A corner considered practical which, however, is enough to shorten the lifespan of your shoes, change their shape and make them uncomfortable.
We often talk about the quality of a pair of shoes, the price, the brand or the style, much less about what happens once the front door is closed. However, it is at this moment that everything is at stake. Shoes spend more time sitting still than on your feet, and where they wait for their next release matters more than you might think. Indeed, certain very widespread habits end up costing them dearly.
When a shoe is made of leather, suede, or even some synthetic materials, it reacts to its environment. Temperature, humidity, air circulation… Everything influences its condition. And, when these conditions are not suitable, the effects appear gradually: a shoe can stiffen, become deformed or even a sole can lose its hold. In short, an accumulation of micro-damages which end up being felt as soon as you put them on. Comfort decreases, gait changes, and we often attribute these inconveniences to normal wear and tear, when in reality they are linked to where the pair is stored.
The problem is that we almost always prioritize immediate practicality. When you come home, you put your shoes where there is still space, where they don’t get in the way, where they seem to be able to “get back on” quickly. As a result, some pairs spend hours, sometimes entire days, in an environment that constrains them. Moreover, this phenomenon affects both high-end shoes and more accessible models. Because, yes, the price doesn’t change anything: no shoe is designed to withstand repeated exposure to a direct heat source over the long term.
You guessed it, by storing your pairs of shoes near a radiator or a fireplace, you risk finding your shoes deformed, loose, irregular. Even glues and seams will suffer damage.
The best reflex is to store them in a cool, dry room, without exposure to heat or direct light. This can be under a staircase, in a dedicated cupboard or even at the bottom of your dressing room. We will have warned you!
