Soles4Souls

I announced on my newsletter last week (you are signed up for my newsletter, aren't you?) that I'm participating in a service project with NAPO and Soles4Souls, a nonprofit organization that accepts donated shoes in any condition and then uses them to help people all over the world. For more info on the specifics of how they do it, see their FAQs.

The project officially starts today, June 1st, and so far I have collected 24 pairs of shoes. If you are in the LA area and have one or more pairs to donate, I'll be happy to pick them up from you and send them to Soles4Souls. If you don't live in the LA area and want to participate, send me an email and I'll let you know how you can help.

Hundreds of thousands of pairs of shoes go to landfills every year in America. Shoes are something many of us take for granted. Most of us have multiple pairs we never wear. Lighten your closets and help someone in need by donating your unwanted pairs. Thank you.

Lelah Baker-Rabe is a Los Angeles-based professional organizer. To discuss your organizing needs, call her at 818.269.6671 or email lelah@lelahwithanh.com. Sign up for Lelah's News, a once-monthly newsletter.

How to donate athletic shoes

I usually wear my athletic shoes until they transform into something closer to slippers than sneakers. For my birthday last week I received a brand new pair of Nikes, and they feel great! There are actually a lot of options for donating used tennis shoes, and I'm going to take my three-year old pair to a Nike store so they can get reused as part of the Reuse-a-Shoe program. I like the idea of the shoes being turned into useful playing surfaces like tracks and tennis courts.

For more ways to get those used athletic shoes our of your closet and far from a landfill, check out the site RecycledRunners.com. They have a directory of places to drop of your shoes for donation and recycling.

Creative Commons photo posted to flickr by DaveCrosby

Lelah Baker-Rabe is a Los Angeles-based professional organizer. To discuss your organizing needs, call her at 818.269.6671 or email lelah@lelahwithanh.com