The laces on my Vans sneakers were too long. To use up the extra length, I had to tie extra knots every time I wore the sneakers---what a chore. After enduring six months of that nonsense I shortened them, removing ten inches (25 cm) from the center of each lace. Then I glued the two shorter sections together with Shoe Goo. The result was knots that were compact and tidy.

I later donated the sneakers to a local charitable organization.