Shoe size woes typically begin from the time a person is too young to even remember their first baby booties. Parents are well aware of it, though. One day a shoe fits; the next day it’s two sizes too small. The opposite problem happens, too. One day you’re rocking a new pair of heels, the next it seems like you can barely get your foot into the heels without cutting off your circulation. Then there are those unfortunate instances where we really love a shoe that we can’t get anywhere else, and we find out that it’s only available in a size that’s too big. Whatever your circumstances, the great news is that there are an abundance of ways on how to make your shoes smaller.
Tips on How to Make Shoes Smaller
How does this magic happen? If you’ve discovered that a pair of shoes you love needs to fit smaller, try a few of these helpful hacks.
1. Heel liners: Whoever invented heel liners is definitely going to heaven. These 3” liners fit into the back of your shoe and effectively make it smaller. The great thing is that they’re completely invisible, so you don’t sacrifice the look of your shoe at all. You just get the amazing benefit of suddenly having a seemingly smaller shoe.
2. Fillers: Shoe fillers work just like liners, but they fit into the toe of your shoe. They take up that space, and can very quickly make a shoe that’s too big suddenly fit. So which one should you use? Well, it depends on how comfortable one or the other is. Some people are more comfortable with a filler in the toe area, and others find their feet are more comfortable with the liner in the back of the shoe. Both will decrease the space your foot has to fill inside the shoe.
3. Tongue pads: Maybe your issue isn’t length. Maybe it’s that the shoe is too wide. If so, tongue pads can be an excellent way to make a too wide shoe fit just right by becoming narrower. They’re made of felt and should be adhered to the inside of your shoe’s tongue. Naturally this only works if you are wearing sneakers or a type of shoe that has a tongue. Skip this one if you’re wearing a non-tongue shoe!
4. Socks: This one might seem like a no-brainer, but if you’re used to wearing very thin socks, it might not occur to you that very thick socks are a terrific way to make a shoe fit smaller. Get the biggest, fuzziest socks you can think of and knock down your shoe down to size. It’s quick, easy, and socks feel great on your feet.
5. Tissue paper: We’re throwing this one in as a desperation measure and not a permanent solution. If you don’t have time to grab a filler or liner, though, you can easily use a little tissue paper to help a smaller foot fit into a bigger shoe. You would not be the first person to resort to this trick in a pinch.
Shoe sizing problems are one of the most common problems people encounter with shoes, so having to make your shoe smaller is something millions of people will try to do this year. Why not just get another pair of smaller shoes? Well, we love our shoes, and you don’t throw them out just because there’s a little difference in size. If you follow these few tips, you can keep your beloved shoes and still be comfy.
