Springtime means it’s time to dust off the strappy sandals & sport your pretty pedicure. However, it can also mean blisters & a week of nursing our feet. My mom used to shove potatoes in her shoes to stretch them out. I’m not sure how effective it was, but it inspired me to pick up some home remedies of my own over the years.

Here’s how to break in strappy sandals: 

• Fill a Ziploc bag with water and put it in your shoes, then put them in the freezer. As the water expands & turns to ice, it will stretch your sandals so you don’t have to!
• Slap on some socks then wear your shoes around the house. This still requires logging some time, but it’s a surefire way to stretch them where they need it the most.
• Proactively prep for a blister with band-aids. When all else fails, grab a band-aid and petroleum jelly and stick it on those blister-prone areas.

Sometimes fashion can be painful, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t take it in stride with a few tricks!

—Elizabeth

What do you think? Share your own advice in the comments below!