Things to do with Your Old Shoes

Ways to keep your kicks out of the cans.

So you've got a pair of shoes (or a couple pairs of shoes) that are old, outta style, you're not in love with them anymore, etc. etc. What do you do with them?

Here are a couple of ideas for your old footwear. If you have any other suggestions, share them.

1. Redesign them
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobsmade / / CC BY 2.0

This works best for a pair of slip-ons, like Keds, or a pair of ballet flats. Maybe even pair of high-top Chuck Taylors. You can cover them in new fabric, stud them, puffy paint them, spray paint them, decoupage comic books on them, etc. Venturing over to cutoutandkeep.net, I found a bunch of DIY projects for 'giving life' to old kicks—like this and this. Oh, and check out the shoes of one of my favorite role models for inspiration, too.

2. Give them to charity
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laura0509 / / CC BY-SA 2.0

I had a bunch of boots that I hadn't worn in awhile, and my boyfriend was complaining that they took up too much space on our shoe rack. But these were all legit boots, so I wasn't gonna throw them away, and redesigning them wasn't going to solve anything. So I dropped them off at one of those clothing collection boxes at a nearby gas station. If you're not into arts and crafts and you want to recycle your shoes, you can give them to someone in need. Drop them off at a nearby shelter, church, collection box, etc. Sometimes organizations, like Purple Heart, will come and pick them up along with other gently used clothing items from your house.

3. Preserve them as artwork
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Unmounted_Pair_White_Background.JPG / / CC BY-SA 3.0

My mom did this with a pair of my baby shoes. And perhaps it's only best for a pair of shoes that you want to save for forever, like your favorite pair of sneakers that are beyond repair. Then you can display them in your house. There are a bunch of online sites and stores around the country that specialize in this. Materials for preserving include bronze, silver, gold and porcelain.

By Gawky Green of Two Girls Go Green

Greenopolis.com is dedicated to our users. We focus our attention on changing the world through recycling, waste-to-energy and conservation. We reward our users for their sustainable behaviors on our website, through our Greenopolis Tracking Stations and with curbside recycling programs.

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