Female sneakers with floral pattern standing on wooden floor
LeszekCzerwonka/iStock/GettyImages

For a path to happy feet, try customizing your ill-fitting shoes with at-home shoe inserts that are not only comfortable, but inexpensive. If you have shoes that are too big, stopping heel slippage will keep discomfort and painful blisters away from your feet. The following solutions will not only solve your too-large footwear woes, they will make your shoes more comfortable to wear as well.

Add heel strips to the back of your shoes to stop blisters from forming. Peel off the adhesive at the back of the shoe strip and place it firmly on the inside of the shoe near the heel. If one strip does not achieve a snug fit, layer two or three additional strips on top of one another until your heel stops rubbing against the inside of the shoe.

Place inner soles in your shoes to provide lift. A leather, suede or synthetic insole will fill in shoes that are too large at the heel and across the top of the shoe. Shape the insole with a pair of scissors to create the perfect fit in your footwear. Peel off the adhesive from the bottom of the cushions and press them firmly into the shoes before your next wearing.

Insert stick-on heel grips cushions into your shoes. These padded inserts add extra grip to your heels, ensuring that your feet don’t slide out with every step. Pull the adhesive off the back of the heel grips and press them on the inside of the shoe where the heel sits for a comfortable, snug fit.

Wear two pairs of socks to fill out too-big shoes and boots. When the weather turns cold, add extra layers to your feet with socks made from breathable merino wool or synthetic fabrics. Wool and synthetic socks create a snug fit, remove moisture, and provide additional cushion to the feet. While cotton socks are breathable, this natural material will dampen fast and dry slowly, which can cause blisters.

Tips

  • To allow the adhesive to adhere to the inside of the shoe completely, wear your shoes for five to 15 minutes after applying your insoles, shoe strips or heel cushions.

  • A shoe cobbler can enhance the fit by adjusting the shaft length or adding extra padding to the insole.