Labeling shoes

My boys always want the same of everything, including shoes. However, now they're in different sizes. With tennis shoes, I'm able to put one of those "Stuck on You" stickers under the tongue & they stay put. The boys know their "colors" (ie Conner blue, Aiden green), so they can find their shoes easily.

But we're having problems with our flip flops. I tried electrical tape to the inside of the straps by the inner foot, but it rubs right off. I tried a sharpie on the bottom, but that rubs off, too. I was going to try the back of the flippie with a sharpie, but I'm not sure if that'll last either. The bottoms do say Size 7 & Size 8, but the boys don't recognize numbers yet (we're working on it). So far, the stuck on you stickers seem to be holding to their cloth sandals, but I really don't have anywhere to put them on their flip flops. I could put them on the heel/arch where their foot actually goes, but will they really stick?

Any suggestions on how I can keep their flip flops separate? Help!

 

I use Mabel's Labels shoe labels for school -- kind of pricey, but they work great. Nadia has had them in her school shoes and PE shoes that she wears every day, and they haven't worn off yet, after wearing them all year.

http://www.mabel.ca/

 

Those look like the Stuck On You stickers I have. They've survived the dishwasher, so maybe they'll survive the dirty & sweat under their feet ! Maybe I'll try it...

 

Oooh, no go. The sole bottoms of the flip flops are kinda bumpy, so the stickers wouldn't stick. I tried sticking electrical tape to the back of the flippie with no luck either. So, now I WRAPPED electrical tape around the elastic on the back of the flip flop. We'll see if that lasts. Ugh. If only they could differentiate between a 7 & 8. The problem is that they also have L & R on the bottom, so they're mistaking the L for the 7. And you wouldn't believe the FIGHTS over who's flip flop belongs to who. Ugh.

 

Can you tie a piece of string on the elastic on the back of the flip flop? You could even do their own colors that way.

 

ooh good idea! I would go promptly to JoAnn's and get some embroidery floss. Then you could use it on other things too, AND you could use it to sew their color on shirt labels (take a section and separate it)

 

We don't have flip flops, but for regular shoes, I write their names (or initials) on the side of the sole just below the arch -- there's usually some flattish rubber there, and it doesn't rub against the ground, so it stays on.

Fortunately they usually remember (better than I do) whose shoes are whose. I also never buy them identical shoes -- if one kid gets yellow shoes, the other gets blue, or whatever.

 

Hmmm...what about getting them their own basket/bucket to put them in when they take them off?

 

I use the Tag-mates from Mabel's Label's (referenced above) on the heel of the flip flops (not where their foot sits, but on the part perpendicular to the floor). So far it seems to work, and the chlorine and showers do not cause them to fall off. I even had camp call two years ago to say they had my daughters flip flops in the office.

Good luck.

T

 

Thanks everyone!

So far, the electrical tape wrapped around the back elastic seems to be working. I hate to actually WRITE on the shoe, as I plan to hand them down or sell them once they outgrow them. The embroidery floss is a GREAT idea...I'll have to use that in the future.

I had thought of separate buckets, but with how many times a day they put the flip flops off & on, it'd never work. It never fails that they disappear for a while & come back with their flip flops on. They're a bit obsessed . And I had originally bought different colors for each of them, but then the full out freak out ensued that they each wanted the other color, so whatever..they were $2.50 a pair .

Thanks again...very helpful!

 

Mabel's labels have a lot of different types of lablels. I have used the ones to put on cups and put them on the outsides of crocs and flip flops and have never had a problem with them coming off. They have new ones called "skinny mini's" that would fit really well on the flip flops.