With 20 human feet living in 1200 square feet, shoes are a problem in our house. Shoes in the middle of the floor, shoes under the table, shoes in front of the doorway.
We have found a solution to our problem. It doesn’t entirely eliminate the problem, but it makes those of us tripping over the shoes feel a little a better and it encourages the owner to put her shoes away next time.
Any child-owned shoe is eligible if found outside of the owner’s bedroom. Anyone may initiate the action.
What do we do?
We call for the owner as we toss the offending shoes out the door and over the deck rail.
“Shoe overboard!”
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funny!
LOL Cute! Here, our problem is socks AND shoes. I’ve tried various things – sock jail where socks must be bailed out for $.25 each and I’ve also put socks (and sometimes shoes) into the freezer. The wearer doesn’t really like the cold tootsies and it cures them – for a while anyway.
You’re pretty funny! Around here, we have an attack chihuahua who loves shoes. No shoe is safe from his terrible jaws! (Okay, he’s a sweet puppy duppy who wouldn’t hurt a fly…but he does like to chew!)
OUr problem is not shoes – it’s toys and books (not the school kind). So I (or the hubby) announce to the house that there are toys out; we give them a certain amount of time to respond (withing ten minutes) then if no one replies and responds one more announcement is made for immediate response and then the toy goes bye-bye – the trash or GoodWill. They pick their things up now.
Ha! That’s a great idea! I love it! And, it’s funny too. Great idea!
Hmmm… I wonder if it would work with my sweet husband’s socks. I better not try it! *wink*
That is funnny!!!
laughing my head off. Seriously, though–some of my kids would just LEAVE the shoes outside to rot or be dog-chewed(they each have several pair). What do you do about that?
Mary, mom to many
Good question. Part of the shoe-tossing policy states that the Tosser must immediately inform the Owner, and the Owner must immediately retrieve their shoes, rain, snow, hail or I’m-in-the-middle-of-a-monopoly-game notwithstanding.
Also, there is to be no victory dance of spiking of the shoes by the Tosser.
We do that too!!!!!!!!
First time to your site…good night nurse girl! – SEVEN DAUGHTERS and a boy! I’m still in shock. Cute tip though and I guess you would have to I can’t even keep up with my two daughters shoes.
I love the look of your site too. Great picture of them. I would be interested to hear their names? (Sorry I’m cheesy like that.)
HA! I haven’t tried this with shoes, but we TOTALLY do it with toys. It really does seem to work.
How creative and fun is that! Better than nagging them to death! :vD
That is good! We leave a lot of ours outside on the deck anyway. Especially our outside shoes.
Now that is creative!
I think mygirls would have so much fun getting to go retrieve them that they would leave them out on purpose, they love to be outside. Of course, maybe the first thunderstorm might cure that 
.
10 feet in 1400 sq. feet is a problem for us, so I can only imagine. LOVE THE TIP!!! Even in the rain?
Cute!
LOVE this! I don’t know if my kids would enjoy it too much, if you know what I mean. It might backfire, but I’m willing to try it!
One for the books…I have this sneaking sensation that our home will be having shoe problems in a few years. Today, however, the kids chuck their shoes pretty responsibly, and then don my shoes or my hubby’s shoes. So WE look like the slobs. Funny how that works, eh?
oh yeah! that is simply the BEST!!
We’ve been trying this over the past week and it works! My living room is now shoe-free. Next Itry it with books!!!