What can I do if my shoes are too big for little?

Are your shoes too big? Looking for some shoe repair hacks on how to make shoes smaller for big shoes to fit? I've put together a make-big-shoes-smaller guide just for you! It includes 6 free to relatively inexpensive solutions to make your big, long or wide shoes & heels fit better.

We've all been there: that perfect shoe that no longer fits so perfectly. Yes, traumatic stuff here, people! And it can happen for so many reasons, not excluding indulging in your dream shoe at the expense of the right size. Or possibly, the wrong fit.

Looking for the opposite solution of how to make big shoes fit, perhaps? Check out my new post on how to stretch shoes (some great, easy-easy tips here too!).

I have many heels, flats & sneakers that have become larger due to wear; foot shrinkage during the colder months of the year & for other reasons I just can't seem to explain! And it's always better to have shoes that fit vs. loose shoes that will impact your swagger & may result in a trip or sprain. 

Sometimes I need to make shoes smaller in width, sometimes in length. Some shoes that are generally all-around large, require both shortening & narrowing. 

The great news is that there are so many easily accessible, low-cost methods & shoe accessories to fix this little footwear conundrum. No matter what type of footwear you need to make fit you a little smaller!

These include shoe inserts for shoes that are too big & some surprisingly simple solutions such as socks!

It's especially good news for those of you who can't find tiny enough shoes for small feet. 

I buy most of mine at Walmart or at my local drugstore, costing me under $10 for a pair. If you're shopping in-store in Toronto or Canada, Shoppers Drug Mart has the lowest prices.

If anyone knows where to get shoe repairing accessories even cheaper, let me know!

1. Ball of Foot Cushions (Half Insoles)

To make shoes smaller for my summer sandals, flats or pumps, ball of foot cushions are the most practical insole type. They will not only prop your foot a little higher so that the shoe's toe straps keep your foot in place, but they add extra padding & grip under the ball of the feet.

This prevents toes from slipping & sliding in your shoes during the warmer temperatures. This type of half insole works best in flats, sandals, heels & dress shoes.

These are the insoles for open-toe heels that I most recommend, especially if you're wearing a d'Orsay or similarly capped high heel style.

There are 2 types of ball of foot insoles that I personally use:

• Gel ball of foot cushions from Dr Scholl's

They're thicker than the usual half insole, textured to grip & prevent slipping, reusable, washable & the sticky surface won't damage the inside of your shoes.

These also come with a 6 month guarantee! The downside is that they may make your feet sweaty. Best used on bare feet.

• Genuine Leather half insoles from Pedag

A great, breathable alternative to a gel insole is a leather insole. Thinner than a gel ball of foot cushion, these work great to make shoes just a bit smaller, add traction under the toes & won't cause your feet to sweat. You can find many great ball of foot cushion brands available at Walmart.

These are great gadgets on how to make big shoes fit:

Alt text: various styles of ball of foot cushions for shoes.

TIP! Ball of foot cushions make shoes even smaller when used with heel liners. This brings me to my next item on the list…

2. Heel Liners for Shoes

Heel liners for shoes, or back of heel inserts, are 3″ strips that secure onto the inside back of the heel of your shoe. 

Great to both shorten the length of the shoe, keep heels from slipping out of shoes, increase comfort & prevent blisters. Does a lot for such a little strip!

These come in many materials, including gel, fabric & special latex-free materials. I found these nifty heel liner-meets-insole that will help make shoes even smaller in & around the back of the shoe!

Heel liners are a discreet fix for open-toe heels that are too big, especially if the sizing issue is with the length.

Check top rated heel inserts, below:

Alt text: various back of heel inserts for shoes.

3. Full Size Insoles

Insoles to make shoes smaller are a personal fave & easy go-to, to make shoes fit smaller. Full size insoles are a great solution to an all around bigger shoe. Think sneakers, boots, and closed-toe dress shoes like oxfords and loafers.

Many branded & non-branded options exist, in so many shapes, sizes, materials & yes, colors!

You can find more generic insoles (you know, those flat, cut-to-size types) but I prefer ones that cater to the specific type of shoe you're trying “shrink”.

You can easily find insoles for flat & heeled dress shoes, sock absorbing ones for sneakers & even flip-flop sandals.

You can get gel ones like Dr. Scholl'sFloat on Air insoles (most comfy). Or you can opt for leather insoles, like Pedag insoles for heels, or Dr. Scholl's cushioned insoles for flats.

These I highly recommend for everyday use, since they're breathable (great for summer!). Some of my fave brands include: Dr. Scholl's, Pedag, & Vioniv but there are many non-branded insoles that work well too!

Alt text: various full size insoles for shoes.

4. Toe Inserts for Shoes that are too Big

There are great options if you have a closed-toe shoe that is far too long for your foot. You can add easily add toe inserts for shoes that are too big to act as shoe filler.

Great to make shoes shorter in length, you can also pair these with a ball of foot cushions or full length insoles.

This makes for an even tighter fit in the front toe part of the shoes. Or combo your toe insert with heel liners and ball of foot cushions to make your shoes even snugger!

The two shoe fillers I have personally tested out & reviewed are Sizers (ASOS has recently come up with a Sizers dupe, btw!). These are great for daintier shoes and closed-toe heels and ballerina flats.

Shoolex “Make 'em Fit” is another that works for all types of close-toe footwear, including wider boots and shoes. Read my full review of these shoe fillers, here!

Both brands have updated their products since my reviews, so I'd highly recommend giving their new & improved inserts a try! 

Both brands offer 3 sizes of inserts to make big shoes fit smaller that are washable, durable & a much better alternative to stuffing cotton in the tips of your shoes! Both can only be used in closed-toe shoes, however.

Shop toe box shoe fillers, below:

Alt text: shoe fillers for toe box of shoes.

5. Shoe Tongue Pads

Unless you are one of those people with a low instep or arch, you're probably not too familiar with shoe tongue pads. They're not the exciting shoe accessory, but they work wonders!

Great for sneakers, oxfords, loafers & more, a tongue pad is a thick felt-like material that sticks onto the inside part of the shoe “tongue”.

The tongue is that strip of material that you find under the laces of your shoes & does a great job at making wide shoes narrower. You can also find them in different sizes from Walmart and eBay.

Shop highly rated shoe tongue pads, below: 

Alt text: various shoe tongue pads.

6. Socks & Footies

If you're going to be wearing long trousers & flared jeans, why not opt for something you already have in your closet? Yep, the #6 item on how to make shoes smaller is socks!

You can either wear your everyday socks or, if you'd rather your socks not peek out from your shoes, then footies are your best option. Funny enough, socks are also a great way to break in new shoes!

Footies (aka “hidden socks”) come in many styles & colors, and if you get the right ones for your shoes, no one, including you, will notice them. You can find footie socks in many shapes, colors and styles from Walmart, Zappos and Bloomingdale's.

Keysocks are great knee-high, no show socks for flats & heels (as pictured above) to wear under pants. You can read my full review of Keysocks <– here! They now come in many more prints & colors too 🙂

Shop No-Show Socks and Footies:

Alt text: various footie socks for women.

Shop Keysocks:

Alt text: no-show knee socks for women.

Getting a Cobbler to Make Shoes Smaller

There is another option to make your shoes smaller. And it's called a cobbler (that person who fixes shoes as a living, not the drink or dessert!).

A cobbler can seamlessly insert one or a combination of insole padding, heel liner, tongue pad & heel grip under the original lining of the shoe.

Yep, it'll be more expensive than any service rendered by a professional is, but it's a permanent & more convenient alternative to shoes you plan on wearing often. Much easier than cleaning/replacing/repositioning shoe inserts or shoe fillers every day!

If you decide to go to a cobbler to get your shoes adjusted, go in with a new/newer shoe. As you will get more wear out of a newer shoe (before other parts start to deteriorate), it will justify the cost of the service & nip the problem in the bud, right from the start.

Final Thoughts on How to Make Shoes Smaller

In sum, of course, there is no magic solution to making shoes smaller, or how to make big shoes fit. I do however always recommend buying the right shoe size for your foot when you can.

But as life isn't perfect and neither are our shoes & feet, adding a few inexpensive shoe accessories to hack your way into making shoes fit tighter is never a bad idea (especially if it makes your heels more comfortable & decreases the chances of injury!).

If you've at all taken your shoe shrinking journey too far and have done some damage to your shoes, check out my post about the best glue for shoes and boots! That being said, how do you make your shoes smaller?

Love heel hacks? Check out my post about high heel protectors to shield your delicate heels from pretty much anything! I've also just written is a new post about shoes slipping off heel hacks, to keep your feet securely in your shoes!

And if you're not able to make your big shoes fit smaller with my above suggestions, I invite you to look at my post on where to shop for shoes for women with small feet!

Disclaimer: Attempting any of the above methods to make your shoes smaller yourself may cause irreparable damage to your beloved heels & boots. ShoeTease and its partners are not liable for any damages to persons or property arising from any of the advice given in this post. Please Follow advice at your own risk. For best results, take your precious footwear to a professional. This is highly recommended for your pricey designer shoes!

xo ShoeTease

How can I make my shoes tighter?