Meanders after quiet walks, unsteadily (8)
I believe the answer is:
shambles
'walks unsteadily' is the definition.
(shamble can mean to move unsteadily)
'meanders after quiet' is the wordplay.
'meanders' becomes 'ambles' (both can mean to walk around).
'after' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'quiet' becomes 'sh' (both can be said to tell someone to be quiet).
'ambles' after 'sh' is 'SHAMBLES'.
(Other definitions for shambles that I've seen before include "Mediaeval street in York" , "Great mess" , "Chaotic place - slaughterhouse" , "Scene of slaughter or disorder" , "Total mess" .)