When you spend decent money on a nice new pair of school shoes, you expect them to last the whole year, right? Well, if you’re like many parents, you probably find yourself replacing new school shoes at least once during the year.
While kids’ feet do grow quickly, they usually don’t grow quickly enough to warrant a new pair of shoes every few months. The most common reason most parents replace school shoes is due to wear and tear.
With just a few minutes each day and these tips, though, you can make shoes last longer this school year and save a little cash!
Buy the Right Shoes
First and foremost, you’ll need to buy the right shoes if you want them to last. Buy the best quality shoes you can afford, and they’ll usually last longer than the cheaper brands. Also, you can make shoes last longer for kids if you buy shoes with a little room for their feet to grow. There should be roughly a half inch, or a thumb’s width, from the tip of their longest toe to the front of the shoe.
Keep the Old Shoes
Don’t toss your kids’ old shoes when you buy new shoes! Keep them for play shoes instead. Make sure your kids change out of their new school shoes as soon as they get home. You can make shoes last longer – much longer! – simply by making sure they aren’t worn.
Rotate New Shoes
If you can afford it, you should consider purchasing at least two pairs of new school shoes. The second pair can be used as a backup pair, and you can make shoes last longer by rotating between pairs. The less time your kids wear a pair of shoes, the longer they’ll last.
Wipe Shoes Clean
With kids wearing shoes every school day, they’re bound to get a little dirty from time to time. If you want to make shoes last longer, though, resist the temptation to toss them in the washer and dryer! The banging noise in the dryer alone is enough to drive you nuts, but going through the washer and dryer can break down and damage shoes. To clean dirty shoes, simply wipe them with a damp cloth, and use a mild detergent on tough stains.
Keep School Shoes Dry
Even a short trip from the bus stop to the front door on a rainy day can result in soaking wet school shoes! When shoes get wet, they get misshapen and damaged if they aren’t allowed to dry. Make shoes last longer by stuffing them with crumpled newspaper when they get wet.
Tie and Untie Sneakers
Both of my kids have some sort of diversion to tying and untying their sneakers, and it drives me up the way! If you want to make shoes last longer, make sure your kids take a few extra moments to tie and untie them instead of just kicking them off. Smashing their feet into still tied shoes can wreak havoc on shoes, especially the heel of the shoes.
Store Shoes Properly
Tossing shoes into a pile at the end of the school day isn’t the best way to store them, contrary to popular belief in my house. To make shoes last longer, store them neatly on shoe racks, shelves, or cubbyholes. If stored properly, shoes won’t get damaged as quickly as when they’re in a jumbled heap rubbing against the floor. As an added bonus, storing shoes properly can also help eliminate the last minute lost shoe hunts right before school.