A Pool Noodle Is The Secret To Keeping Your Boots In Good Shape

The average closet is a chaotic place, no matter how many shelves, hangers, and handy hooks are installed. Even the most beautifully and professionally organized closet is instantly marred by the sight of tall boots leaning or falling over completely. Over time, this can cause not only an unsightly mess but can also damage the integrity of the boots, leaving their structure compromised and the leather creased or even cracked. Fortunately, all it takes is a beloved pool noodle to safeguard boots both cheaply and easily.

Since boots of varying heights are a staple of the cooler weather months, this means they get a lot of use and are often kicked off into a corner or left in a pile to rest. Resist this urge and protect your investment by making sure they're stored properly. This goes for the off-season, too! You probably spent a lot of money on those kicks, after all, and want them to last as long as possible.

Although the pool noodle excels as a flotation device (especially with a cocktail in hand for of-age adults), the wonder product is useful in dozens of life hacks, including boot preservation. Made from polyethylene, pool noodles are lightweight, bendy, and waterproof. All of those properties are excellent at solving everyday problems. Just make sure they're thoroughly dried out first!

Pool noodles are lightweight and easy to cut. This is why they can be fashioned to serve so many purposes, from a wrist rest in front of the computer keyboard to door bumpers and much more. A pool noodle can even be easily fashioned into a makeup brush drying rack! Who knew? However, the pool noodle's best fashion-related hack involves boots.

Cut the pool noodle to the appropriate size to fit inside the boots in question (a serrated knife will work best). Then, place the noodle piece inside the boots and zip them up. This will keep them standing up straight in between uses and looking their very best.

The best part is that this hack won't break the bank because multi-packs of pool noodles are available for only a few bucks each on Amazon or even cheaper at dollar stores or Walmart. TikToker ispeakorganized prefers white pool noodles because they are a bit classier in appearance than the standard neon hues so many people use for floating around. An easy, attractive, and inexpensive hack? Don't mind if we do!

Although using pool noodles to support boots is extremely easy, there are some tips and tricks worth noting. First, the quality of the pool noodle does play a role, particularly with heavier boots. TikTok influencer welcometomyskitshow points out that there is a pretty big variation in the diameter of pool noodles. "In the case of boots, bigger is better," she explains. Because of this, it's a good idea to play around with different pool noodle circumferences and brands to see which one fits your boot needs best. For some people, the dollar store pool noodles might be just fine, but others will prefer a more snug noodle-to-boot ratio. 

Certain individuals also question the best way to cut pool noodles. As already mentioned, a serrated knife (like you use to slice baguettes) or even plain old scissors work like a charm. However, ispeakorganized says that an electric knife gets the job done quickly, as well. She also explains that it's okay to cut around the edge of the noodle with a regular knife and then twist the pieces apart.

When putting it all together, some boot connoisseurs opt to cut the noodle before placing it in the boot, while others wait until the noodle is in the boot to ensure the perfect length. This is all personal preference; just make sure you don't swipe the boots with an errant knife or scissors if you choose the latter because there's probably no coming back from that.