If you’re anything like us, you don’t always know when it’s time to ditch a pair of sneakers. You wear them less and less, until their spot in your well-crafted rotation has been filled by a newer model. Banished to the back of your closet, it comes to a point when these shoes are just taking up the space that could be filled with sneakers you actually enjoy wearing. And while deciding to get rid of stuff is tough, actually getting rid of your unwanted crap is even harder. Placing it in an IKEA bag at the bottom of your closet doesn’t cut it in the long run, so here are some helpful hints on how to get rid of all of your unwanted wares.
For shoes that are well-worn but still wearable, your easiest option is to donate them to your local charity or non-profit organization. Both Goodwill and Salvation Army are easy locations (just drop off!) to get rid of any unwanted house or closet goods. With locations nationwide, both of these are great options for those looking for the easiest possible solution.
If you want to donate to a specific cause, make sure your shoes are in wearable condition (that means no rips or suspicious smells) and remember to tie the shoelaces together just in case they get separated in the process. Options include Soles4Souls, Pick Up Please, Donate Your Old Shoes, Shoe4Africa.org, One World Running, and others—just check out the links for mailing address and additional information.
Every sneakerhead knows about the re-selling holy grail that is eBay. But if you’re not looking to sign up for a PayPal today, here are some easier options for selling your kicks.
If you’re looking to sell offline, look to your local Buffalo Exchange or Plato’s Closet to drop off your unwanted stuff in exchange for store credit or a few extra dollars. Don’t expect a ton of cash, as most consignment stores can only offer a small percentage based on specific items. If you’re looking for a slightly better deal, try eBay Valet. The service will sell your stuff for 20 percent off of the sale price. If you’re willing to take the cut, this is an easier option than monitoring your own sale on eBay.
If you’re OK investing a bit of time in finding the best bang for your buck, try out Slang, an Instagram-inspired app designed specifically for selling your kicks. There are also more sneakerhead-oriented options online like certain Facebook forums, and the SoleCollector Marketplace, as well as some offline ones like the Sneaker Con circuit, which, by now, has made its way into practically every major U.S. city.
Of course, if you've got some sought-after retros or other quality sneakers that you know are capable of fetching a pretty penny, linking up with a consignment shop might be your best bet to move the goods. The store you link up with will offer you shelf space in exchange for a percentage of the sale price. You get a majority of the cash and said store takes care of the heavy lifting—everybody wins. Being as that we live in a world that revolves around the Internet, there are plenty of online sneaker marketplaces that offer consignment services as well. You can get the complete consignment lowdown here.
If you don’t want to try to sell your old sneakers or turn them into a Pinterest-inspired planter or art supply holder (and c’mon who wouldn’t?!), there are plenty of other ways to recycle your completely worn out kicks. Nike’s Better World initiative grinds old shoes down to make athletic flooring surfaces. If you aren’t in the vicinity of a Niketown, your closest recycling center might be closer than you think, just type in your zip at Earth911 for your best local options.
Worst comes to worst, you can always hand them down to a family member or even walk down any city block and give a pair of kicks to a homeless person, granted the shoes are in somewhat wearable condition.
