You could be someone who has a pair of boots for different occasions or just that one pair you wear every chance you get, either way it’s likely that you’d want your boots to not get damaged during moving. But hey, you don’t have to stress or worry about how you’re going to safely pack your boots that are so dear to you. Just read our guide on how to pack boots for moving, and maybe it will give you that spring in your step you need to get the task done!
How To Start Your Planning?
Here’s a step by step guide to help you decide when you should start your planning process and how to make it organized to get things done in a stress free manner:
1. When To Start
If you want to pack and move your boots, you need to remember that it’s definitely not going to happen in a single day. Packing itself requires a great deal of time. You will also have to hunt all the boots in your house and separate the good ones from the ones that you will have to discard. The best way to go about this is to plan the entire process at least three to four months in advance. This entire process has to be very organised and there is definitely no room for any carelessness as your precious boots can get damaged if you don’t be organised.
2. Make A Checklist
You may not exactly have an idea of how many boots and other foot-wears you have in your house. You will have to check every closet, shoe-rack, store room and bedroom to get an estimate of the total foot-wears in your house. So we advise you to make a checklist first where you list the different kinds of foot-wears in each and every room. This organized checklist will help you to decide how many packing materials you will need to pack all of your boots and other footwear separately according to their usage.
3. Start Hunting For Shoes In Every Nook And Corner Of Your House
Start with your store room, shoe rack, living room and then go on and search every bedroom in your house and note down the number and kind of foot-wears. Make sure that your checklist is organized, you can make different columns for different rooms and kinds of footwear. Once you note down the different foot-wears in your house, you can get an estimate of how many boots you possess. This will help you make your checklist organized and in return, you will get an estimate of how much time you will have to spend to pack all of your boots and your other footwear.
4. Separate The Good Boots And Discard The Unused And Torn Ones
The checklist will give you an idea of how many boots are in a good condition and how many can be discarded. You will first have to decide which boots you can take along with you depending on their condition. If you have any boots that don’t fit you, you can donate them to an orphanage or your friends if the boots are still in a good condition. You will also have to see which boots and shoes you will have to discard if at all they are torn or broken. This will help you get rid of unnecessary items and you will have a clear idea of how many boots you will really be using in the future. Those would be the ones you will pack and move to your new home.
5. More The Merrier
You definitely wouldn’t want to do the entire packing all by yourself. It can get really boring and you may even mess the entire process. Unsurprisingly, it’s always good to have good and trustworthy people around you to help you with your packing and moving process. You should obviously approach your family members first. They live with you and naturally are the ones that can be trusted to help you pack your precious boots and other footwear. You can also invite your friends and relatives to give you a hand. At the same time though, you also need to be realistic and remember that everybody is busy and have a life and work of their own. You obviously can’t expect a friend to turn up early in the morning if you’ve informed him/her the night before. To avoid this pickle, it’s best to inform your family and friends beforehand so that they can make some time for you and adjust their schedules accordingly.
6. Beware Of Interruptions That Can Disrupt Your Packing Process
We want you to take into consideration any sudden surprises that might either take up your time or totally disrupt your packing process. You not only need to plan your packing at least three months in advance, but also take a day or two off from your work. You can get any sudden email or call from your boss or colleagues to deliver any important work or meet a deadline. It’s not possible to meet your other priorities especially when you have dedicated a day or two for your packing process. In such a scenario, it’s best to take at least two days off from work, just to avoid any unexpected last minute work on your shoulders when you already have lots of packing to be done.
You will also need to take care of your little children in your house. It can get really stressful for you if you have to take care of them while worrying about packing all the boots and other footwear in your house. The best thing you can do is ask your relative or a dear friend to look after them for a day while you take care of packing your boots in a systematic manner. It’s okay if you want them to be near you, you can let your children play in any bedroom that you won’t be using for your packing process. Make sure your toddlers are not left alone, you can ask one of your family members to be with them or take turns while you pack your things. You can read our Article on how to move with kids for some good tips.
While you’re at it, don’t forget about your pets if you have any. You will be surrounded by a lot of packing materials like scissors or cutters which may harm your precious pets. You can ask your neighbor or a friend to take care of your pets while you carefully pack your boots. Make sure you inform your friend or relative well in advance to see if they are willing to take care of your lovely pets while you pack.
So many things can go wrong once you start your packing process. The last thing you want is anyone interrupting your schedule. You have to know that any friend or relative may show up to have a cup of coffee especially if you are thinning to start your packing on weekends. You obviously don’t want to be rude to your friend but you also don’t want to delay your packing process. Here’s an idea to turn this into your favour. You can inform all of your neighbors, friends and relatives beforehand and tell them that you’re going to be busy with packing on a particular day. Who knows, they might even volunteer to help you and you surely don’t want to miss out on any extra help.
See Also: Make Packing Easier | Things to Consider when Moving with Pets
Essential Materials You Need To Pack
You need to make sure you have all the essential packing materials before you start packing all your boots. If you are worried that you might end up making a mess, you can contact a professional packing company that offers packing services. But you need to know that some companies will charge you extra for your packing material and the packaging. So you can save yourself some bucks if you follow our step by step guide and do it yourself.
1. Moving Boxes
You will need moving boxes of varying sizes depending on the different kinds of boots that you have. You may have leather boots that are really expensive and valuable to you. Which is why you need to go through your checklist and see how many boxes you’ll need depending on the size and number of boots. We advise you to always get at least two or three extra moving boxes as you may need them while packing. If you still have the original boxes of your boots, you can definitely use them for packing.
2. Packing Paper
You will need packing paper to wrap your precious boots before you place them in your box. We advise you to get plain packing paper to pack your boots. Here, your checklist comes handy again as you can go through it and see how many boots and other footwear you’ll need to pack. Purchase a plain packing paper depending on the size and number of boots.
3. Sponges
While moving your belongings from one place to another, there are changes that your boots might get torn or damaged in the process. Now this is why you have to make sure your packing is strong enough to protect your precious boots. You will need a sponge to cover the base and side of your moving boxes as it will serve as a soft layer for your boots to be intact and at the same time not get torn while moving them.
4. Bubble Wrap
You need to pack your boots property in order to avoid any kind of problem while moving them to your new place. You can use bubble wrap as an alternative to packing paper. Before placing the boots in the box, you can cover them nicely in a bubble wrap especially if they are expensive leather or fur boots.
5. Unused Tea Bags
Your boots may have an unpleasant smell and you definitely wouldn’t want that smell to enter your new house. You can clean your boots a day prior to your packing. You can also use unused tea bags to get rid of the smell. You stick the bags inside the base of your boots to avoid the smell.
6. Socks
You will need many pairs of socks to pack all of your boots. Your checklist will give you a rough estimate of how many boots you need to pack and move and you can decide how many socks you will need accordingly. Make sure you wash the socks a day prior to your packing. You needn’t buy any new socks, you can use your old socks to pack your boots. The purpose of the socks is to avoid any unnecessary folds in the boot. You can stuff the socks inside the boots as a precaution from getting them smashed while moving.
7. Packing Tape And Newspapers
You will need lots of packing tape to make sure all of your boots are wrapped neatly and all of the moving boxes are sealed properly. You can either opt for brown packing tape or reinforced packing tape. You will also need lots of newspapers to stuff inside every box so that the boots stay intact and don’t move.
8. Labels And Permanent Markers
You wouldn’t want to keep your boots in a haphazard manner and then search for pairs when you start relocating. The best way to avoid this confusion is to pack each pair of boots separately in separate boxes. In order to make it more organized, you will need labels on each box and you can write the initials with a permanent marker.
Packing And Relocating Your Boots
Once you have all the essential materials for packing, you are ready to begin your packing process. Make sure that you keep one or two days for packing your boots and other shoes. It can be a tedious task and so we have put forth the following step by step guide on how to pack your boots.
1. Sort All Your Boots From Your Other Footwear
You will find yourself in a mess if you start packing all kinds of shoes and boots together. So you first need to find a place that’s big enough for you to sort all of your shoes and boots and pack them. There’s a good chance your living room would be an ideal place to pack as it’s usually spacious compared to other rooms in the house. Before you get down to business, you need to clear all the things in the living room. Quite frankly, the floor would be a good setup for the task considering how you will really need lots of space to pack all boots. Always begin by sorting your footwear into boots, sports shoes, daily-wear, flats, heels and formal shoes. Once you sort all your different kinds and pairs of shoes, it becomes easier to pack them depending on their category. Your checklist will help you sort the shoes according to their type and size.
2. Use Socks And Tea Bags To Stuff Inside Your Boots
It doesn’t matter whether you are moving your boots within the state or out of the state. They are still at risk to get torn or smashed during the moving process. Here’s where you can count on your socks to come to your rescue. You can use your old socks to stuff inside your boots to avoid any kind of tearing or smashing during the moving. Your unused tea bags will come to your aid when you want to get rid of your smelly boots. You can stick the bags on the socks before you stuff them inside the boots.
3. Wrap Your Boots With A Packing Paper Or A Bubble Wrap
You can use a plain packing paper to wrap your boots before you place them in a box. To minimize the risks of any tearing or smashing, you can use a bubble wrap over the packing paper. Always pack your boot laces with the boots itself as packing them separately may get them entangled and you definitely don’t want to waste your time sorting your laces while relocating. The packing paper or bubble wrap will make sure that your boots are protected even if the paper tears while moving. You have to wrap the boots entirely and seal the wrapping with a tape.
4. Cover The Base And Sides Of Your Box With Sponge Or Bubble Wrap
You don’t want your boots to be tossed from one side to the other while moving. Here’s when the sponge or bubble wrap will come to your rescue. Place the sponge or bubble wrap at the base and at the sides of the box. Place your wrapped boots in the box only after you’ve covered the base and sides with a sponge or bubble wrap.
5. Seal The Box From All Sides
Once you’ve placed your boots in the box, make sure you seal the box properly. Close the flaps of the box properly and use a brown packing tape to seal it. Make sure you’ve also sealed the bottom of the box and also the sides in case there are any openings that might cause problems while moving the box.
6. Check The Box After Sealing
Don’t be too confident after sealing the box. There is always a risk and that is why we advise you to check the box one more time even after sealing it. Make sure that all the flaps and sides are taped properly. Shake the box to see if the boots are shaking inside the box. If that happens, you can stuff some newspapers inside the box to make sure that the boots stay intact.
7. Label The Box
Once you are done packing the boots and sealing the box, you can label the box. Use a permanent marker to avoid so that the details on the label don’t get erased while moving. Use a packing tape to make sure the label is stuck to the box properly.
Related: Find Free Moving Boxes
Do’s And Don’ts To Remember While Packing Boots
- Don’t end up packing all your boots, shoes and other footwear together. You might end up mixing the footwear while packing, which is why sorting your boots from your other footwear is important.
- Always keep at least two to three boots or shoes aside from the rest that you want to pack or relocate. You might need your pair of boots or shoes in case of any emergency. So it’s always good to spare at least two pairs of boots or shoes that you might need to wear before or while relocating.
- You can go for cardboard shoe boxes instead of moving boxes for your special and most expensive pair of boots like your leather boots.
- Don’t make the mistake of packing the laces separately as they may get entangled. Make sure that you tie the laces of your boots and pack them together so that you don’t have to waste any extra time on finding the laces or sorting the laces while relocating.
- Always go for plain packing paper instead of the printed or colored packing paper. You definitely don’t want any stains on your precious boots or the color to wear off while moving them.
- When you are moving your shoes, make sure that you keep your heavy boots at the bottom and the lighter ones on top. This will reduce the risk of any damage or smashing of the boots while moving.
- Remember to clean all your boots properly at least one or two days before you pack them for moving. You don’t want the dirty boots to make a mess in your new home.
- If you think you don’t have enough time to spare for packing your own boots, hire a moving company that offers packing services. However, get ready to pay some extra money if you want to get packing services from your company. Make sure that you book your packing company at least a month in advance and confirm their availability at least three weeks in advance, especially if you’re depending on them for packing services. Ideally though, your moving company should be booked 2 months in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you pack leather boots for moving?
Fill your shoes and boots with crumpled packing paper, making sure to stuff them to the top if you’re moving. Instead, you may fill shoes and boots with socks rather than packing paper for a more cost-effective packing.
How do you pack boots for storage?
If you will be traveling in leather boots, it’s best to avoid contact between them and water. Check to make sure there are no holes in the buckles or straps before putting them into your luggage. Some people like using a plastic bag or clear shoe box for additional protection when packing (put this protection inside your luggage).
How do you pack multiple pairs of shoes?
Put your shoes in the suitcase with their soles facing opposite directions. Put one shoe on the bottom of the suitcase, then stack the others on top of it.
How do you store your boots in the summer?
Store boots in a cool place to allow them to recuperate from their summer vacation, and when fall comes around again, your shoes will be good as new.
How do you prevent hydrolysis in shoes?
The best way to prevent shoe hydrolysis is by taking care of your leather boots. Leather, when exposed in the outdoors over time like it would be while hiking through wet grass or walking on topsoil with clay-like substances between rocks, can cause damage that leads towards deterioration from within and eventually destroys it completely. The easiest way to prevent hydrolysis is to ensure they’re always getting moved around enough!
Final Thoughts
Packing your boots can get you overwhelmed and anxious, but with a bit of planning and organizing, it’s definitely a task that you can achieve without hassle. Just make sure you read our step by step guide on how to pack boots for moving and you will be all set to DIY the packing process in style. While you’re at it, play some groovy tunes in the background to calm any possible nerves!
Also See: Affordable Apartment Moving Companies
