From Trash To Treasure
Hello! You have a new blogger again this week! We’ve gotten some great info from the blog this month, haven’t we? This week, I will hopefully give you some useful tips on how to convert what might seem like junk, into profitable treasures! Sometimes a simple step that might take you a couple minutes will make all the difference in the profit you make!
The thrift store shoe department is where I, for one, could never seem to figure out what was actually good for re-sale. I mean, sure, there is a list of brands to look for, like the one in the recent shoe thread that was started in General last week. However, once you go shopping, you see so many different conditions that you aren’t sure those suckers would sell if they were made out of pure gold! I am here to tell you that there are certain easy steps you can take to make those shoes look great!
Leather shoes, in my opinion, are the easiest to spruce up. You want to find some shoe polish that comes pretty close to the color of the shoes and take a clean cloth and rub it on. Shoe polish is fairly inexpensive (shouldn’t cost more than a couple bucks). Take a wipey or a wet towel and rub the inside of the shoe as well as the sole to get dirt off of that part. If you have a really good brand with a worn out sole, you could consider taking them to a shoe repair shop and getting a new sole (disclose in the listing, of course). I must say that very few shoes are worth that trouble, so choose carefully.
When taking your pictures, stuff the shoe with paper so that it looks filled out. Also, make sure everything looks neat for the picture. In this picture below, I stuck a tooth pick in between the strap. Don’t mind the background, LOL!
If its tennis shoes you want to clean up, they take some more elbow grease but could be very well worth it! I also take a wipey to clean them up but I will dip it in oxyclean or any other powdered detergent. This definitely makes a huge difference! If they have Velcro straps with gunk in them, take a toothpick and pick the larger gunk out. Wash the shoelaces if there are any and don’t forget to clean the inside.
As a final tip, use rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover to take off any TS writing from the bottom or any ink on the actual shoe.
Remember that the difference between an ok profit and a great profit is just a little work! Got any other shoe tips? Please share! For every day you leave a comment this week, you are entered into a drawing for a $20 gift card at the end of the week!
~Xochilt~
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Wow, great tips. I usually shy away from shoes because I never know how to make them look “spiffy”
I have purchased white baby shoes, and also sold some of my youngest sons sneakers and I have used the Magic eraser on scuffs and marks that normal cleaning wouldn’t touch. It made the shoes look almost new, and I got a decent profit.
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Oh I am going to love the blog this week. These are tips I really, really need because I am very interested in getting into selling shoes. The only tip I can share at this point is that I was able to get some writing off the bottom of a pair of ladies boots with rubbing alcohol. Came off in a snap. I thought I was going to have to work really hard and was pleasantly surprised when I didn’t.
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Great blog, I love selling shoes!
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I stink at selling shoes (no pun intended). But have sold a couple for a decent profit. LOVE the toothpick idea though. That is great. Goo-gone is my best friend for sneaker soles, getting them clean.
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Great idea with the toothpick, Xochilt!! Love the whole post, thank you!!
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Thanks for the great tips!
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Yes, I agree with Rebecca, I love the toothpick tip. Very clever!
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Great tips!!! Thank you so much
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I must say I love this thread I have a WHOLE bucket in my basement of shoes waiting to get listed…………..
I bought a suede cleaner kit it has an eraser and a stiff brush works on those kids shoes with dirty toes you just rub the eraser across it a few times then swipe with the brush makes them look pretty good!!
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Here are a couple tips for sprucing up shoes:
–Take a little nail or veggie brush, wet it slightly & brush on the soles to get out the gunk in the cracks or treads.
–To make patent leather shoes really shine rub them with a cloth dabbed in petroleum jelly, and buff to a nice shine.
Looking forward to hearing more tips ladies!
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Great Tips.
I also put tennis shoes in the washing machine inside a pillowcase. Air dry and also use just a little comet on white for scuffs, but be carefully to use only on the white rubber. Because comet will discolor like bleach.
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Wow, I never thought of the toothpick idea. I will have to use that, thank you
I love selling shoes too, and for me, I have done the best with women’s shoes (and for some strange reason, I always happen to find the best ones in my size – makes it hard to want to sell some!!)
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Forgot to mention, there is also that stubborn writing by TS at the bottom of shoes (the one that won’t come off with anything!). I take sandpaper to that area
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Great tips on cleaning shoes. I am usually to lazy (other than giving them a quick wipe down) and if they don’t look nice I usually pass them up. However, like you said, with a little TLC more profit could possibly be made. I will be sure to keep that in mind next time I TS shoe shop.
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Hmmm…I don’t sell too many shoes (other than the ones my kids outgrow), but I may have to start looking!
Great post, Xochilt!
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I love selling shoes(especially kids) and have sold a ton. I use an old toothbrush with a little water and detergent to clean the insides of the shoes.Works great!! Thanks for all the tips!!
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great tips…
Love the toothpick Idea…
Thanks
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