Getting ready to pack up for your holiday trip? Whether you’re off to a sunny beach in Mexico or, like me, you’re headed to the grimy but delicious streets of Mexico City; whether you’ll be hiking in the jungles of the Amazon or navigating jungles of family at mom’s house, WanderFeet is here to help keep your feet happy and your shoes looking their best.
Here’s my top five tips for packing shoes to ensure a safe, sound and stunning soles.
1) Soda bottle boots: If you’re packing an adorable boot, like, say, the Born Yolanda, here, keep them perfectly shaped by inserting two liter soda bottles into them (presumably empty, unless you’ve volunteered for drink duty). The bottles weigh next to nothing, and are sturdy enough the hold their shape in a suitcase. Then when you arrive, TA-DA! Perfect boots.
2) Don’t let your flats go flat: To keep flats in their original shape, no soda bottles needed. Just roll up any underwear you were packing anyway (you were packing undies, right?), and shove it into the to to keep your flats nice and fat. For good measure, you can leave your sachet in the shoe too and help prevent stinky tootsies.
3) Pick your party plan: Think through what you’ll be wearing each day, and what type of shoe you’ll want to wear: how much will you be walking, how fancy will you need to be. If you’re sitting at a dinner table eating for three hours, you can get away with wearing shoes that don’t go perfectly with your outfit (trust me), and you can eliminate another pair of shoes. Take the minimum amount of shoes you can get away with, those suckers are heavy! Think about a multi-purpose shoe, like the El Naturalista Dome that can fill many needs.
4) Soles out: Pack all of your shoes with the soles facing out, up against the edge of the suitcase. It will help make the sides of your suitcase sturdier, protecting what’s inside and it’s also great for space saving. Just make sure you used tips 1 and 2 so that your shoes save their shape!
5) Don’t forget the essentials: If you’re going somewhere cold, bring a pair of wool socks to keep your toes warm in the house or hotel. You never know how reliable heat is and we all know how quickly feet freeze up. If you’re going somewhere warm, don’t forget to sneak in a pair of flip flops in case there’s a beach to stroll on–or maybe a shower with something growing in it? Don’t get caught unprepared, these small items can save your skin!
That’s my list! What are your other tips for keeping shoes and feet smiling on holiday trips?