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Hand me down shoes for siblings?

83 replies

faithfulbird20 · 13/10/2021 09:01

Does anyone not keep hand me down shoes for siblings especially if they have a 4 year age gap? It's said that hand me down shoes have already moulded to the previous wearers feet and thus damage the next wearers feet...not sure how true this is. But my 4 year has worn wellies on and off for a year and a bit of the print of the sole has come off (there's black marks inside the shoes too)...no point keeping them but DH wants to keep everything for baby...

OP posts:
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ApolloandDaphne · 13/10/2021 09:04

I wouldn't keep fitted shoes but I would keep wellies that were still in good condition.

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TheUnbearable · 13/10/2021 09:06

No hand me down shoes ever plus absolutely everything? If it’s truly knackered or broken then it’s out.

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FinallyFluid · 13/10/2021 09:06

Fitted shoes, now there is a recipe for a future health issue. Shock

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TamponSupport · 13/10/2021 09:09

Depends (don't have a 4 year gap but DC1 is a size 43 and DC2 is a 36).

I keep wellies because mine don't wear them very often.

I keep hiking boots as an emergency reserve, but I don't expect DC2 to hike in DC1's boots, she gets her own.

I keep trainers if they're wearable, for DC2 to kick around in on skateboard, mud, garden, football but I buy her her own pair for school/general use.

I don't keep sandals as there's too much difference boy vs girl and DC2 would never wear them.

I keep winter boots as an emergency reserve, but buy DD her own for school/everyday.

I keep crocs, indoor trainers etc if they've not been destroyed and they survive the washing machine.

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Mumdiva99 · 13/10/2021 09:10

Wellies yes.
Sometimes trainers when they were only lightly worn - think feet grew before they got used much.
Schools shoes never - because of the feet molding and specific fit. However I have sold lightly used school shoes.....because the clarks fitting is very specific. I've also bought my daughter second hand clarks trainer like this....because there was a time she would only wear them for Pe at school and I was damned if I was spending clarks prices for 2 hours a week....she has the narrowest of feet so supermarket trainers, next trainers etc didn't fit.

So to answer your question.....it depends....

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Shouldbedoing · 13/10/2021 09:11

I keep wellies and trainers for the PE bag from the oldest and the schools mums swap stuff. O.stillmstart the term.on measured and fitted Clarks shoes. Would never buy supermarket or M and S for whole day use. Luckily can afford this

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Shouldbedoing · 13/10/2021 09:12

Narrow feet, try Decathlon trainers

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Skyeheather · 13/10/2021 09:12

I have kept all DS1's shoes for DS2. DS1's feet grow so quickly they only get worn for 2/3 months and they cost £30/40 a pair. Some of them have no wear on the soles. Those not suitable for DS2 I've sold on FB, people seem happy to buy used Clark's shoes.

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InTheLabyrinth · 13/10/2021 09:13

Yes to wellies (but a 2 year gap).
Yes to crocs/flip flops - although they now have different preferences, so generally just buy new now.
Yes to trainers and school shoes that are in decent nick for emergency use only.

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TamponSupport · 13/10/2021 09:15

Narrow feet, try Decathlon trainers
Thanks for this tip Shouldbedoing !

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621CustardCream438 · 13/10/2021 09:21

I never keep day to day shoes, but my children only get one pair at a time until they need proper school shoes, so they get well used. And they are opposite sex with very different tastes. I kept early sizes of wellies that didn’t get much use (the pair that lived at nursery that was worn once before being outgrown!) but later sizes were too worn.

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ChequerBoard · 13/10/2021 09:22

I have a 4.5 year gap between my two DC. I did the same as others, kept wellies and crocs but not any other shoes.

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5thnonblonde · 13/10/2021 09:27

Why would the age gap matter? Surely that just indicates if you’re storing them for 2 years or 4... doesn’t really affect the shoe?

Yep- I keep everything. Even if she won’t wear them daily it’s been helpful for emergencies like when youngest’s school shoe sole came loose- there was a spare pair in the cupboard ready to go. And party shoes/wedding shoes. Wellies definitely if they haven’t been trashed.

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BigPyjamas · 13/10/2021 09:29

I'm all for handing down but draw the line at fitted shoes.

Wellies, yes. School trainers, kept for lost trainer emergencies.

Everything else, no way.

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Redcrayons · 13/10/2021 09:30

Proper shoes no way, my two had very different shaped feet and were a couple of width fitting difference.
Wellies probably.

But where are you going to store 4 years worth of shoes?

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Aroundtheworldin80moves · 13/10/2021 09:33

I only keep stuff on good condition and that can be used by younger child. Worn out shoes? Bin. Party shoes, wellies, water sjoez and hiking boots are often good enough to pass down. But sometimes they are well used.

Keeping absolutely everything is pointless.

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Fdksyihfd · 13/10/2021 09:33

I don’t keep shoes or use second hand shoes if they’ve been worn more than once or twice. I wouldn’t be so worried about wellies as I don’t think they mould to the shape of the foot in the same way but if they look worn then I wouldn’t keep them.

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stayathomer · 13/10/2021 09:36

We keep them here and use for next but not if eg the sole is completely smooth or if the shoe is looking eg misshapen. We've always passed down wellies or crocs and actually am thinking of putting them in the charity bin too but not sure if I'm taking it too far!

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OverTheRubicon · 13/10/2021 09:36

It's really wasteful to be throwing out all these plastic-heavy shoes. School shoes are always knackered out anyway in my house, but wellies don't mould to your foot and are otherwise just huge pieces of plastic for landfill.

Your children may have different widths, in which case it wouldn't be right to reuse, but many don't. Hope at least all these people who wouldn't put their kids in second hand shoes donate instead of ditch.

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Generallystruggling · 13/10/2021 09:41

Yes, I’ve always done this with wellies, vans, converse, doc martens etc. They always last so it just makes sense.

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Eileen101 · 13/10/2021 09:42

Wellies, I keep, as they're generally still in good condition. Same for things like beach shoes. I'll probably keep things like plimsolls when they're at school as they wouldn't get much use (do kids still do pe in plimsolls these days??!).

Fitted shoes I don't. I do pass them on or sell them though as there's usually plenty of life left in them.

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Notdoingthis · 13/10/2021 09:42

Yes I hand down shoes as long as they still have grip and are not dirty or broken. They get very light use with little ones and it seems bonkers to buy the same thing again when the first pair wasn't worn for long.

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UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme · 13/10/2021 09:45

Keep wellies, crocs, football boots if in good condition (outdoor ones are now resold because dc3 doesn't play on a team so doesn't need them and dc2 has bigger feet than dc1, who has stopped growing now).
We keep indoor sports shoes worn twice per week for an hour for school sports lessons.
We also keep occassion shoes worn only briefly and anything grown out of unexpectedly fast - teen growth spurt and going through a size in a matter of weeks.

Things worn daily/ all day aren't in good enough condition to pass down and yes, moulded to feet etc.

Things can't always be passed down due to children born at different times of year (size 6 months snow suit and 12 month shorts from July born toddler no good if baby was born in December...)

My older two are 2 years apart but dc1 was small and dc2 tall and for three or four years they were in the same clothes and shoes size.

Passing down clothes is good but doesn't work for everything, you have to engage brain a bit (your DH hasn't done that if he wants dc2 to inherit broken footwear).

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FreeBritnee · 13/10/2021 09:45

I don’t mind hand me downs. Generally their school shoes are always new but things like trainers with no obvious wear I’m fine with.

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RedMarauder · 13/10/2021 09:46

I use and hand down shoes/wellies if they aren't knackered.

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