Cataloging a Shoe Collection Before a Move
When this client called us, he had a move coming up and a shoe collection he’d spent years building. He knew he needed help packing. But what he really wanted was a complete record of every pair he owned. He planned to resell the collection down the road, and a detailed inventory would make that far easier, while also making sure nothing got lost or mixed up in the move.
So while the job started as a packing request, the heart of it was cataloging. Here’s how we approached it, and why it’s worth doing for any collection that matters to you.
Why catalog before you move?
A move is the moment a collection is most at risk. Items come off shelves, go into boxes, ride in a truck, and sit in stacks until someone has time to unpack. Without a record, it’s hard to know if anything went missing, and harder to prove it.
A detailed inventory solves that. It gives you:
Resale-ready details. Buyers ask for the brand, style code, colorway, and size. With all of it recorded, listing a pair is quick and accurate.
Protection during the move. If a box is damaged or goes missing, you know exactly what was inside.
Easy retrieval. You can find a specific pair without opening every box.
A clear picture of your collection. Many collectors are surprised by what they have once it’s all in one place.
A foundation for the future. The same spreadsheet can track new additions, pairs you’ve sold, and what you decide to keep.
How It Saves You Money
We worked with our client to set up an Excel spreadsheet that captured everything he’d want to know about each pair. Then we went through the collection shoe by shoe, pulling details from the original boxes, box labels, and the size tags inside each tongue.
Capturing the style code and UPC matters more than it might seem. Those two numbers identify the exact release, which makes it much easier to verify authenticity, look up current value, or replace a pair if needed. Logging all three size systems (US, EU, and UK) means the record stays useful no matter where a pair was bought or where it might be sold.
Packing With A System
Once every pair was entered, we packed the shoes into extra-large boxes. Each box got an inventory number sticker, and that box number was logged next to every pair it held in the spreadsheet.
Our client didn’t want the collection unpacked after the move. The shoes would stay in their numbered boxes at the new home until he was ready to sell, so the labels and the spreadsheet had to do all the work of keeping track.
That simple step ties the whole system together. Want a specific pair after the move? Search the spreadsheet, find the box number, and go straight to it. No digging, no guessing, and no tearing open a dozen boxes to find a pair.
What Our Client Walked Away With
By the end of the job, our client had his whole collection packed, labeled, and ready for moving day. More importantly, he had a complete, searchable inventory of each pair he owns, along with exactly where each one is.
That spreadsheet is his to keep. With the shoes staying boxed after the move, it’s his map to the whole collection, especially when he’s ready to start reselling. Every detail a buyer will ask about is already on file, and he knows exactly which box each pair is in.
Collection Organizing and Cataloging in Richmond and DC
Shoes are just one example. Home to Home Services offers organizing and cataloging for collectors of all kinds across the Richmond, VA and Washington, DC areas, from sneakers and vinyl records to books, art, trading cards, and memorabilia.
Ready to get your collection organized?
Whether you’re preparing for a move, getting ready to insure or sell, or simply want to finally know what you have, Home to Home Services will build an inventory system that fits your collection and how you use it. We work with care, without judgement, and at your own pace.
Contact us today to discuss your move.
Call or text: 804-496-1767
About Home to Home Services
Home to Home Services is a full-service home transition company specializing in packing & unpacking, move management, home organizing, and design & space planning. We serve homeowners, families, and seniors throughout Richmond, VA, Washington, DC, and surrounding areas.
