[Discussion] Downsizing/Minimizing Sneaker Collection or Quitting Collecting (WITH TIPS/RESOURCES)

[llapll]

I was following this discussion over in the AM1 thread and it’s great to see a dedicated thread here. I really enjoy this topic.

I have been fortunate to have a lot of disposable income with my career progression and age so I haven’t been thinking twice about buying paids. Even coming from a very frugal upbringing I completely let go and grabbed a lot of pairs just for the sake of it. If I was into a Nike store and see something sitting, I “get it first”. Since pandemic, I probably bought over 50 pairs that I have never worn. I do love them and take them out all the time to try on and then put them back inside the box.

I started buying sneakers back in early 2000s and probably accumulated around 40 pairs until the past 5 years when I started buying a lot more.

To me sneakers are like Supreme, you always feel like you’re “winning” when you can get a pair of Jordans for retail and feel “privileged” to be able to cop. There’s zero thought of do I need or want them. That’s what social media, marketing and hype does. You strike out 9 times on SNKRS and the one time you win you buy it no matter what.

After this discussion, I went and listed over 20 pairs on Stockx but I am also not willing to sell for a loss so I am stuck with them for a while…

Thanks for this support group and sharing your thoughts!

 

[Public Enemy]

If there was a safe relatively simple fee-free or minimal fee way of selling shoes locally that wasn't facebook marketplace, I'd sell about half the shoes I own. I've been thinking about going the craigslist route and just meeting up at a police station or something. I'm doing garage sale stuff, not selling Jordans, so I'm not trying to have to file stuff on my taxes.

 

[riverdale road]

I still have about a 100 pairs. But I have been selling stuff I dont wear. I still get the feeling when I see certain shoes like I need them but Im def on the decline.

I recently sold 90% of my AJ 1s collection. Had doubles of Shatterds, reverse Shattereds, multiple Chicagos. With 1s ill go in my closet look at them, grab box then be like naw Im good. So I sold them. They were just sitting.

 

[05fordgt]

I've been contemplating what to write for my reply. This thread REALLY hits home as I had my "ephifany" moment in the first half of 2021. Once I had the impulse buy to "just buy it" as I liked whatever Jordan/Flight/etc released. But that day when the Jordan 35 Chinese New Year (yellow pair) were just sitting on NDC and I couldn't get myself to pull the trigger, I had a feeling I was done with the hobby. It was confirmed for good when I couldn't get a pair of my #1 Jordan of all-time the Carmines for retail, I knew I was done.

So I started putting some pairs on SX and getting whatever the current but was for, just to offload some. Now with what I got left (about 120 pairs or so) or unique Nikes, Reeboks, Jordans, etc, I will take pennies on the dollar honestly, just to get rid of them and get the space.

I have a plan to try and make a deal with a boutique who also sells clothing. I have about 14-15 vintage Jordan Authentic & Swingman Nike & Champion Bulls & Nike Wizards/Bullets jerseys. Almost all are NWT or NWOT. All folded neatly and stores in zip lock bags to keep them fresh. I'll try to seek them, plus a bunch of vintage Bulls warmup stuff, and vintage Jordan clothing (Jordan 1 Royal warmup suits & banned suits) as well as shirts and jackets (brand new Jordan leather jacket). I'll take a much smaller amount for the shoes if they take it all (which the jerseys alone they could cell within a week once they put it on their Instagram). The jerseys are worth a good amount to the right people (and let's be honest, anything MJ is got value). And I have an ace up my sleeve with his 2 authentic Barons jerseys I bought from the team back in 1994. Those NEVER show up for sale.

At this point in my life, I just want 90% if my collection gone. It's time and I can use the money for other things. I'll keep select pairs (my OG Agassis are staying as are a few Jordans, Nikes & a Reebok or two). And I'll still buy the occasional pair here and there, depending on what it is (Flight Huaraches this year are a definite). But it's very relaxing to not worry about a release date, trying to secure a pair and like us3less said, it feels rewarding to sell for less, just to move them, and let someone who's happy to have them get them. All in all, it's been a fun ride, but as other OG sneakerheads & oldheads know, this hobby is NOT what it once was!

 

[DCAllAfrican]

Not going to lie. It's an addiction.

Not too many are willing to admit this.

 

[05fordgt]

did ur sneaker sales turn into a porsche?

Funny you ask that to someone here. The plan I have for my other hobby which I left, 1/18 scale diecast collecting..now this stuff is worth stupid money to A LOT of people! I am going to go the eBay & word of mouth via cars & coffee route to sell most of them. If I can get what I think I can get for all of mine (and I have all high end models, of exotic cars, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche, etc that are all high end brands), I may be able to make my earnings into a possible unique car purchase that would be SO FREAKING COOL! A car that isn't a lot of money but isn't available here (unless one does the work to find one). If your curious to know the car, shoot me a PM. I'm excited to see how it goes.

 

[05fordgt]

I was following this discussion over in the AM1 thread and it’s great to see a dedicated thread here. I really enjoy this topic.

I have been fortunate to have a lot of disposable income with my career progression and age so I haven’t been thinking twice about buying paids. Even coming from a very frugal upbringing I completely let go and grabbed a lot of pairs just for the sake of it. If I was into a Nike store and see something sitting, I “get it first”. Since pandemic, I probably bought over 50 pairs that I have never worn. I do love them and take them out all the time to try on and then put them back inside the box.

I started buying sneakers back in early 2000s and probably accumulated around 40 pairs until the past 5 years when I started buying a lot more.

To me sneakers are like Supreme, you always feel like you’re “winning” when you can get a pair of Jordans for retail and feel “privileged” to be able to cop. There’s zero thought of do I need or want them. That’s what social media, marketing and hype does. You strike out 9 times on SNKRS and the one time you win you buy it no matter what.

After this discussion, I went and listed over 20 pairs on Stockx but I am also not willing to sell for a loss so I am stuck with them for a while…

Thanks for this support group and sharing your thoughts!

It depends on how much of a loss your taking. If you truly want to get rid of your collection, any money is good money, that's how I'm looking at it. I'll take .50¢ (or a little less ) on the dollar if it means I can get rid of them quicker. Some I bought so long ago, the loss isn't even felt. Just food for thought. Good luck on your sales.

 

[us3less]

Really happy to see the motivation hitting a lot of people! Trust - it's really good to recognize what's up and let go of stuff, because as the saying goes, "the things you own end up owning you."

05fordgt riverdale road - Great start and progress! Yeah, I know that feeling of seeing shoes that you got in your closet and feeling that "wow" moment but deciding not to do anything with it but to put it back. It's only great at that moment, but at the end of the day, it just ends up taking up a lot of space literally and mentally.

Not too many are willing to admit this.

This is something also not being openly spoken about because sneakers have gone so mainstream and have been romanticized. It's one thing to collect sneakers for a hobby and truly appreciate it, but the overlooked unspoken thing about it is the addictive habits and knowing its effects that are done to many people, and all these brands do is feed to the fix. Same saying goes; "the things you own end up owning you." Being as mindful and aware as possible really will help turn things around. It's slow, but it's great progress.

A good example for anyone looking for motivation. When the Chicago AJ2s came out on 12/30/22, I saw a post in a thread somewhere talking about the shoes selling out from the 5AM PST websites (Xhibition and Undefeated, I'm guessing) and that triggered the FOMO feeling. Then I started getting really tempted and by the time it hit 7AM on SNKRS, I went for it and got it. However, I canceled 20 minutes later because, throughout that entire time, I started getting confused about whether I really wanted it or if I'm acting as a FOMO fix. I kept thinking, "What am I buying these for? Will they be worn a lot or rarely? Why do I really want them?" and so on. When I asked myself those questions and actually understood what the process was that I was going through, I realize that I was gonna burn $200+tax for nothing and fulfill the void of nothingness. The feeling of wanting them still comes and goes, but the temptation is negligible now. It's all about progress, but to see that and understand it myself, it's motivating. Now from here on out, it becomes practice (cue Iverson Press Conference moment.)

I also learned that the defaulted way we treat these temptations of ours is to actually go get it and think "okay, you got it, and now you won't have this feeling again." Moments later, it comes back for something else, and then it becomes a vicious cycle. In Portal's terms, that means that the cake is a lie. We've all done this before, but "consolation prizes?" That just worsens the whole situation. It won't do anything and now we would just have an extra pair (or extra pairs) of unwanted shoes because we were pissed off.

The best way (and most often the most uncomfortable way) is to ride out the feelings. The best way to tame the discomfort is to distract yourself with other hobbies or interests or even meditate. If you think about it, what I just described sounds just overcoming like a drug addiction. To counteract addiction but still enjoy sneakers in a healthy way, this is where that "30-day rule" applies that I posted on the front page. It's like "okay if I still like these after 30 days (or 1, 2, or 3 weeks) there were ******* 80 pairs of shoes released in the last 3 weeks because I actually like the shoes and really want to wear them a lot, and I got some extra cash" then that can be the good cue.

This is how FOMO marketing works. They not only pump sneakers out on the daily from Tuesdays-Saturdays every week not just to make you take losses and seek a win; they search for ways to trigger something in the head that gambling and/or drug addiction does where they refuse you to think for one's true self. It creates a loss of emotional control.

Another video for motivation. If someone brags about a shoe they got while you miss out and they're like, "I just spent only retail on the Travis Scott AJ 1s!" you reply back with "I just spent time with my family/friends/SO for a delicious lunch." Answer back like how Homer answered back to Kirk:

 

[us3less]

The shoe I've been back and forth with for several months now... finally sold it off. Was thinking of holding onto it since I did kinda still enjoy having it, but wearing it was something else since it was not comfortable for me at all.

Anyone else making good progress after two weeks since this thread?

 

[zoomspiridon]

I went from around 100 pairs to 60. I let go of a lot of doubles and pairs that I just didn't see myself wearing anytime soon. Letting go of these pairs was easier than expected!

My next goal is to get to around 30, but I'm finding picking what to let go of now pretty tough. I still have the whole year though, so I'll take it slow.

 

[us3less]

zoomspiridon - damn, major progress already! Good stuff! Yeah time will definitely help you pick and choose for sure.

 

[nstreak]

Good job fellas…I contributed quite a bit in the AM1 thread and I will here soon as well but keep it up. We got this and each other.

 

[05fordgt]

Good job fellas…I contributed quite a bit in the AM1 thread and I will here soon as well but keep it up. We got this and each other.

It is a VERY calming feeling knowing I don't have to deal with all the bs of release dates and drops and such. And I can only imagine when I get rid of the 100+ pairs I have left and knowing that all the stress is over with. Will be INCREDIBLY relaxing. I hope it's soon.

 

[ballahb]

Good thread, actually been doing the same...went from 140 to 60...still have a ways to go

 

[Public Enemy]

Stuff like this helps me.

 

[illicit305]

i stopped caring about shoes a long time ago, when i need a pair of shoes i go to dailymia, overpay for some 13s or 11s, beat them to the ground, rinse and repeat

 

[WASHED KING]

You can't find anything good at outlets anymore unless you sit there all day.

 

[fluid hips]

You can't find anything good at outlets anymore unless you sit there all day.

Yea all these YouTube dudes showing how to flip shoes for income ruined the game

 

[sthebest]

I've been moving towards this mindset since last year. The wakeup call was a financial hole I had to get out of once I got back from my cruise last summer. I realized I started putting my sneakers in my storage lockers I use for my business and I had so many shoes I wasn't getting any use out of.

What helped me is realizing that my life priorities are shifting. Im more concerned with trying to run my business rather than collect sneakers. So for collabs that have multiple colorways, I sold multiples and only kept the ones I really would wear. The only shoes that were essential to keep were the original Jordan colorways of the models I liked most, which was Jordan 1, 3-5. The other models I do like, but not enough to have every colorway of them.

Sneaker collecting can be as dangerous as a drug addiction. A lot of what we buy is because social media dictates that we need them, and need that shot of dopamine to experience that high. Also, I'm nearing 40 and would feel ridiculous having a large collection while totally disregarding my financial future.

 

[nstreak]

I've been moving towards this mindset since last year. The wakeup call was a financial hole I had to get out of once I got back from my cruise last summer. I realized I started putting my sneakers in my storage lockers I use for my business and I had so many shoes I wasn't getting any use out of.

What helped me is realizing that my life priorities are shifting. Im more concerned with trying to run my business rather than collect sneakers. So for collabs that have multiple colorways, I sold multiples and only kept the ones I really would wear. The only shoes that were essential to keep were the original Jordan colorways of the models I liked most, which was Jordan 1, 3-5. The other models I do like, but not enough to have every colorway of them.

Sneaker collecting can be as dangerous as a drug addiction. A lot of what we buy is because social media dictates that we need them, and need that shot of dopamine to experience that high. Also, I'm nearing 40 and would feel ridiculous having a large collection while totally disregarding my financial future.

I agree wholeheartedly brother

 

[sthebest]

I agree wholeheartedly brother

Thanks brother. One thing I did was sell off just about all of my Dunks which helped me scale my collection back drastically. Thankfully I made a profit or broke even on just about every one that I sold. I had Dunk Fatigue and I can see the bottom falling out of them sooner rather than later with how many released. And realistically you can only wear so many pairs of shoes in a limited time span. Cutting down forces me to wear the ones I really like a lot more. Also, with Jordans retailing for $210 now, you're paying resell on every release and don't even realize it.

 

[ireign]

I want to get rid of 3/4 of my collection but didn't know how to go about it especially with the new $600 tax threshold for filing. You guys kept/have receipts/confirmation emails for the each pair sold and just report the profits made with the paperwork from ebay/goat/stock afterwards?

I started collecting during the boost hype and went in on colorways. I know majority of those would be at a loss

 

[us3less]

sthebest - that's one of the scarier situations right there, but it's also makes a great wake-up call. Are you still making your way out of the hole or are you officially out? Yeah I was reading somewhere that sneaker collecting/addiction can trigger the similar part of your brain that gambling or drug addiction triggers. Makes sense too. If you compare all elements/actions of sneaker collecting with drug addiction or gambling, it'd still make so much sense, especially with social media and brands shoving shoes down your throat non-stop.

ireign - yeah it gets tricky. I usually always keep my receipts anyway (or trash the paper receipt if I have a digital receipt of some sort), but last year, I was selling the majority of my stuff through the meet-up process by either Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. Of course the IRS would then hit us with the late-*** news saying "oh we're gonna delay this $600+ tax rule," SMH. Would've sold stuff a lot faster through Goat, StockX or eBay. But if the rule stayed, that would've been what I would've done.

 

[sthebest]

sthebest - that's one of the scarier situations right there, but it's also makes a great wake-up call. Are you still making your way out of the hole or are you officially out? Yeah I was reading somewhere that sneaker collecting/addiction can trigger the similar part of your brain that gambling or drug addiction triggers. Makes sense too. If you compare all elements/actions of sneaker collecting with drug addiction or gambling, it'd still make so much sense, especially with social media and brands shoving shoes down your throat non-stop.

ireign - yeah it gets tricky. I usually always keep my receipts anyway (or trash the paper receipt if I have a digital receipt of some sort), but last year, I was selling the majority of my stuff through the meet-up process by either Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. Of course the IRS would then hit us with the late-*** news saying "oh we're gonna delay this $600+ tax rule," SMH. Would've sold stuff a lot faster through Goat, StockX or eBay. But if the rule stayed, that would've been what I would've done.

That financial hole I got rid of in a week. I have a lot of business expenses that come up that aren't as pressing, and have been using my collection to help pay those bills. It's funny, some shoes I thought I would really miss once I sold them and once I did, I didn't feel anything. I've been trying to not develop personal attachement to material possessions. Nike and these other companies use influencers to drill into us that we need these possessions and felt like we "won" something once we win a shoe on SNKRS. We don't win anything, we still are out the money we spend on retail. My family has addiction tendencies that range from alcoholism to drug abuse, and purchasing sneakers really triggered mine. The first step in correcting a problem is admitting that you have a problem and that you want to make the necessary steps to correct it.

 

[ireign]

My problem is that I think Ive been using this as retail therapy, especially the past several years. I havent been exactly too happy with how my life has been playing out, making sacrifices/putting my needs on hold for my spouse and immediate family. I would get that rush and excitement of getting/winning something but once I have them, its like whatever. Prior to sneakers, it was collectible figures. I've accumulated so much its become overwhelming and doesnt make me happy at all.

Its like that quote from Fat Bastard from Austin Powers, " I eat because Im unhappy, Im unhappy because I eat"

Ive come to realization of what I have to do, its just a matter of doing it. Part of me makes me want to just bring the collection to a shop and get rid of it all at once but I dont want to take that much of a loss either