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Do You Use Your Shoeboxes?

 
 
 
 
 















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Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Do You Use Your Shoeboxes?

I almost always throw out a shoesbox when I get home from from shopping. If a pair of shoes comes with a travel bag I will keep them in that or lined-up in my closet.

I'm not big into the "Eco-this/that" but since we're all trying to be more "green" shoeboxes might be an area to consider. I certainly don't mind taking my shoes home in a bag (paper of course!).

My guess is that since women usually have more shoes than men they keep the boxes to make storage easier.

Men , I bet, throw out the boxes(or keep baseball cards in them) or buy more elaborate storage if they're really into their shoes.

I dont know why I think this is interesting but since we have a more even mix of men and women readers than most blogs or magazines we can get a more varied response to this type of question.

posted by The Sartorialist at 5:43 AM

Comments on "Do You Use Your Shoeboxes?"

 

Blogger a. said ... (12:13 PM) : 

I keep them for expensive shoes. And they are usually nice and sturdy too!

For flip flops and sandals I toss the box.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (12:18 PM) : 

I keep a few of the boxes, I usually have 2 pair (of nice shoes) in heavy rotation. I find the boxes ensure that dust stays at bay, as I rotate them out.

For all my other shoes, I have a nifty basket in the bedroom.

 

Blogger The Spicers said ... (12:19 PM) : 

I have wooden shoe shelves, but keep boxes so I can rotate by season and move boots, etc into their boxes in the closet when summer comes, leaving the shelves for sandals and seasonless shoes like loafers. I rarely use the dustbags that come with shoes because I forget what's in them and don't like the look of all those drawstring bags on a shelf.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (12:20 PM) : 

i toss all my boxes because i invested in a storage system for my closet. they take up more room when they're in their boxes, and i can't afford to give them more space than they already have!

 

Blogger hgh said ... (12:21 PM) : 

I keep my (many many) shoes in clear boxes, but thats mostly because I'm afraid of bugs climbing into my shoes. Ick!

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (12:21 PM) : 

I always keep them. New creations are a huge threat to the environment, hence why buying a brand new Prius is terribly more damaging than just keeping your already-existing car, even if an SUV.

Worst case, shoe boxes can be used when moving and when sending gifts.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (12:23 PM) : 

I keep my boxes. On occasion I have tossed them, but I almost always regret doing so later.

 

Blogger Brian Hayes said ... (12:24 PM) : 

I typically ask someone at the store if they can recycle the box and just take the shoes home in a bag.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (12:30 PM) : 

The are generally cardboard and therefore recyclable.

 

Blogger Pansee Atta said ... (12:30 PM) : 

I keep them, but not for shoes; I actually find they're most useful for storing art materials! That way, I'll never mix up my acrylic and oil paints.

 

Blogger Sabrina said ... (12:33 PM) : 

I always throw the boxes out because I definitely don't have enough room in my home to store them. That and I always forget which shoes go with which box. I'd rather see them all at once so I know everything I have to choose from.

 

Blogger Patrick Booth said ... (12:36 PM) : 

I saved my favorite one to store all my shoe care products.

 

Blogger Ronise said ... (12:36 PM) : 

I only keep in the boxes the shoes that I don`t wear often, like the fancy party shoes. Sometimes I use shoeboxes to store other things, if they are nice size or look fine.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (12:36 PM) : 

I cover them with handsome paper to create them into reusable gift boxes, it doesn't take long..and recipients love getting them...then they can reuse them too...

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (12:37 PM) : 

I throw them out or use them to store other things. Not green, I know, but I wouldn't want to have to peek in a bunch of boxes while trying to get dressed in the morning. I want them all out where I can see them.

 

Blogger Persephone said ... (12:39 PM) : 

I always simply flatten the boxes and put them in the recycling.

 

Blogger Gallivanter said ... (12:39 PM) : 

I usually toss out the box. I don't really have the storage to keep them all, as much as I'd like to. However, I may have to reconsider after looking at how dusty some of the less-worn shoes have become this year. Ick.

 

Blogger Stella said ... (12:42 PM) : 

I used to not keep the boxes, but when I realized that my shoes were most definitely suffering, I started keeping the boxes. Though now, they almost do not fit in my closet. For those shoes that I still have that I had tossed the box, I started making cloth bags for them.

I have a friend who is even more thorough than I am: she has them all in boxes, with pictures or descriptions of the shoe outside.

 

Blogger TwilaO said ... (12:42 PM) : 

I keep the box from every pair of shoes I buy. I take a picture of the shoes on my feet, and then tape the picture to the end of the box. That way I can easily find the pair I'm looking for, and they're kept in good shape.

 

Blogger heather said ... (12:42 PM) : 

I don't keep them around because I'm embarrassed by my size 12 foot. Trust me the shoe box for a size 12 woman's shoe is huge

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (12:45 PM) : 

I always toss the box...or i keep my receipts in one.

 

Blogger jestandefer said ... (12:46 PM) : 

i keep all my shoe boxes and use them for art supply storage. they are super sturdy and can easily hold ten large tubes of paint or long enough to keep all your brushes in one place. it also makes moving that much easier when everything is already in a box.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (12:48 PM) : 

I keep all my boxes and do exactly as you say. I keep my shoes inside and I have a picture of them on the front so I'll know what I'm looking for. I have also been known to use the boxes come Christmas or if I have to get a package out to the Post in a hurry. I usually only use the boxes of less expensive shoes for that.

 

Blogger sweetness, i was only joking said ... (12:51 PM) : 

Generally, I will throw them in the recycling bin. If it is expensive shoes, most likely they will come with a bag for storage. The boxes tend to clutter up my closet since I am not the most anal person when it comes to being tidy.

 

Blogger Anthony said ... (12:51 PM) : 

I never keep my shoeboxes, and rarely find a use for them, as they don't really coordinate well with color schemes in my home.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (12:53 PM) : 

I keep them for almost all of my shoes. They make storage easier as I just stack them one on top of each other. Also, some boxes are too beautiful to throw out. Loeffler Randall has the prettiest shade of pink/peach. My husband throws his out and just uses the canvas closet shoe storage things.

 

Blogger -.,.- said ... (12:54 PM) : 

The best Sartorialist advice my mom gave me ever was: "No matter what your clothes are if your shoes look ugly or dirty. A gentleman's style begins in his shoes". This is like a commandment for me.
I keep all my shoeboxes. All my shoes are stored in their own boxes. After using my shoes, I pull them off my feet, i clense them and put into its correspondent box. I am such an order-shoes-freak.

Sorry for my english, I know it's not as good as it should be, but I hope you have understood me. Thanks.

 

Blogger Austin said ... (12:57 PM) : 

i agree with a. A lot of nicer shoes come with great, sturdy boxes.

I'm really into music, and i keep CDs in my old shoe boxes. it's nice to have them be separate and movable/ stackable (vs one big shelf).
i also have one box of dvds and cds that are listed on amazon marketplace. if one sells, i just go into that 'archive.'

I'm pretty into the eco thing, so i at least put cardboard in for cardboard recycling if i don't reuse the boxes at home

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (12:59 PM) : 

Since I have enough shoes that they don't fit on the closet floor, I stack them in their boxes.
I've considered plastic boxes or a shoe rack, but feel that that is more wasteful than the existing cardboard boxes. I'll recycle them if I get rid of the shoes. And if the shoes outlast me, the beneficiary of them might consider them more valuable.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:00 PM) : 

I (male) keep all boxes. My shoe cabinet is by far too small so I have to store most of my shoes in boxes underneath my bed. Sometimes I buy shoes which come - for whatever reason - without a box, for this reason I try to always have one or two extra boxes.

 

Blogger Lady San Pedro said ... (1:00 PM) : 

I keep shoeboxes as I never want to throw away even the mere packaging my shoes come in.

My boyfriend tosses them 5 minutes into getting home.

 

Blogger An Aesthete's Lament said ... (1:05 PM) : 

If I were as organized as my mother, I would keep my shoes in their shoe boxes and stacked on shelves, the end of each box bearing a color photograph of the shoes inside. Seeing that I am not, I just stuff the shoe trees in and store the shoes in one of those ugly (but highly handy) closet-door organizers.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:07 PM) : 

I like to keep the box. I find it easier for storage and easier to find the shoe I am looking for. I don't like to leave my shoes out on a shelf, because they get really dusty.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:08 PM) : 

I take the boxes home. If I don't need them I unfold them and put them in the paper recycling bag. I think green is good! And I am a woman, with not too many shoes and no baseball cards : )

 

Blogger Carlene said ... (1:09 PM) : 

I keep them for the ones I know I'll be wearing less often.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:09 PM) : 

Shoe boxes are extremely useful for all kinds of storage, for posting things in and more. I'll never throw them out but neither do I ever keep shoes in them. (35 yr old female with kids if that's of any use in your survey.

 

Blogger Reina said ... (1:11 PM) : 

I throw them out. They take up too much space + I have good storage for my shoes already.

 

Blogger please sir said ... (1:11 PM) : 

I agree - I keep only the sturdy shoe boxes to store letters and other personal items, then hid it in my closet!

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:11 PM) : 

I always keep my shoeboxes. I usually keep my shoes in them if they are shows I wear less often.

As for the shoes I wear more often, I keep those seperate, and use their boxes for storage.

 

Blogger AlicePleasance said ... (1:11 PM) : 

I kept the boxes and I used them for storage for awhile but then I found all those different colored and sized boxes looked a little messy in my wardrobe. Also, I use to buy vintage shoes and they often don't have their own box...

So I ended up buying a huge amount of carton boxes, same color and 2 different sizes (for shoes and boots), adding on each one a photo of what's inside.

 

Blogger Jorge from W Palm Beach said ... (1:12 PM) : 

Agree. The more expensive/fragile the shoes, and the sturdier the box, I keep the latter. I think men have more shoes than they care to admit, and you are right, it helps for storage.
As for the green aspect of the box, you are right. While boxing shoes helps in shipping them, I think for the prices we pay for shoes these days, the boxes should be 100% recycled cardboard, which at least takes less energy to make than all-new fibers. Jorge from West Palm Beach

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:16 PM) : 

I find shoe boxes extremely useful. I use them to store shoes but also everything else, in my storage area for instance.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:16 PM) : 

Agreed with comment a. If you ever consider selling your shoes or bags ( the brand ones), it is essential to save the boxes,dust bags, certificates. I know it now.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:17 PM) : 

I keep my boxes. Most of my shoes are Simple or Converse, so the boxes are sturdy and pretty cool design. I keep shoes in them, but also use for CD/DVD storage. And for art supplies!

Female.

-- desertwind

 

Blogger ting-wai said ... (1:19 PM) : 

I never keep the box... they take up too much space! I simply fold them down and recycle them. or usually around Christmas time, local schools sometimes take the shoe boxes for the students to fill with goodies for under privileged kids overseas.

as for storing shoes, I keep my shoes in a wall shoe cabinet. saves on storage and keeps them in just as good condition as the box would.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:21 PM) : 

The dream is to NEED the boxes and get little polaroids on the front of each box, you know? ;P I need more shoes..

 

Blogger kate said ... (1:25 PM) : 

Actually, Scott, in response to your "paper of course!" comment, while it's always best to bring your own cloth bag shopping, if you have a choice between paper and plastic, plastic is the better option. The production and recycling process for plastic is much cleaner and uses less water than that of paper. Just as an FYI!

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:25 PM) : 

I'm a male and I've recently started keeping my shoeboxes. I've got about 10 pairs of shoes. Around 5 pairs, I realized it'd be easier to keep them in boxes. Now when other people buy shoes, I take their boxes because I've still got some pair without a box to live in.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:26 PM) : 

I pitch them all. I realized I don't have any really nice, expensive shoes, so I don't keep the boxes. All my shoes are currently in rotation. But someday, Manolo, you will be mine, oh yes!

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:29 PM) : 

I keep the boxes for my nicer shoes - one, because it keeps them dust free (and I tend to wear Louboutins, et al. less often than flip flops here in LA) and two, because they are pretty for storage. I think women's shoe boxes generally tend to be more decorative than men's and therefore are also more attractive storage.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:29 PM) : 

Yes same here, my evening shoes and high-heels I keep in the box, but everything else goes into a tiny closet in my room :)

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:30 PM) : 

I'm female. If I had a bigger closet I would keep my shoes in their boxes. As it is, I'm thrilled if I can fit my shoes on the shoe rack and not on the floor.

 

Blogger JW said ... (1:32 PM) : 

I always toss the box unless I want to baby the shoes by keeping them tucked away for safety from dust etc

 

Blogger JW said ... (1:32 PM) : 

I always toss the box unless I want to baby the shoes by keeping them tucked away for safety from dust etc

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:32 PM) : 

Same here. If it's those expensive shoes, then i'll keep them. Otherwise, i don't have the habit of keeping shoe boxes. Usually, I'll request the sales person to pack my shoes without the boxes.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:34 PM) : 

I usually throw away the boxes, and when shoes come with bags, I tend to store them away separately. My shoes I keep in my shoe rack next to my dresser. I used the http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/68270509BABORD from IKEA and stacked four on top of each other. Enough room for 21 pairs of shoes. And it looks totally neat.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:34 PM) : 

I don't have enough space in my shoe wardrobe so I have to store shoes belonging to a different season in a remote closet in boxes. I wouldn't mind having more space, keeping them all together and throwing out the boxes.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:34 PM) : 

I keep them. They work really well for keeping art supplies in. They're perfect for organizing lots of little stuff...

But no, I don't keep my shoes in them.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:35 PM) : 

I keep them. In a cramped NYC apartment they make for easy, stackable storage. Without them my small closet would be knee deep in loose shoes!

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:35 PM) : 

I never keep the boxes, I leave them at the shop.
When I designed my wardrobe I made sure to have 4 drawers lined with paper exclusively to keep shoes. Since I am extremely messy in my day to day, a bit of foreplanning always pays off.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:51 PM) : 

i keep my shoes in the box.it makes storing them easier and also protects them from dust and light (i'm a woman therefore have a zillion pairs of shoes i rarely wear and 3 pairs i live in) i never put recently worn shoes away immediately, i wait for them to dry out and polish them if necessary. I also use shoe trees. i tend to like expensive shoes so i make sure i look after them. the idea of loose shoes tossed in a closet all piled up on one another gives me nightmares...

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:54 PM) : 

I keep he boxes to storae other things, like makeup. I throw hem away when hey are too old or broken.

 

Blogger Unknown said ... (1:59 PM) : 

At home I keep all of my shoes in clear plastic boxes so I can see what they are. Some shoe boxes don't have any image of the shoe on the label so it just makes the whole process of choosing my shoes easier. I started doing this about 2001.

Sometimes I take the box when I buy new shoes but usually only when I have a particular purpose for the box in mind ie parcel packing, cat toys, the box is beautiful whatever.

However the last two times I've bought shoes here in London and asked them to keep the box I've been told I cannot return the shoes for any reason if I don't have the box.

So maybe I'll have to start bringing the boxes home again.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (2:00 PM) : 

i'm always torn as to best storage options. keep some boxes for the shoes, use some boxes for other things, throw out other boxes. and being green does not influence my decision in the least; sorry. some boxes are actually compelling. just got my first pair of Pedro Garcia's and i love the box! a picture of pair is on the side so i know what's in there. i'll probably keep this box...at least for a bit. one thing about keeping footwear in its own box, it is easier to make sure you have the right fit to "keep dust at bay," as someone wrote above.

 

Blogger Anna said ... (2:01 PM) : 

I don't keep the boxes my shoes come in but go and buy plastic boxes for all of my shoes and then paste a picture to the outside of the box. This works very well for me... especially when I travel my shoes do not get banged up.

 

Blogger TheSmiterOfTim said ... (2:01 PM) : 

I have found shoe boxes very useful, especially in high school when we had "Secret Santa"-style gifting on a regular basis; I would usually go buy an assortment of fun gifts/food and a shoebox was the perfect way to wrap them all together symmetrically. I also use them to hold photos, still in the envelopes they came in from the drugstore, until I choose to move them to a photo album.

 

Blogger Unknown said ... (2:10 PM) : 

I used to leave the boxes at the store or throw them away but since I met my wife, I now keep them. She has more shoes than I have but I have more than I used to have and it's a good way of keeping them in storage when they're out of season or not used for any other reason.

-Jimmy

 

Blogger Coryn said ... (2:14 PM) : 

I love to recycle shoeboxes. I put presents inside and then wrap them, I will cover them with cute paper and use them as a box for letters, I've also used one as a box for buttons (since I love to collect buttons). I just feel bad tossing them out when they could be used for so many things.

 

Blogger SUNNIVA said ... (2:19 PM) : 

I always toss the box! I want to see my shoes! And I'm a lady.
So lets just stop taking the shoeboxes from the store home with us. lets all just say that we don't need them, then the shoe sellers/labels/whatever will eventually stop producing those ridiculous boxes!

That's fashion"

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (2:22 PM) : 

You throw them out? I almost always keep them to store anything from shoes to cables, small books and knick-knacks, etc.

 

Blogger Trey said ... (2:23 PM) : 

How else would I construct my increasingly elaborate dioramas? Come on.

 

Blogger elizabeth said ... (2:24 PM) : 

When my Nana sends cookies to me at college, she always packs them in a shoebox.

:)

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (2:25 PM) : 

I keep my shoes in the box. They stack well for easy storage, keep teh shoes dust free and the boxes most often are labelled which helps me locate the shoe I want. Flip flops are tossed in a basket and tennis shoes are sorted in a fabric shoe holder.

annjo

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (2:30 PM) : 

I keep my shoe boxes, cover them with cloth/ paper/ paint, and use them as attractive organizers on bookshelves. If done tastefully, this can work well.

 

Blogger NancyDaQ said ... (2:36 PM) : 

I keep the boxes until I'm pretty sure I won't be returning the shoes, then dispose of them. We are only allowed to recycle corrugated cardboard here, so the chipboard boxes have to go in the trash.

Then the shoes go on racks in the closet. I tried keeping them in boxes but they were really space consuming, and it was a pain to pull out the box I wanted from the stack. The pair I wanted was always on the bottom of the pile.

Plastic boxes--tried them too. Same issues although they looked a little tidier.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (2:36 PM) : 

My husband and I both do the same thing: keep and use the boxes for our nice/expensive shoes. Good storage: and keeps the dust away!

 

Blogger alilchurch said ... (2:39 PM) : 

I flatten and recycle every box.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (2:43 PM) : 

In my thinking you may have it backwards. The more shoes you have, the more necessary elaborate storage is because shoeboxes are not the most space efficient or easily accessible.

Sometimes I use the boxes to store other things (great for messy electronics, or craft supplies) or use them as gift boxes, but all my shoes are in hanging shoe racks. But I don't have any super fancy shoes that need dust protection or anything.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (2:48 PM) : 

I am a man and always keep my boxes because, if done right, they add to the overall intended design aesthetic for the shoe/brand.

I also like to keep them from a collector's standpoint because the shoe and the box are part of the same packaging and presentation, also hopefully well thought out; and I'm not talking about Nikes in ridiculous colors.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (2:53 PM) : 

I don't keep the box, because all of the shoe boxes are different sizes. I like uniformity in my closet. I have plastic (not my ultimate choice) containers that fit shoes perfectly. Some boxes are beautiful and I don't want to get rid of them for a while, but they cant stay in my closet, so I just find a use for them until they wear out or something.

There are a lot of uses for boxes, and I like what Marge said. They make great gift containers.

Even if we take our shoes home in a paper bag, the store would be left with an empty box, and most likely, they would throw it away.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (3:02 PM) : 

having just bought three pairs in the last 2 days... i always recycle the boxes.

 

Blogger Emi said ... (3:04 PM) : 

I have shoe racks for most of my shoes, but if they're really special (or if the box is really pretty) I'll keep it. Why not? It's fun to take them out of the box to wear them, almost as fun as when I first buy them. Almost. ;)

 

Blogger Chike-Ikechi said ... (3:12 PM) : 

college and the frequent moving from dorm to dorm to apartment has left me without shoeboxes b/c their cumbersome to pack. I've since graduated and my friends have chimed in that I have a lot of shoes so I've really been thinking of ways to store my shoes. I guess when I finally settle down into a more permanent home and begin my career that I'll have more space and be in the mindset to think about storing my shoes effectively. Green options are always nice, but as for now, no shoeboxes.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (3:12 PM) : 

I'm glad that you don't mind taking your brand new shoes in a (paper) bag instead of a shoebox. I actually think is a nice gesture. But do you really think that using one less box is going to help the environment?
I like your website for what it is. Your pictures don't have a political, ecological or social message, they don't intend to sell any ideology. But they're full of other things, most important ones; they have an aesthetic message that is more useful to the human soul than any of the above.
But when you say "I'm not big into the "Eco-this/that" That's just being irresponsible. Although this has become a trendy topic and you've always try to be ahead of what is popular. The environment must not be a fashionable topic it is an issue that one has to address his whole life.
Using one less shoebox is not making a big impact. How about buying less shoes? I mean, do you really need those -Crocs- in your closet? We can try to do that don't we? After all I think it's about quality & not quantity.

 

Blogger Sugar Bear said ... (3:33 PM) : 

I'm a woman and I toss them - too many, too big and too cumbersome.
Karla

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (3:40 PM) : 

If you would otherwise throw them out, you could donate them to an animal shelter. Cats like to sleep in them, and some shelters use the lids as litterboxes.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (3:46 PM) : 

I use them, but not for shoes. I use them to store things in (like meds, extra razors, etc. in the bathroom closet) and for the Samaritan's Shoe Box Project.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (3:50 PM) : 

i never ever keep the shoeboxes. recycle, recycle! besides, who has room for them? i keep them neatly lined up in my closet and on a shoe rack.

 

Blogger Grant said ... (4:08 PM) : 

I don't store shoes in shoeboxes. I do have a few boxes around the house, but they hold various other things. I only have about eight pairs of shoes (not counting flipflops). In my closet I have a shoe rack that fits all of the shoes and a set of shoetrees for the pair of shoes I wore that day. To keep the dust off my shoes I clean them nearly daily and polish them weekly. While this might seem excessive to most, I'm on a construction site a couple time a week for work, so they get awfully dirty and scuffed.

 

Blogger AmyCarriereDesign said ... (4:26 PM) : 

I have cubbies for my dear shoes so hardly ever have reason to keep a box.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (4:27 PM) : 

I recycle my shoeboxes right away. Any shoebox that stays in my house inevitably turns into clutter, and I can't stand clutter, especially not in my beautiful, organized closet. I keep the shoes I wear regularly in orderly wooden shoe racks (looks like shelves but has lots of little shoe-sized openings). I keep my evening shoes in clear plastic boxes from (gasp!) Target. The only exception to this is if a box appeals to my toddler, then I give it to her and she plays with it for a while. When she tires of it, I sneak it out to the recycling bin!

 

Blogger kyra said ... (4:29 PM) : 

i toss my shoe boxes in the recycle bin and store my shoes in a shoe rack; shoe boxes are so ugly.

 

Blogger Elizabeth said ... (4:49 PM) : 

I keep all my shoeboxes, and store my shoes in them when I'm not using them. It keeps things organized. Maybe not the greenest of green, but it's better than buying plastic shoeboxes and using them, and it's better than throwing away the shoeboxes.

 

Blogger Unknown said ... (4:52 PM) : 

I use them for organizing things (like pictures, old cassette tapes I can't bear to part with, art/crafty things, etc) or I wrap them and use them as gift boxes. They're also handy when sending care packages to friends and family who live all over the place.

I store my shoes on floor-to-ceiling shelves I have in the back of my closet, so they're all in full view as I'm choosing an outfit for the day.

 

Blogger Matthew Spade said ... (4:52 PM) : 

i keep all my shoes in their boxes, trainers and pumps just at the bottom of my wardrobe.

also keep photographs, cottons and sunglasses the spares

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (4:58 PM) : 

in my adolescence i hid all of my love letters, special pictures and trinkets in shoe boxes beneat my parents bed! as a woman in my 20's, my apartment has no room for shoeboxes and i like to display them on these lovely stainless steel shelves i bought from the hardware store. i agree with you sart, in an attempt to 'go green' shoeboxes seem a bit antiquated, especially since most high quality shoes come with a dust bag regardless.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (5:00 PM) : 

I used to throw away the boxes too, but lately I've found myself saving them.
I use them to store random things that I don't need often like postcards and birthday cards. I also use some to keep old arhcitectural models I make for school.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (5:00 PM) : 

I always throw my boxes away. I don't have enough space to keep them all. It's just easier for me to store them on the shoe racks in my closet.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (5:04 PM) : 

Clear plastic boxes. If you buy all the same size it makes things easier if you move a lot. You can stack the boxes inside each other and dump the shoes in shopping bags for the move.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (5:10 PM) : 

Fashion is inherently wasteful of environmental resources. It's always good to repurpose shoeboxes and other containers, but I think you can do a lot more good for the environment (and likely your own style) by only purchasing really well-made, gorgeous and versatile shoes that you'll love to wear until they fall apart. This way, you'll have lovely items in your closet, but create less waste over time.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (5:45 PM) : 

Shoe boxes take up so much space. The best shoe storage I've found is a wire, over-the-door rack. It keeps my shoes off the floor and makes them easy to find, especially if you sort them by colour, heel height, shape etc. Plus, the rack disappears when you open the door!

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (6:00 PM) : 

you know that's funny... at my old job, the women were very community oriented, and every christmas they did this charity thing, uh, filling shoe boxes with toiletries and toys, wrapped them in xmas paper and sent them to third world countries. i thought it was nice until i found out the agency doing it was some kind of rightwing christian missionary thing... i'm don't have anything against god or religion... but...

so to keep in good spirits in office politics, and because i did most my shopping on my lunch break or online (and had it shipped to work) i just kept the shoeboxes for the ladies, which helped them (and the starving 'godless' children in africa) out a lot.

 

Blogger elektroschmock said ... (6:01 PM) : 

paper bags consume more energy and ressources than plastic ones do and are less able to be reused a lot of times!

 

Blogger suzannemarques said ... (6:09 PM) : 

for my most expensive shoes, like jimmy choos i keep the box because the box is sturdy and there's also usually a sweet drawing on the outside. for cheapere shoes, i i usually store them on shelves or a closed shoe rack.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (6:12 PM) : 

I keep my boxes & stack them under my hanging clothes with the shoes in them. Every day shoes & boots go neatly into my shoe closet, & those I wear less often stay in their original box. The handy thing about keeping the original box is that I can see which shoe is contained in it on its lable (as I'm not so organized as to tape polaroids of the shoes to the outside of storage boxes, as professional storage folks do). In general, however, I think your suggestion is a good one: shoe companies could certainly offer to bag the shoes & recylcle the boxes - giving the customer the option...

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (6:24 PM) : 

I usually toss the box. Although I sometimes save the nicer, sturdier boxes for wrapping gifts in later!

 

Blogger Three Repute said ... (6:38 PM) : 

i am a man and i keep my shoe boxes. it's helpful for when moving.

 

Blogger gorgeoux said ... (6:42 PM) : 

I can't remember how many years ago it started, but I nearly always ask shop assistants to place the shoes straight in the bag, keeping their accessories, but not the box.

At home I have them displayed on racks but, as I'm running out of space and there's too much dust around, I'm looking forward to acquiring see-through boxes.

 

Blogger Maria said ... (6:48 PM) : 

I (Female) keep all the boxes, and occasionally check our buildings cardboard recycling bin to see if anyone has left unfold shoeboxes so I can use them for all the second hand shoes that I have...and I also stuff or use shoetrees and spray them etc.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (6:51 PM) : 

I don't keep my shoeboxes. I'm a minimalist and since the boxes are just extra clutter to think about i just throw them out! I rather just keep my shoes on shelves to have a nice clean overview! I don't buy many shoes, but only a few in really great quality, so I hope that will compensate for my way of throwing out the boxes!

 

Blogger Unknown said ... (6:54 PM) : 

I keep mine and I keep my shoes in them. However, I have a shoe rack that hangs in my hall closet and I keep my seasonal shoes in there and rotate the selection seasonally. So most of my shoes get time out of their box.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (7:08 PM) : 

i keep all of my shoe boxes.. its just a thing that I've been doing since i started to collect shoes.








http://streetetiquette.com

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (7:19 PM) : 

keep your shoe boxes. they are like humidors for your shoes. they keep them (relatively) safe from the elements (esp. dust!) and are easy to keep organized if you have many pairs. Also, for sneakers, they do help prevent white soles and midsoles from yellowing as they age.

 

Blogger becca said ... (7:29 PM) : 

I keep my shoe boxes for storage. I would like to get better storage someday because stacks of shoe boxes can avalanche if I'm in a hurry to get the shoes at the bottom.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (7:48 PM) : 

I'm surprised how many people don't keep the boxes!

I keep the boxes and store my shoes in them (and yes with tissue paper!) - I've done this all my adult life. They go into shelves in my wardrobe. They are roughly sorted by "type" (ie the work shoes are all near each other, the sport shoes are near each other and so on).

Even with a reasonably large shoe wardrobe I've never understood the need for organisational-neat-freak stuff like photos on the boxes etc because a lot of boxes have a picture/design name on the end anyway, and I can tell by looking at the box. I'm not even sure what plastic boxes are about - is it better for your shoes? I'd rather keep leather inside cardboard because the thought of possible moist leather going into plastic boxes doesn't sound too good.

I'm not an organised person but the shoe thing is one thing in my house which WORKS.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (7:51 PM) : 

I keep all my shoe boxes and use them for various forms of storage:
- I keep nice/delicate shoes in their box, as well as summer shoes in winter and v.v.
- I use larges (boot) boxes for storing purses
- I love Camper shoes boxes (I've even asked for empties at the store) for all sorts of storage, from photos and CDs on my shelves to scarves, gloves, socks, and stockings in my drawers.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (7:56 PM) : 

I keep the nice, sturdy ones and store my shoes in them. I use the dust bags only for travel. We don't have a walk-in closet in our bedroom, so a shelf in the guest bedroom closet is where I store most of the boxes. But I always keep several pairs that I currently wear on a shoe rack in the coat closet in the front hallway. I never wear "outside" shoes inside; I change into slippers right after entering the house.

I saw a Martha Stewart's program once, where she recommended to take Polaroid pictures of each pair and stick it to the box to make identification easier. I see that several people here do the same. I am not that meticulous, but I found it practical to put a label (like a post-it-note) on shoe boxes that do not have a picture of the shoe on the side or if the box is reused for a different pair.

Needless to say, the shoes have to be very clean to go back into the box.

The discarded boxes can be used for example for storage in the basement, or, in the worst case, recycled (my town is big on recycling).

P.S. I am a female :-).

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (8:00 PM) : 

My husband and I live in an apartment that is about the size of a shoebox, so we have to be super, Type-A organized.

I have one small rack for orphaned shoes (boxless) and I have boxes for the rest. I rotate the order of the boxes according to season and never have a problem trying to remember what shoes are in what box...for whatever reason I'm a freak and I just know. My husband, who has fewer (but actually much nicer) shoes than I, throws away the boxes and uses shoe trees and a wooden rack.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (8:14 PM) : 

I definitely keep my all 150+ shoes in their original shoe boxes (complete with a polaroid on the outside to remind me of the boxes' contents). I live in a really humid place so it helps keep the moisture and mold out. And want to know what else? Hong Kong cockroaches and silverfish love Louboutins far more than they should. Hence the boxes keep the bugs out!

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (8:24 PM) : 

i wasn't really into shoes until a few months ago and i started buying up- vintage gucci (consignment), tod's, prada and some others...the boxes are a great compliment to the shoes and when you spend all your money on shoes they can be a nice decorative piece in your tiny post college apartment.

 

Blogger dawn said ... (8:32 PM) : 

i am a woman and i keep all my shoe boxes (except for athletic shoes, i guess). i find that storing each pair in its own box keeps the shoes looking nicer much longer. plus, each box often has a picture of the shoe on the outside so it's a good way to quickly glance through and find the one for which you are looking!

 

Blogger Unknown said ... (8:46 PM) : 

I have a lot of ties and I usually only have 10-15 on my tie rack. I keep the ties I am not using in shoeboxes. I roll the ties up and can store about 10 ties per box. They protect the ties well, are just the right size, and are easy to organize.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (8:52 PM) : 

When I am at the store I ask not to have the box. But who knows what the store does with it?

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (9:06 PM) : 

I keep the boxes as well. It helps to protect them from accumulating dust and moving them around.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (9:17 PM) : 

I keep them as a reminder of what I spend on shoes.

 

Blogger Unknown said ... (9:30 PM) : 

I keep boxes for stacking my shoes and organizing my collection.

Additionally when I'm traveling if I'm bringing a pair of shoes in the suitcase, I'll put the shoes in there and stuff it with socks / underwear to help the shoes keep shape and to keep the shoes from getting the rest of my clothes dirty!

 

Blogger Mary said ... (9:44 PM) : 

I built my home out of shoeboxes.

 

Blogger Kati said ... (10:03 PM) : 

I have to agree with most of the above comments. If they are a pair of cheapy shoes, or if the shoebox is an odd shape, I recycle. After all, most shoeboxes are made of cardboard.

However, the idea of the above posters to keep vintage shoeboxes or very nice shoeboxes (i.e., Chanel) is wonderful. How can one bear to throw out such beautiful packaging, especially when it becomes part of the "decor" of the room? The six vintage shoe boxes I have in my room are such pretty colors. And the Chanel shoe box I have is of such high quality, it barely even looks like a "shoebox."

Having said that, I'm a girl, with far too many shoes (on the floor of my closet, hanging on the door, in the other closet, in a basket by the door, on the window sill, etc...), so keeping all shoe boxes isn't really an option.

 

Blogger H said ... (10:19 PM) : 

I keep most of my shoeboxes, especially for my more expensive pairs, as I find that it's easier for storage and keeps them from getting malformed should something fall upon them in the closet. Pairs not in boxes sit in rows on the floor and my cheap flip-flops are in a huge shopping bag.

For the shoeboxes not used for actual shoe storage, I often keep them for storage of miscellaneous small items around my house, or to wrap gifts in.

 

Blogger Angela said ... (10:37 PM) : 

I do throw out the boxes...
and I have two baskets that I just throw my shoes in :/

 

Blogger Miss Cavendish said ... (10:39 PM) : 

I use my shoeboxes at home but for travel I have beautiful Liberty of London shoebags. It makes me happy to open my luggage and see those cheerful prints.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (11:35 PM) : 

I do keep my shoeboxes. It's the result of buying too much, much more than what my shoe cupboards can hold.

So stacking shoeboxes is a better way out than just stuffing any shoe in any space, ending up with squashed matter.

And I don't know, but I guess it has nothing to do with men or women, more like the personality. I'm a mademoiselle.

 

Blogger Goose said ... (11:48 PM) : 

i keep all my shoe boxes, being a kid i use them as under-the-bed storage space for everything and anything.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (11:54 PM) : 

If my shoes come with a bag, i generally keep it.
Never boxes.
I use a canvass and steel stand alone rack for storage.

 

Blogger Alan H. said ... (12:04 AM) : 

I only keep my shoeboxes for infrequent use shoes, such as soccer cleats and hiking books.

From a logistics standpoint, the shoeboxes make it easier to ship (e.g. how many thousands of Nikes can be nicely fit into a cargo container) and keep them relatively safe of damage during shipping. Think about how much less eco-friendly it would be if 10% of the shoes were destroyed in shipment, so that you had to waste all that gas, labor and material to make and ship 111% of what you would actually sell to customers!

 

Blogger kater said ... (12:20 AM) : 

I keep my boxes. I don't have a closet, or really anywhere to keep shoes (I don't have a proper door to put a shoe rack on, and my attic ceilings are too low for most other contraptions) so the boxes keep things neat.

I work in a shoe store, and I would say about 20% of women who buy don't take the boxes. We toss them into the cardboard dumpster with our shipment boxes, which is kept separate from the regular garbage one. We've also started selling reusable tote bags, but honestly no one shops in our store that much to use one.

 

Blogger Alex said ... (1:27 AM) : 

I don't have shoe boxes. I leave them with the store. I just put the shoes in my own tote.

 

Blogger Kanani said ... (1:56 AM) : 

I have to admit, I don't keep any boxes. I should, but I don't. I have very limited closet space, so as a result, I have several shoe trees.

In addition, I also have the habit of kicking off my shoes when I come in the house --well, not only the house, but almost anywhere I go!

So I keep a basket under my desk and that's where my shoes go. As a result, it's become a repository, and there are bunches of sandals and such in there.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (2:34 AM) : 

reduce, reuse and recycle all the way...
i have a mix of see-through shoe boxes for my rarely-used heels and the everyday shoes go in the wardrobe

 

Blogger Caroline Wolf said ... (2:55 AM) : 

if i had space, i would keep all of my shoe boxes :(

 

Blogger PhilM said ... (3:13 AM) : 

i'm a man and am sure i don't own even half as many shoes as most women, but since my collection of shoes began to expand about a year ago, i've been keeping the boxes for storage purposes. before, when i only had a few of shoes i could always keep on a rack, i would keep the boxes and put my correspondence or photos in them that hadn't been catalogued yet.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (3:18 AM) : 

I don't keep my boxes any more.
I used to but then most of the vintage shoes i buy from op-shops don't come with boxes, and I'm more of a "all or none" type of girl.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (3:54 AM) : 

This question is timely as I just threw some boxes to recycling. These were for shoes that are on their last legs and probably won't survive the summer. Otherwise I keep my shoe boxes and store my shoes in them to protect them from dust. If the picture of the shoe is not on the box I photograph it and paste it to the box for easy access.
I do discard the boxes for sport shoes as these usually stay on a shelf by the entrance and are grab and go when I am with my kid or running to the corner store etc.
Sometimes the boxes are used before recycling ie. little beds for stuffed animals. Storage for "hot wheels" etc.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (3:56 AM) : 

For those concerned about the environment, I used to work at a shoe store and all boxes and tissues where not recycled but sent to the regular garbage, headed for the landfill.
If you are trying to do the earth a favour it is better to take the box home and recycle it yourself.

 

Blogger Susanne said ... (4:23 AM) : 

I don't even take th shoe boxes home with me. Here in Germany the shops ask you if you want them, then I take the shoes in my own bag in a little tissue paper.

I don't have many shoes though.

 

Blogger lavafee said ... (4:34 AM) : 

Like most of you I keep the boxes to store my shoes. But I would preferre something like a travelbag, too. Because when I come home from a holiday the shoes got squeezed and don't look so nice often.

 

Blogger Syed said ... (4:49 AM) : 

I always keep the boxes, because I actually stuff the shoes to keep shape and box them if I'm not wearing them! Plus I quite like having the original boxes because sometimes the designs are quite a lot nicer than a plastic shoes box!

 

Blogger miss milki said ... (5:18 AM) : 

I keep my shoeboxes but use them for storing everything but shoes...postcards, art materias etc. I store my shoes on a canvas and steel shoe rack thing.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (5:58 AM) : 

I am a fashion designer and for our shoes I design fantastic shoe boxes, very originals and colourful, people used to keep them to store their shoer or for any other thing!!

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (7:15 AM) : 

I throw them out and keep my shoes on shoe shelves in the closet. -Nicole

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (7:30 AM) : 

Always keep the boxes and add shoe trees

 

Blogger pixel said ... (7:48 AM) : 

Shoe boxes make the best houses for my pet rats. So I both keep shoes boxes and recycle them into the rattie world. The shoes themselves all live downstairs in the "genkan", which is the entrance way of a Japanese house, typically with several cupboards for all different sizes of shoes and boots - which is fine as long as you don't have hundreds of shoes...
(I am female).

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (8:02 AM) : 

I keep the nicer boxes, but use them to store extra shaving soaps and other clutter in my closet. For my shoes, I buy clear plastic shoe boxes from the container store; they are all the same size, stackable, and clear(which helps me figure out which shoes are where).

 

Blogger Joanna Bolick said ... (8:26 AM) : 

I save the biggest ones for the Samaritan's Purse program...

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (8:39 AM) : 

I used to have a stand-alone shoe rack, but being a size 10 shoe means only 3 pair, max, will fit on a shelf. The pictures always show five pairs (they must be size 6!) lined up so prettily, but that didn't work for me.

Our closets are very small, and the type of doors on them don't accommodate a hanging rack. My shoes are stacked in the boxes by color and then by "fancies" - I have an abiding love of pretty, but not always practical, shoes, though I do wear them a lot; I'm a heels girl. I keep my shoes for many years and the boxes keep them in better shape than if they were just lined up on the floor. I don't need photos on the box because I know which shoes are in what box (I don't have that many pairs of shoes). The dust bags I use for travel, to protect my shoes in the suitcase.

Strictly practical shoes - running shoes, street sneakers, flips - are kept separately (without boxes) on a shoe rack on the floor of the linen closet.

My husband has far fewer pairs of shoes than I do, but he keeps his in boxes as well. Our closet in the master is only about 2' deep and 6' wide (one closet for each of us) and there's no good way to expand it...so we try to get the best possible use out of those small spaces.

Boxes from shoes that are no longer wearable (i.e. old running shoes, or shoes that have finally worn out) get reused for photo and other storage. I've been a recycler for nearly fifteen years and I like to repurpose when I can.

I agree with the those who mentioned buying fewer shoes - the mantra is reduce, reuse, recyle - with reduce and reuse being the first two preferences - and I don't consider the "eco" message trendy at all. I've been doing my best to live by it for a long time. I'm glad it's getting more attention now, but IMO it's not a fashion-oriented issue; it's a way of life for those who choose it. I do DISagree with the poster who said that one shoe box won't make a difference...we all have to start somewhere. If one shoe box gets recycled instead of sitting in a landfill, that's better than no recycling at all.

 

Blogger dominicandandy said ... (9:56 AM) : 

I keep the shoeboxes of all my better shoes. They are beginning to crowd my closet, though, as my collection is growing. I have the label facing out so I can see the description of the shoe and know which ones I'm grabbing. Allen-Edmonds boxes are all the same, so I end up needing that information. In the past, I used plastic shoe storage boxes, but that didn't work out.

 

Blogger Baby Girl said ... (10:07 AM) : 

I always store the shoes in the boxes they came in. With almost 50 pair, it's just easier.

 

Blogger Esti said ... (10:32 AM) : 

If the box is from a shop that I really like and It´s cool enough to keep it, then I use it to store belts or jewellery that I make. Sometimes I use them as a giftbox, customizing it with colourful paper or any other funny object. Otherwise, I usually end up throwing it to the recycling bin.

 

Blogger PhilM said ... (10:49 AM) : 

i'm really surprised to find that so many people on this list say they throw their shoes in baskets. baskets! these must be shoes you don't care about very much. you wouldn't treat your high-end designer shoes like that, right? i put all my shoes on a shoe rack and keep shoe trees in them to keep them in shape. i love to see them on the rack, as though they're displayed in a shop or museum. magnifico! and no, i don't think i have a shoe fetish.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (11:21 AM) : 

Years ago I invested in clear boxes from the Container Store. I use these to store my shoes in at a fixed number. If I want a new pair...one has to go. It is easy to see what's in the box and they can be stacked pretty high. The shoes I wear most end up on the top. I store them on the floor under my hanging clothes. So, the boxes get recycled. The exception being expensive shoes that may be resold later. I keep those boxes. And the dust bags are kept in the bin under the shoes. After I wear the shoes, I don't return them to the bin right away so they have time to air out. I have fifty of these boxes!
Female

 

Blogger Unknown said ... (11:32 AM) : 

i don't know if anybody wrote this already or not, but it really depends on where you live. Most people in Manhattan really shouldn't keep all their boxes because space is at such a premium. That said, it never ceases to amaze me how much stuff people feel compelled to hold on to.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (12:08 PM) : 

I'm currently in that nomadic period of life of uni (graduate school to be precise). I use the shoe boxes short-term storage moving from place to place. Usually perfume and lotion bottles. I don't store my shoes in them. I own very few pairs of shoes - the heaviest ones in rotation being my keens since I live out in the middle of the woods.

 

Blogger andrew said ... (12:17 PM) : 

my grandfather built me a shoe rack...2 of them so i recycle them

 

Blogger Sharona said ... (1:14 PM) : 

I buy a lot of shoes that don't come in boxes from discount stores. When I buy athletic shoes, they often come in a larger sturdy box, and I might keep it for storing letters or for shipping something. But if I don't have an immediate use for it, I'll probably toss it because I don't like the additional clutter of storing it.

For the most part, I store my shoes on "racks" (I don't know what you call them )that hang on my door. I still haven't found an efficient way to store boots, but hanging shoes takes up very little storage space and keeps my shoes nicely, dust & bug free.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (1:55 PM) : 

I have a problem with dust, even in my closet with the doors shut. So, I keep the shoes in the boxes to keep off the dust.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (2:40 PM) : 

I keep all my shoes in their boxes, but it takes so much space... anyway, i keep them because it makes storaging easier!!

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (3:05 PM) : 

What a nice surprise to see a discussion about shoe boxes.
I keep all my shoes in boxes, except my running shoes.
Most better brands have nicely-designed boxes. I bought stacking wooden shelves that fit perfectly in the bottom of my (small) closet.
It's very esthetically pleasing to open my closet and see the well-organized collection of colourful shoe boxes!
I bought a nice fabric shoe bag to carry my shoes to work. I toss it into my bicycle basket in the summer (Nothing like cycling to ruin expensive shoes!) and carry it in the winter when I'm wearing big boots.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (3:49 PM) : 

my mom did the greatest thing ... she was sick and tired of the dust and untidy appearance of her shoes, so she painted all the shoeboxes she could find white and glued a picture of the particular shoe(s) on the front. now everything looks tidy, stays clean and is easy to find ...

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (4:35 PM) : 

My husband keeps and uses his shoe boxes. He is much more organized then I am. However this has prompted me to start to keep mine and use them so my side of the closet looks like less of a mess. I used to recycle them which is also a good thing to do with them since they are always made out of some kind of cardboard.

 

Blogger Atalanta said ... (4:55 PM) : 

I throw out all my boxes (I'm a woman) - but I also tend not to have many shoes - as aguecheek9 pointed out above - it is a storage issue thing.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (6:07 PM) : 

I used to work for an eco-friendly shoe company that really wanted to eliminate shoe boxes. The problem is that retailers need an organized system for storage and they usually have small, often cramped spaces to store their stock. Shoe boxes are the best way for them to keep their stock organized.
I'm with you- a paper bag to take my shoes home would suit me just fine.

 

Blogger Stephanie Dee said ... (9:08 PM) : 

I definitely keep the boxes. My minions would destroy my shoes otherwise. I have two stray pairs that I keep atop my chest of drawers so they won't get hurt by prying feline talons and fangs. I check eBay now and then, hoping I can find a good box to go with them. I know, it's insane! (I am female).

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (9:14 PM) : 

I am sure somebody else already commented on the fact that most boxes are recyclable. Hence you should only feel guilty if you actually throw them in the garbage and not the recycled bin. Carrying them home without the box doesn't make the box disappear, as it is typically shipped and stored in the box. Following purchase, just use it to store the shoes or something else or recycle it. Pretty simple.

I don't understand how anyone can say they are 'not big into the "Eco-this/that"'. You don't have to be Julia Butterfly Hill to be conscientious. Just put a little thought into your actions. By the way, just by living in a city and taking mass transit you are already earning points. Furthermore, investing in well-made, quality items that will last forever is also a form of sustainability. I would argue men have an edge over women on this, as the style pendulum swings a bit less erratically for them.

Plus, it is possible to have style and sustainability or to attempt it anyway.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (9:30 PM) : 

ALWAYS. I keep my shoeboxes and take good care of them, as well as keeping the shoe stuffing to help them keep their shape. I'm a college student and can't afford shoe trees, but the original wrappings keep everything in great condition. I also have found that the boxes all coordinate well with one another, at least with the shoes I have, so they look great on my shelves, arranged by brand and color of the box. (maybe I'm a little obsessive about my closet appearance..)

 

Blogger Unknown said ... (10:00 PM) : 

How funny that you have posted a blog on shoe boxes since I've spent the past few days going through my closet in preparation for a move. I was just taking a break to log on to The Sartorialist after having organized my shoe boxes according to season.

I don't keep boot boxes because the take up too much space in my closet, but I like to keep shoe boxes because they are usually sturdy and they keep my shoes from getting crumpled under all of the other items in my closet.

 

Blogger Poochie said ... (10:47 PM) : 

Sart -

I TOTALLY keep all of my shoeboxes and actually buy boxes if I get vintage shoes. I need them for stacking. Here's my closets -

http://shoedaydreams.blogspot.com/2008/01/through-looking-glass-and-into-wardrobe.html

SimplySoles.com has started a new way of shipping and storing the shoes they make (and soon all of what they carry). You may be interested in their Shoe Shuttles -
http://shoedaydreams.blogspot.com/2008/05/innovations-in-packaging.html

Luv
Poochie

 

Blogger lucia said ... (11:49 PM) : 

I leave the boxes at the store (but take the bags) and then I put the shoes in these wonderful Ikea breathable, white canvas shoe boxes with clear fronts that velcro close. I print the shoe's 'name' on a post-it (and stick on the clear window) so it's even easier to see what is where. Finally - these Ikea boxes are collapsible, so they store away if you have fewer shoes (ha!).

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (4:34 AM) : 

some of them boxes are artwork nowadays. so I keep them.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (4:46 AM) : 

I generally keep shoe boxes for any shoe I spent more than a paycheck on. That would mean my D&G's, Manolos, etc.. Everything else goes on the shoe shelves in my closet, and in a bag if they came with one :) Interesting thought... I think we could safely do away with the boxes entirely!

 

Blogger Marianna said ... (5:38 AM) : 

I HATE shoe boxes! I hate not being able to see my shoes and having to guess what shoe is in what box etc (even if I label or stick photos on the box, it still doesnt help all that much). I love the look of a display of shoes. I love seeing an array of colours, shapes, designs etc all lined up in front of me. And if I travel, I like using shoe bags made from a nice fabric.

Just out of curiosity (even though I'm probably not going to get an answer)- is this really a spontaneous question or is there some sort of brand behind all this doing research on shoe boxes?

Well anyway, whatever it is- you got my answer. Love your blog, always!

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (6:53 AM) : 

I always keep shoes boxes.
It's great way to storage your shoes.
I invest my biggest budget in shoes, so I always want to keep them at its best!!!

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (9:51 AM) : 

The green hypocrisy is definitely not going to stop me from wanting my shoes in boxes .

 

Blogger Piztachio said ... (9:57 AM) : 

This might have been mentioned already, but it actually takes a lot more energy to make recycled paper than it does to make plastic. And naturally, more trees as well. You can make a lot more plastic bags out of one bit of energy than you can make a paper bag.

That said, a beautiful shoe box is hard to part with. :) Keeping a few can be good for storage. Keeping too many becomes clutter. And generally I like to see my shoes anyway. :)

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (10:50 AM) : 

Hi,

I'm a 21 student/trainee who lives in Paris in a tiny little appartment and we found with my girlfriend (who mostly spends her time at my place) the right thing to do with your shoes box. If you don't want to invest too much in cheap swedish furniture, you can use them as a storage for shoes,, underwear, or accessories (whatever). The thing to do is taking a polaroid about what is inside the box and tape it on the side of the box, so you don't have to open every boxes every time you're looking for this f.....g sneakers...clever isn't it. I'm sure if very often used by the way.

 

Blogger Brandy said ... (11:21 AM) : 

I buy plastic shoeboxes to house my heels. Makes storage easier on the shelving in my closet. For flats, i keep them in a hanging shoe organizer to save space.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (12:25 PM) : 

SHOES! (Sigh) I love my shoes.

I keep the boxes.(Female)And I'm a bit obsessive about doing so - even when travelling to US or overseas I try to find a way to get the boxes home...!

Why?
1. Even the most inexpensive shoes will last longer with proper storage. (And with a size 11(42) foot in Canada, it's hard to find good shoes period. So the longer I can keep a pair the better.) =D

2. And to the woman w/ sz 12 feet that doesn't like to keep her boxes due to the size of said box... I find I have to keep my boxes because many of the store bought shoe organizers /plastic boxes will not fit a womens size 11 with a 4" heel!

3. It's easier to keep track of them. (And I do have the space to keep them in my closet.) I just write a short description on the box w/ marker or refer to the tech sketch if there is one.

(Note: Flip flops, runners and some of my winter boots definitely do not get kept in boxes.)

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (12:42 PM) : 

I keep the boxes. Dress shoes are stored in them, along with out-of -season pairs (black suede in summer, sandals in winter). I put labels on the ends, so I can easily find the ones I want.

 

Blogger Alya said ... (12:46 PM) : 

I have a shoe closet, so I dont keep boxes.

If they come in a travel bag, I take them without the box. If they're from a cheap brand - there's usually no bag, and no box either!

 

Blogger Ravages/CC said ... (1:36 PM) : 

I always keep the boxes my shoes come in. I use them to store ATM reciepts and restaurant checks, use the tops of boxes as a tray to keep paperwork I will need in the short term, and as an amateur photog, as a kind of improv softbox.

 

Blogger agrasshopper said ... (12:02 AM) : 

I only keep my Adidas shoeboxes as I collect them and think the (usually) brightblue boxes are so cool. Otherwise I leave the boxes at the shoestore and then they live on my open (and overwhelmed) shoerack. I have yet to find smart shoe storage or shelving units anywhere. I would love to "color-shelf" them like I do with my clothes!

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (12:58 AM) : 

i think you make a good point here!

i usually end up reusing my shoeboxes by using them to ship things.

 

Blogger Elise said ... (3:24 AM) : 

I usually throw my boxes away.

I have this lovely fantasy of keeping all of my shoes in their respective boxes in a neatly organized way. However, living in your average New York apartment (in Brooklyn, so it's large by Manhattan standards), the idea of having 50 or so shoe boxes stacked in my apartment sounds like a nightmare!

Also, I like to see my shoes when deciding which pair to wear, so I have resorted having an enormous shoe rack on the back of a door (plus, another little rack for the ones that couldn't fit behind the door). I do however keep all of my shoe bags that come in the boxes. I use them for traveling or for an extra pair of sandals or ballet flats to carry around in my purse when I'm breaking in a new pair of shoes that aren't comfortable yet.

...I suppose this your "practical new yorker" point of view.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (12:56 PM) : 

i always keep my shoeboxes, i think it's a protection for shoes. Most of all my shoes are coming from Dries Van Noten, boxes are black , so to recognize wich pair a box contains, i write with a chalk on it a little description. Makes laughing my friends !

 

Blogger jessie kaye said ... (2:32 PM) : 

I absolutely keep all of my boxes... Shoes are special treasures. To make them extra special (and to create some uniformity in the closet) I wrap each box in white paper and then draw a picture of the shoe on the front. That way you always know which shoe is which and it's pretty, pretty, pretty.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (4:54 PM) : 

Boxes save space because they're stackable -- I use a spare bedroom and closet as my dressing room. I spend hundreds of dollars on shoes... I have many, many pair. About two hundred. Why would I throw them into a basket or a jumble in the bottom of a closet? Keeping them in boxes makes it easier to keep them organized, clean, dry, un-crumpled, mould and dust-free. I use pictures from my digital camera, printed with a colour printer and attached via a packing slip envelope to the outside of the box. Anal? Perhaps, but I prefer to tag it as organized. :-) I like being able to find BOTH of the exact shoes I want - whenever I want them.

Besides it seems just a tad bit undignified to crawl around the bottom of a closet...

D.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (8:23 AM) : 

Hey Sart,
How do I send you a photo of what I've done with my shoe boxes?

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (11:47 AM) : 

best place to store shoes: clear plastic roll-out containers that you can store under the bed. easy to find/retrieve/store and makes use of the space under your bed without it getting too cluttered. much better than taking up closet space. you can find them anywhere that sells plastic storage bins.

 

Blogger Patrick said ... (1:17 PM) : 

I do not throw them out. I recycle them or re-use them.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (8:45 PM) : 

Im sorry but shopping for shoes doesn't feel as good if you don't have a shoebox to show for it. I, like most people, only keep the good shoes in their boxes.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (11:33 PM) : 

I ask the store to recycle the box and take the shoes home in a bag. I use clear plastic boxes (reusable) and put descriptive labels on each one. Keeps them clean and organized.

 

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