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As the season changes, you may be starting to think about putting away your heavy winter shoes and boots in exchange for more summer-friendly footwear.
Before you put away your winter shoes for the season, trust us when we say that future you will thank you for investing a bit of time into ensuring they’re being stored in the best possible way.
Here are seven things to do to make sure your winter shoes are stored well.
1. Check for any necessary repairs
Before you start the storage process, take a good look at your shoes and check whether they need any repairs. Whether it’s something simple such as a new pair of laces, or a bigger job such as resoling, we think it’s much better to do it now. This will mean that when you get them out again in the autumn they’ll be ready to wear right away.
2. Make sure they’re fully dry
Putting shoes into storage when they’re still slightly damp could put them at risk of mould, mildew or becoming misshapen.
3. Give them a brush down
Footwear picks up all sorts of dust when we’re out and about. Make sure you’re not leaving it on them for the season by giving your shoes a good rub or brush down, depending on the leather type.
4. Polish them
Just think of how pleased you’ll be in the autumn to take out a beautifully polished pair of shoes!
5. Use shoe deodorisers
If you’re concerned about how fresh your shoes will smell while they’re in storage, you could use a shoe deodoriser to combat this.
6. Invest in some shoe trees
If you want your shoes to continue looking as good as the day you bought them, you’ll want to make sure they hold their shape during storage. The best way to do this is with a shoe tree. Alternatively, you can use rolled up acid-free tissue paper.
7. Choose breathable storage
It’s important for natural fabrics such as leather to benefit from airflow during storage. To make sure this happens, choose breathable storage solutions such as canvas bags or cardboard shoe boxes.
Once you’ve successfully put away your winter shoes, you might want to reward yourself with some summer shoe inspiration! Take a look at our Spring/Summer 2018 style watch.