How to Store Winter Shoes and Boots - 5 Easy Tips

When nature turns on the brights of spring, it's not just a signal to creatures great and small. The season of renewal also signals to us that the time has come for some needed spring cleaning. After a dreary winter, packing up the snow boots, heavy treads, and fur trims to make room for sandals, dress shoes, and canvas sneakers is one of the joys spring brings. But that also means getting clever with the way you store your winter shoes.

Here are our five helpful shoe and boot storage tips to make space for spring and summer footwear.


a cardboard box marked donations being handed from one person to anothera cardboard box marked donations being handed from one person to another

1. Make Room for New Boots

Time to inventory the state of your favorites. If your go-to winter boots are showing the wear and tear from all that love, or scuffs are now the most noticeable feature of those leather shoes, this is the season for their assessment. Repair the winter footwear you want to keep and treat leather shoes with a good suede or leather conditioner. If it's time to say goodbye, make a clean break to free up the storage space for new boots. Consider donating shoes and boots still in good shape.

Looking down on brushes, rags, and polish for shoe cleaning next to the toes of two pairs of boots ready to clean.Looking down on brushes, rags, and polish for shoe cleaning next to the toes of two pairs of boots ready to clean.

2. Clean Them Up!

Your winter shoes that made the cut will need some sprucing before storing. Gently wipe snow boots and winter shoes with a shoe cleaner or damp cloth, and treat leather shoes with a mark cleaner and conditioner. If your winter footwear is washable, hit the gentle cycle and then let them air dry. Be sure to check the soles and remove any small rocks that might be lodged in the treads. And remember to deodorize! That slightly stinky smell might turn really sour tucked away for the summer. Make sure boots and shoes are completely dry before putting them away for the season.

Two modern-looking blue shoe trees on a plain background.Two modern-looking blue shoe trees on a plain background.

3. Sandals GINO ROSSI Fumi DNI378-AY8-TS00-0567-0 79

Give a hand to your footwear. Winter boots and women's booties need help to hold their shape. If you don't have a boot tree made for the job, tissue paper or clean rags stuffed inside will also do the trick. Store your boots upright unless you have a shoe rack or boot hangers designed to store them upside down.

Imagine the fun of getting those shiny, shapely, good-as-new boots out next fall.

A stack of pink-colored shoe-sized boxes with open lid on top box, ready to packA stack of pink-colored shoe-sized boxes with open lid on top box, ready to pack

4. Store Individually

Breathable containers and see-through plastic bins are safe bets for storing winter shoes. The benefit of quickly seeing what's inside makes the hectic days a little easier. If you have them, you can also use the original shoe boxes. Just make sure to keep them in a dry area since cardboard can deteriorate. 

We don't recommend piling your winter shoes and boots on top of each other inside one big bin, even though it might seem to save space or cost. This method of storing could scuff and damage the others inside. It’s better to have smaller individual stackable storage containers.

 

An empty wooden closet, with shelves ready for storing off-season clothes and shoes.An empty wooden closet, with shelves ready for storing off-season clothes and shoes.

5. Put in a Climate-Controlled Space

It’s tempting to carry those boxes straight to the attic or basement, but stop for a moment and consider the temperature. A climate-controlled space is best. If your basement stays cool and dry, perfect. If it’s damp, look for a spare closet or other space to keep your boots and shoes at their best. Extra shelves or a shoe rack in a garage could work if the space doesn’t bake in the summer heat. Overall, avoid extreme temperatures. Not too hot, not too cold.

Tiny silica packets can help keep interiors dry, if you're concerned about moisture and humidity. Save them from your new summer shoes or add them to your online shopping list. Another insider tip: cedar chips or blocks are a good addition for fabric shoes and boots.

Woman on the beach in a swim suit and gauzy cover-up carrying a beach bag and walking towards the water, backlit. Dangling a pair of sandals.Woman on the beach in a swim suit and gauzy cover-up carrying a beach bag and walking towards the water, backlit. Dangling a pair of sandals.

Lamoda Ankle-Boots mit eckiger Zehenpartie und ausgestelltem Absatz in Schwarz!

New spring shoes are one of the delights of the season. Whether dressing up in open-toe heels, outfitting the kids in new water shoes and sandals, or going casual in fresh canvas sneakers, you're going to need room in your closet for new spring and summer styles. Packing away winter properly makes the spring transition a breeze. Now your winter footwear will be safely stored and waiting for you when the time comes to get excited about fall boot season again. At that point, come shop winter boots for men, women, and kids.