Published: September 19, 2026
Time to Read: 6 minutes
Author: Budget Moving Services
Quick answer: The best way to pack your shoes for moving is to first sort and organize your footwear. This will make it much easier to box them up in a way that works for your move.
Unlike your clothes, shoes can’t be neatly folded so they take up less space. And if you don’t have original shoe boxes, finding a good option to pack them can also be easier said than done.
Fortunately, packing shoes for moving doesn’t have to be overwhelming. No matter which of the best moving company near you that you choose to hire for your services, we’ve got simple solutions to ensure your not only your entire household of furniture, clothing, and most importantly … your shoes will make the journey in good shape as a top rated moving company that’s been listed as 4.8/5.0 stars and has an A+ Rated Local Moving Company with the Better Business Bureau in Atlanta, Georgia. We handle everything from apartment moves to full residential moves across Georgia.
4 easy steps for packing shoes
If you’d rather have professionals handle it, our packing services team packs shoes and everything else in your closet.
Successfully packing shoes starts with the basics. Following this process will ensure that everything goes smoothly as you prepare for your move.
1. Get organized
Decluttering and downsizing is an essential first step in the moving and packing process before you start to pack your clothes for moving – and that applies for packing shoes, too. Moving is the ideal time to clean out your closet and decide which shoes you want to keep, which to sell or donate, and which should simply be thrown away.
Start by tossing shoes that are no longer wearable. If your shoes have holes in the toe, are worn through to the soles, or have broken straps, they aren’t worth taking with you or trying to sell. Just throw them away.
Sell or donate shoes in good shape that you don’t wear or need. This includes shoes that no longer match your style, are for a sport your kids don’t participate in anymore, or that simply don’t fit right. Families with kids often have a lot of outgrown shoes.
Getting rid of all those extra shoes means you’ll have fewer pairs you need to worry about packing later. This will help you save time and money, whether you’re using moving containers for a DIY move or your planning on hiring full-service interstate movers.
2. Sort it out
Next, sort the shoes you plan to keep by type. Consider separating tennis shoes, dress shoes, sandals, and other types of shoes. This can be especially important for protecting your nicer shoes – you don’t want dress shoes to go in the same box as your hiking boots. You can also separate seasonal shoes by putting out-of-season shoes in a separate container.
You can repeat this process for each family member if you all lots of shoes. This will help keep everything organized and make shoes easier to find when you start unpacking. Of course, keep a few pairs of essentials out that you can use during the move!
3. Get them clean
Next, it’s time to get your shoes nice and clean before you pack them away. Trust us — you don’t want to open a box of smelly, dirty shoes after they’ve been traveling across the country for over a week.
Yes, you can give your dress shoes a traditional shoe shine, but even your sneakers could benefit from a cleaning. To clean sneakers and other synthetic shoes, wash them with water and mild dish soap. Allow the shoes to completely air dry for at least one to two days so they don’t get mildewy while they’re boxed up. Leather shoes should be reconditioned or shined, rather than washed with water.
To keep things from getting stinky, you could actually stick your shoes in the freezer before your move to kill off any bacteria.
4. Box them up
With your shoes now cleaned and organized, it’s time to box them up. While you can put seasonal shoes away in storage containers, original shoe boxes or small cardboard boxes are best for packing other shoes. Smaller boxes will protect your shoes from getting crushed.
As you box up your shoes, use the following steps:
- Put socks inside shoes: Stuffing socks inside your shoes will help them keep their shape during the move, plus it’s a handy way to pack your socks!
- Pack heel-to-toe: Pack pairs of shoes heel to toe, with the soles facing outward. This will help the shoes take up less space so you can fit more pairs into each box.
- Use packing paper or bubble wrap: As you put shoes inside their boxes, wrap them in packing paper or bubble wrap. Wrapping the shoes individually (or by pairs) will prevent scuff marks. Don’t use newspapers, as they could stain your shoes. You can also line the box and fill gaps with extra packing paper for added protection.
- Put the heaviest shoes on the bottom:Putting the heaviest shoes at the bottom of the box will help distribute weight better and keep lighter shoes from getting crushed. Shoe boxes should go at the bottom, as well.
- Label boxes: Finally, label each box with the type of shoes that are inside so you know where to look for everything when you unpack.
Shoe packing tips & hacks
Only moving a few boxes? Ask about our small moves option instead of a full-size crew.
Here are a few commonly overlooked ideas that can help keep your shoes safe and organized during a move:
- Tie shoelaces together. When you don’t have the original shoebox, tie the laces of your sneakers together. This will keep each shoe in the pair together so that you won’t have to dig through a whole box to find a match while unpacking.
- Consider a shoe bag. If you plan on packing a pair or two of shoes inside your suitcase, put them in a shoe bag. This will keep them from getting your clothes dirty.
- Wrap shoe boxes with rubber bands. Shoe boxes offer excellent protection for your shoes, but they can easily pop open during transportation. Wrap a rubber band around each shoe box so they stay closed no matter how bumpy things get.
- Pack shoes near the top. When stacking boxes inside the moving truck, make sure boxes with shoes go at or near the top. Placing heavy boxes on top of the boxes containing your shoes could crush them and leave them misshapen. Our crews serve communities throughout Metro Atlanta, including Lawrenceville.
- Fill gaps with extra clothes. Instead of using packing paper, some people fill the gaps in their shoe boxes with extra clothes. This can be a handy way to make use of work clothes that you don’t mind getting wrinkled.
- Freshen up with tea bags. Place unused tea bags inside your shoes to keep them smelling nice during the move. Simply tuck the bags inside the socks that you place inside the shoes to prevent unpleasant odors from building up during transportation.
FAQs
What is the best way to pack shoes when you’re moving?
The best way to pack shoes is by first organizing them to decide which shoes you will keep and which you will sell, donate, or trash. Next, sort your shoes by type and/or season and clean them before packing them. Place socks inside your shoes and wrap them in packing paper or bubble wrap before you put them inside a box.
Should I pack shoes in a box or bag?
Generally speaking, a shoe box is the best way to pack shoes because it offers the greatest level of protection during transportation. However, if you plan on putting shoes in a suitcase with clothing and other items, place them in a shoe bag so they won’t get your other things dirty.
How should I pack shoes without their original shoe boxes?
If you don’t have original shoe boxes, use a small, sturdy cardboard box. Smaller boxes may not fit as many shoes as a larger box, but this will make it easier to provide the level of protection and packing support needed to keep your shoes from getting crushed during the move. This matters even more for a long-distance move, where boxes get handled more times in transit.
How do I pack shoes in a cardboard moving box?
To pack shoes in a cardboard moving box, first stuff them with clean socks to help them maintain their shape during the move. Wrap them in packing paper or bubble wrap to protect them from scuff marks and other damage. Place the shoes inside the box, with the heaviest pairs on the bottom. Fill any gaps with extra packing paper.
How do you pack shoes so they take up less space?
To take up the least amount of space when packing pairs of shoes, place them heel to toe with the soles of the shoes facing outward. This will allow you to fit more pairs of shoes in each cardboard box. If you’re trying to save space, using shoe bags instead of shoe boxes can also help.
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