Making sure the shoe fits!

Buying shoes for my kids can be a nightmare. I cannot always afford to go to a “real” shoe store with them to buy shoes. If I am going to Target, Wal-Mart, or even Once Upon a Child, I often go alone. I try to shop without them because I can better keep an eye on prices and deal with my coupons without the distraction of the kids. However, children can change shoe sizes so fast. Even within weeks! Knowing what size to buy can be very difficult!

So, I discovered a great tool about a year ago. It is a children’s shoe sizer, just like they have in shoe stores, only made of plastic (not metal). I got it from One Step Ahead, an innovative children’s retailer. Click here to see the shoe sizer.

It is easy to use and has helped me determine my kids’ shoe size before heading out to the store. Definitely worth the money!

I also keep hand-me-down shoes in boxes in our basement. I store each pair in a gallon plastic bag with the size written on the outside. This makes finding the pair and size I need so much easier! For more tips on how to store your kids’ upcoming clothing, see my post on “Staying on top of your kids’ clothing.”

Now, if only my boys would wear the shoes I get for them without giving me a hard time about it being too big, too small, etc., when I can tell it fits fine!