If you have ever had the baffling experience of seeing a person who keeps all of their shoes in their original boxes, you might be wondering if you should also be keeping your shoes in the box.
This thrilling topic of debate is controversial, not only because of the fact that so many shoeboxes are ugly and terribly banged up, but also for some people it just seems like a strange thing to do when you could simply just haphazardly throw your shoes in a messy pile in your shoe closet by your front door.
There are two kinds of people in the world, assuming you exclude the people who buy literally any other kind of shoe storage. When it comes down to it, there are both benefits and pitfalls to storing your shoes in their original box.
Why shoe storage matters
For those who are more likely to just kick off their shoes and let the devil place them where he may, the mere concept of shoe storage might sound like a terrible waste of time.
However, it is absolutely the case that people who just toss their shoes around are more likely to run them down very quickly.
Basically, if you don’t take care of your shoes, they will get trashed sooner than expected, and a major part of taking care of your shoes in a proper way is storage.
So, theoretically, yes, you should keep your shoes in their original box in the event you will not store them in something otherwise.
Shoe storage is important for keeping your shoes safe from dangerous elements like sunlight, dust, and moisture, and gives them a safe space where they will not be trampled or left at horrible angles that will eventually change their shape.
The benefits to keeping shoes in their box
| Benefits |
| Protected |
| Resell value for keeping box |
| Free of dust |
| Away from moisture |
The primary benefit to keeping shoes in their original box is that they will have a safe and secure home for storage.
Though you might not want to keep your everyday shoes in their original box, shoes that get put away for certain seasons or are more for special occasions will be much happier sitting in their safe and secure box than they will just being tossed into the back of the closet.
Shoe boxes can protect your shoes and keep them in proper conditions to avoid any kind of residue or build up, and this can drastically improve the overall lifespan of your shoe.
However, there is no benefit to storing your shoes at all if you are going to put them away without cleaning them.
Storing shoes for a long amount of time without cleaning them is basically asking for them to be ruined because of your carelessness.
Related: How To Store Shoes To Prevent Mold
The problems with keeping shoes in their box
One major problem that comes with keeping shoes in their original box is that some shoes need more specific arrangements when it comes to sending them on a relaxing vacation.
Leather shoes and shoes of comparable style are known to be particularly sensitive to moisture, which means you only want to store them in the box if you can guarantee that absolutely no dampness will get locked inside of the box with them.
If this happens, your shoes may very well be ruined. In addition to this, shoes must be stored a specific way when you place them in a box.
More often than not, you may want to consider additional storage techniques or more breathable alternatives to a shoe box if you are planning on storing your nicest shoes.
Of course, the real problem with keeping your shoes in their original shoe boxes is how much space it takes up. Who can afford that kind of rent?
What shoes should stay in their box
The shoes that you want to leave in the box are shoes that you are not going to be using too frequently.
Aside from the tremendous inconvenience that would come with having to rifle through boxes every single day for your favorite sneakers, it is important to avoid putting away shoes when they are dirty, and your frequent walking shoes are much dirtier than you might think.
Aside from the daily grime that builds up on the shoes that you probably have no plans of wiping off every single day, there is also a sweat and bacteria factor that must be considered with this kind of situation.
The reality is that shoes that you wear often will need time to air out because of the frequency with which you use them. You don’t want to put your sweaty footwear back in the box at the end of each day.
These shoes are more likely to have moisture in them from sweat, bacteria from your body over time, and all kinds of other general weirdness that should under no circumstances be sealed in a container.
The proper candidate for shoes to be kept in a shoebox are your more special shoes that you want to keep nice.
However, for very nice shoes, particularly anything made of leather, you may want to also include a cloth bag to keep any potential moisture out.
Alternative options to shoe storage
Shoe storage is actually an incredibly hot topic in today’s organization obsessed world.
In the event that you don’t want to store your shoes in their original shoebox, there are a million options that you can buy or make yourself if you are a DIY person.
Whether you opt for a shoe honeycomb structure that can keep all of your shoes separated and looking nice by your door or you head for one of the popular over the door shoe holders, there is a surprising amount of shoe storage options available for you.
In fact, there is an entire market for shoe storage items designed to keep your more expensive shoes nice if you’re willing to spend the money. You can get really creative with shoe containers!
Amazon has some really good options for shoe storage!
Conclusion
You should absolutely store your shoes in shoe boxes if the alternative would under any circumstances fall into the shoe abuse category.
Though you might think that it doesn’t matter what happens to your shoes, in the long run, proper shoe storage can save you time, money, and headaches.
You’re more than welcome to select any proper shoe storage alternative, but at the end of the day, the real point is that you need to listen to your parents and put your freaking shoes away.