The 4 best ways to stretch your shoes

You found the perfect pair of shoes, but they're a bit snug. Stop digging for the receipt and stretch them for the perfect fit instead.

If your tight fitting shoes are just a tiny bit snug, give them some breaking-in time.

• A simple solution you’ll want to try first is, to just put them on at home and walk around. It sounds easy, because it is. The more you walk around at home, the more your shoes with stretch.
• If possible, put on an extra pair of socks to help speed up the entire process. Remember to take it slow. If you feel pain in your feet, stop and take off the shoes.

Another way to stretch your shoes with items you have at home is to stuff them.

• If you have a shoetree, place them inside of your shoes. Allow a couple of days to pass with the shoetrees inside of your shoes, and then give them another try.
• If they are still tight, give them another few days with the shoetrees.
• Don’t have a shoetree? Stuff your shoes with rags.

You can stretch out your shoes by applying heat to them. All you need is a hair dryer.

• First, put on a thick pair of socks and put your shoes on.
• Then, turn on your hairdryer on high heat. Point the heat in the direction of your toes and anywhere else it feels tight.
• As much as possible, flex your toes and move them around.
• The combination of heat and movement should help loosen your tight shoes.

It might sound strange, but freezing your shoes can help them stretch out.

• Take two sandwich bags and fill them with water.
• Put one sandwich bag inside of each shoe, making sure to fill in the toe area of the shoe.
• Allow them to freeze in your shoes overnight.
• Then, take them out of the freezer and let them thaw.
• When you can remove the bags, try on your shoes. If they are still tight, give them a freeze all over again.

While most people would head out at visit a cobbler at a shoe repair shop, you can actually stretch tight-fitting yourself with a few of these methods.