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How To Store: Bags and Shoes
Handbags
The best way to store handbags is to hang them from S-shaped hooks on a rod in your closet or lined up on a shelf. Be careful not to hang them too close together in a jumble because they might get damaged. Also, as with the rest of your wardrobe, separate them by color and style. This way, if you are looking for a particular kind of handbag, it will be easier to locate what you want without having to look through your entire collection.
Never store handbags full of stuff. Not only will doing so make it difficult for you to remember where you have your passport and checkbook stashed, but also, handbags crammed full of life’s little things will lose their shape and become damaged. Before storing your handbag, empty its contents. Throw away any unnecessary pieces of paper, old lipstick tubes, and loose mints and put away your wallet, keys, eyeglasses, passport, checkbook, and other essentials in a location where you can easily find them and transfer them to your new handbag. Stuff—but don’t overstuff! —the bag with acid-free tissue. Check them for scuffs, scratches and nicks. If your bag is leather, polish it. If your bag is suede, brush it with a suede brush, making sure to keep the nap going in one direction. Do not use a toothbrush, hairbrush, or any other brush that is not meant for suede. If your bag has a scratch or spot and you have no idea how to get rid of it, take it to your favorite shoe-repair store or ask your local dry cleaner for advice.
Use shelf dividers to keep your bags neat and tidy.
Shoes
Three basic ways to best store your shoes are: in pairs on a flat shelf, in pairs on a slanted shelf, or in open-ended shoe boxes that can be stacked. (Note: I can’t stand closed up vessels that make it difficult to get to the goods right away.) In my closet, you’ll find shoes on shelves with heels up high, flats down low with the toes facing out to me so I can see the whole shoe.
Whatever you choose remember that before you do any storing, your kicks should be in the best possible condition. A good shoe repair specialist is worth his or her weight in gold!
And never, ever put away wet shoes. They invite mold and mildew and can be permanently ruined. If you’re caught in a rainstorm with your favorite pair of shoes, take them off as soon as possible. Dry them carefully with a clean towel and stuff the toes with acid-free tissue. Then, put them on top of a clean towel in a warm, well-ventilated area. Never put wet shoes on top of or too near a heat source such as a radiator or baseboard heat—the extreme temperature can cause the leather to crack or buckle.
Adapted from “Shop Your Closet: The Ultimate Guide to Organizing Your Closet with Style”
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