[Sarvi]

As parents quickly learn, small children’s shoes are outgrown while there’s still a lot of life left in them. Depending on habits (at one point, my daughter was using the top of the toe as a brake when tricycling, ruining shoes quickly) and frequency of wear (during the school year only two pairs of shoes get much wear) the shoes might be cosmetically perfect or imperfect.

What do you do with your worn shoes? I often fear some shoes aren’t pretty enough for something like Goodwill, which resells them, but they’re still really solid, and I hate to think of them just winding up in a landfill while some kid somewhere goes without shoes.

If you buy used shoes, what do you look for?
If you sell, where do you sell?

[nzsewist]

I almost always buy new shoes for my girls but sometimes will buy second hand if I come across used shoes that are still in very good condition and for a good price. I do that via an online auction website called TradeMe (the New Zealand equivalent of eBay). I haven’t sold any of my girls shoes yet, they just get passed on to friends with younger children. We have started buying them locally made leather ankle boots each winter and I think we will probably sell those once both girls have grown out of them if they are still in good condition. Mainly to fund the purchase of the next winter’s pairs! 🙂

I know that some of the primary schools in our city appreciate the donation of used shoes in wearable condition, especially sports shoes. That way when kids whose families are struggling financially turn up with out appropriate footwear then the school can fill that gap.

[Brittney]

I donate our old ones to a local church thrift store. They sell locally what they can and send the others that are still useable, but maybe not sellable, to poorer countries where they give them for free.

[Nicole]

I happily buy ‘good’ second hand shoes for my girls as they have generally been worn only lightly and the previous owner has not changed the foot bed of the shoe. I have also purchased second hand Saltwater sandals and let my girls wear them in the sea and then walk around until they are dry so they soften and shape to their foot.

Older shoes I tie together (so the don’t get split up) and pop in the St Vinnies box.

Sarvi, if postage was not such a kicker I would buy all your old shoes!

[Sarvi]

Girlfriend, if we lived closer I would be shoving my kid into your hand-me-down stream practically by force and would be only too happy to hand down any of our goodies that appeal.

[Nicole]

@sarvi, I would love that!