Here's Everything You Need to Know on How to Store Your Sneakers

Image via Complex Original

Think of a box as a sneaker's home within your home. It's where it's most comfortable and should be kept in them. The overplayed, dramatic image of a sneaker collector is someone with stacks upon stacks of sneakers boxes somewhere in their parents basement, and that's not too far off. It's easier to keep sneakers organized by putting them in their boxes, and it's a lot simpler to have a collection that's neatly stacked, rather than a random pile that needs to be sifted through each morning. There's been a shift in displaying sneakers, out of their boxes, on a white shelf in an apartment. This might get a ton of likes on Instagram, but it's not necessarily best for a sneaker's health. Light and dust are a sneaker's mortal enemies, and that's why keeping them in a box is so important. 

It's difficult enough trying to decide what you want to wear in the morning, and then comes the dilemma of actually locating the sneakers. For everyone who owns 50 or more pairs, that can be a daunting task, let alone those who have over a thousand pairs in their collection. To combat this quandary, it's easier to either write the name of the sneaker in big letters across the sneaker box or, quite literally, print out a picture of the sneakers and tape it to the box. That's a lot easier than reading color codes at 8 a.m. before you run out the door.

A little organization goes a long way. With that said, keeping a sneaker collection assembled in a logical way is the best way to go about things. Putting like-minded sneakers together makes finding whatever you're searching for 10 times easier. Air Maxes go with Air Maxes. Jordans go with Jordans, and Jordan Vs should be near other Jordan Vs. And the list goes on and on. 

Storing sneakers in clear boxes has become a thing. It's a nice display piece and it makes it easier to find what you're looking for. But it's also impractical to keep every sneaker that someone owns in clear boxes. For starters, a package of 12 boxes from Krate&Co goes for over $340 (the company is from the UK and charges in pounds). There are other nondescript clear boxes that can be purchased for around $3 a pop. While the clear box method works for some, it doesn't block the light that's coming in, which can lead to potential yellowing. So think twice before transferring a complete collection over to clear, plastic boxes. 

Light and sneakers don't get along. Neither does heat or moisture. There have been cautionary stories on the Internet from those who live in ultra-humid climates, where their sneakers, no matter how they were stored, were reduced to dust. When storing sneakers, the best place to keep them is a room where there's little to no natural light and one that has relatively dry air. This will ensure a sneaker's life and longevity. Some people have gone to such measures as getting climate-controlled rooms for their collections, much like wine cellars, which brings a new meaning to the word "vintage."

Cedar shoe trees have long been used to keep hardbottom dress and boots in shape. The cedar also freshens the footwear and absorbs moisture. People have started to use shoe trees in their more-valuable sneakers, often including high-quality options from luxury brands. Although not made from cedar, Ikea's shoe trees have become popular, too, mainly amongst Europeans and runner fanatics who obsess over the slope toe shape of the silhouettes. Stores such as Kith have also started to display their sneakers with these coiled trees. And at a dollar a piece, that's too good of a deal to pass up. 

Sneaker stacks can be a tough thing to deal with. Choosing a pair at the bottom of a column can cause the entire stack to sway and potentially fall over. To remedy this, it's possible to get racks that are similar to those found in the back rooms of sneaker stores. They eliminate the treacherous stacks all together and make the chore of wrangling a sneaker much easier. On top of that, there's no worrying about having to pick up 100 boxes when everything explodes. 

Sneaker collections mean different things to different people. And some of us like to show off more than the next one. When it comes to how a collection is stored, there's the option of getting something custom made to keep sneakers in. There have been wooden sneaker boxes built that store a handful of select pairs, and there have been cubby holes set up with LED light bulbs. While costly, they can offer a touch that's as unique as the sneakers that are being presented. Instagram users like @paul_imakeshitoutta_wood takes custom orders  for boxes just like these.

No one wants their icy soles to turn yellow, and they combat this in several ways. But one of the easiest ways is wrapping their pairs in Saran Wrap or storing them in Ziploc bags. This is a simple way to protect them even further from the air, and, hopefully, Father Time. Others have championed using silica packets to keep their sneakers as fresh as possible, too. A lot of this sounds crazy to be honest, because the point of having a sneaker is to wear them. Some people don't do that or sport their cherished pairs as sparingly as possible, and this is their preferred method of storing.