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These shoes likely to wear out in a year
John Wall, the one-and-done Kentucky star, already has his own Reebok shoe, the "ZigTech Slash. " On the down side, they're only good for...

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These shoes likely to wear out in a year is a post from: Buy Shoes Online

It was not uncommon for an aristocratic woman in ancient Greece to have more than 20 pairs of shoes and a servant to care for them. This is no different than the stereotypical, shoe-obsessed Carrie Bradshaw character with over $40,000 worth of shoes but no place to live. British women spend over 1,000 pounds per year on shoes and 10% of British admit women to having at least 100 pairs of shoes. Even the obsessed realize that shoes are important to our health and survival.  They know that poorly maintained or shoes that don't fit well can cause pain, blisters and other serious conditions. 

There are many reasons to ignore the pressure to consider shoes a disposable product including:

* Saving money.
* Making a very expensive pair last longer.
* Preserving a favorite pair that is no longer made.
* Reusing a pair for a younger child.
* The opportunity to donate your shoes when you no longer wear them.
* Keeping shoes out of landfills.

The basics of maintaining the condition of shoes depends on the materials used to construct them.  Follow the guidelines below to keep your favorite pair of shoes in good condition.

1.  Leather is a very common, durable, and aesthetically pleasing material used in all kinds of shoes. If not taken care of properly, leather is known to dry out, crack, and fall apart. It is recommended that leather shoes be periodically polished to maintain a healthy level of moisture.  Polishing also provides a protective layer that repels water and dirt, keeping your leather shoes impeccably clean and presentable. Shoe polishing products are very easy to find, but if they are not within arms reach, petroleum jelly or castor oil are great buffers with castor oil providing more effective waterproofing.

2.  Suede and nubuck are very similar to leather in look and texture but they are incredibly delicate and easily damaged by water. To prevent suede and nubuck from becoming damaged waterproof them. When these shoes get dirty a soft bristled brush can be used to lightly lift away dirt. There are other products made to clean these materials such as a suede bar which is a product made of rubber used to rub out dirt marks like an eraser. But common household items like masking tape can be used in a similar fashion and are remarkably effective. Sometimes these materials get so dirty that the only way to clean them is to scrape away the top layer of the material.  Consider using a shoe repair shop for this type of maintenance.
 
3.  Shoes made of textile or canvas are not as hard to keep clean. These include your common sport shoes, tennis shoes, or casual walking shoes. These shoes are normally machine or hand washable which makes life very easy. Keeping your shoes clean in general will leave them in wearable condition making you less likely to throw them out. The only drawback to a textile or canvas shoe is that its durability is nowhere near leather. These shoes are produced with the intent of being a disposable product and they do not repair well. Taking care of them by interchanging them with other pairs of shoes will lower the wear and tear compared to a situation where they are used on a daily basis.

There are other generic methods of keeping your shoes in good shape. Using a shoe horn will allow you to avoid breaking down the collar of your shoe, which is the area that wraps around your foot above your heel. Also, a more expensive pair might make it worth the effort of finding a good repair shop.

Even those not obsessed with shoes can benefit by keeping them well maintained.  You can reduce the environmental impact by keeping shoes out of a landfill as long as possible, you will save money and you will be happy to know that your favorite pair of shoes that are no longer made can be worn for years. Your shoes are vitally important in your everyday life, so there is no shame in taking a little extra care of them. 

(c) 2008, Odd Shoe Finder.  Reprints welcomed so long as the article and by-line are not changed and all links are made live.

Got Shoes? Keep Your Favorite Pair Longer With These Shoe Care Tips is a post from: Buy Shoes Online

The best tip you may ever get about keeping your shoes organized is to put them away. That means designating a certain place in your home or closet for your shoes. You can determine where the best place for your shoes is by thinking about what the shoes are for.

A great way to choose the best spot for your shoes is to think about it strategically. For example, if you do a lot of gardening or yard work, you may want to keep the shoes you wear on a shoe rack in the garage, possibly by the gardening tools. This way, you will always know where your shoes are and you won’t track dirt, mud, and grass into the house from the yard.

Beyond your gardening shoes, you may have several other pairs to deal with, which most likely are kept in your closet with the rest of your clothes. One of the first things you should do when attempting to organize your shoes is to take all of your shoes (yes ALL of them) out of the closet and line them up. Sort through your shoes and get rid of any shoes that you don’t wear. You should donate all the shoes you don’t wear to charity. Worn out or old shoes you don’t wear anymore may be the nicest shoes in the world to someone who is less fortunate.

Once you have sorted through your shoes and decided which pairs to keep, your next step is to think about how often you wear each pair. The shoes you wear daily or most frequently should be the most accessible in your closet. You can even think about organizing your shoes by season as well. Keep all the winter boots in one area and summer sandals in another. If you want to get crazy, try sorting shoes by color.

After you have sorted all of your shoes, next you will need to place them in your closet in an orderly fashion. Keeping shoes on the floor of your closet is not recommended, doing this makes it way too easy to just kick them off, and back onto the floor. Doing this for a week will lead to the same closet clutter we are trying to avoid. When your shoes have a designated place, it is just easier for you to find your way around your closet.

A great way to keep your shoes organized, once you have sorted them, is to use stackable shoe cabinets or shoe racks. These organizational products allow you to place shoes neatly within a concentrated area. Using these items to house your shoes will guarantee that you will never search high and low for that pair of black strappy sandals again.

If you have a smaller closet with a lot less floor space, hanging shoe racks are very handy. Most hanging shoe racks will hold up to ten pairs of shoes and can hang easily from the closet bar. There are even hanging shoe racks for the back of the closet door, or even your bedroom door. A shoe tower is also a good alternative to the hanging rack or stackable cabinet.

If you have plenty of closet space, think about using shelf dividers to keep your shoes in order. The shelf dividers will also make it possible for you to have shoes on one part of the shelf while storing other items, such as sweaters or jeans on another shelf. Placing your shoes on shelves will also make them very accessible and visible.

Clear, plastic shoe boxes are an excellent way to keep your shoes organized within your closet. These simple storage boxes are also a wonderful way to preserve your shoes and save money from having to purchase replacement pairs that have been exposed to the elements of your closet.

As long as you follow these simple tips to organizing your shoe collection you should never have to trip over those high heels when reaching for that shirt in the morning. It will also help ease the frustration of finding that perfect pair of shoes to complement your outfit for that date or that job interview. Just remember, once you have gone through all the trouble of organizing your shoes, simply putting them back in their proper place when not wearing them will help you keep them that way! It’s just like what Mom said when you were five, “When you’re finished with them put them back where you found them!”

Keep Your Shoes Organized With These Tips is a post from: Buy Shoes Online