pairs you don’t want to have to go hunting through boxes to find. You will probably need a pair of comfortable sneakers to wear and maybe a spare set to go in your essentials and emergencies bag. 

If you have a special event coming up soon after your move, pack a pair of dressy shoes with your essentials or in another easily accessible location. You do not want to have to go hunting through boxes to find a suitable pair of shoes when the clock is ticking on your special event.

Shoes that need to keep their shape like sneakers or boots should be filled with old pairs of socks or packing paper. Newsprint can leave ink stains on your shoes so it is not recommended, but paper towels or rags will also work if you’re short on moving supplies or socks.

Pack the heaviest and most durable shoes in the bottoms of your boxes. Delicate shoes can be wrapped in packing paper or bubble wrap and placed toward the top of your boxes. Check the weight of your boxes before you seal them to ensure you can still lift the box. If you cannot lift your box, take some heavy shoes out and repack it with some lighter shoes inside instead.

Seal up your boxes and label them with a black marker. If you have any delicate shoes, say a pair of real glass slippers, then make sure to mark those boxes as fragile and draw an arrow on the box to indicate which way it should be oriented. 

If you are a shoe aficionado, you might want to keep an inventory of your favorite, most precious shoes and write down which shoes went in which boxes. In lieu of a full shoe inventory, make sure to label all your boxes with as much detail as possible in case you need to go searching through your boxes for a specific pair of shoes.

Move the shoes, and then dance the night away at your new home as you unpack. With the shoes all relocated safely, you’ll be able to go on a morning run in your favorite running shoes the morning after your move.

Book your move with the professional movers at All My Sons Moving & Storage, and let us handle your horde of shoe boxes. Call 1-866-726-1579 or use our online quote form to start your move.