See that thing?
I was confused, too, but as soon as I picked it up I remembered exactly what it was.
It’s the elastic holder-together-thingy for my exercise mat.
Normal people roll the mat, wrap the two loops around the ends of the roll, and have a handy-dandy handle to carry it to their car after a good workout.
Those people might even swing it over their shoulder and look ever-so-cool.
I used to be that person. Really.
Except for the part about looking cool after a workout. (I’m the red-faced, frizzy-haired lady who got dressed in the dark before 5 a.m.)
I did use that handle. It made life easier for almost a whole month. Then there was the random day when it seemed like a hassle or I was in a hurry or something else totally logical, and I rolled up my pink mat and stuck it in the backseat and threw the handy-dandy-and-totally-useful piece of elastic in after it.
And then at the next workout, I didn’t even think about it.
I might have had a fleeting memory once or twice when a newbie showed up with his/her not-yet-sweated-upon, neatly-rolled-up mat. But by that time, I was used to not using it and didn’t have any idea where it was anyway.
I have no idea how it ended up in the floor of my laundry room.
But even though I remembered what it was and how useful it can be, I pitched it.
I can love an idea. I can see the value.
But if I don’t use it, it’s clutter.
And I won’t use this. I might start using it again for a week, maybe two. But then the inevitable (for me) will occur and the Totally Useful Thingamabob will end up in the bottom of my car again until it mysteriously migrates (again) to the floor of my laundry room and then I’ll re-find it, re-remember it, and have to decide again whether I should keep it.
I decided that since I don’t worry about NOT having one, I don’t need one.
Totally useful to someone else. Totally clutter to me.
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Don’t forget that Schoola is offering free shipping on their gently used kids’ clothing (it’s basically an online thrift store) through tomorrow, January 22nd! AND if you go through my referral link, you get a $15 credit! Combine these two bits of wonderfulness and you can get $15 worth of clothing for your kids completely free! Their prices are low and you can totally get one or more things for $15! Want more info? Read yesterday’s post.
--Nony
It would be great for me! I use one of those ribbons that now come with blankets to hold my rolled up mat in place. Those ribbons are great for those plastic sledding sheets, too.
I had one of those too and used it a couple of times. But I don’t want to carry the mat with a shoulder strap, I want to tuck the mat under my arm. So I bought thick rubber bands in the office supply aisle at Target and use 2 of them on my mat. I used them both times I went to workout class! I might go again, we’ll see if I keep using them, or if I just roll the mat up to tuck it under my arm.
I throw out useful stuff all the time. In the past, I felt a compulsion to keep it, but no more!! If I won’t use it, it must go.
I love this! I am totally this person. If it doesn’t work for me or my family, out it goes!
Currently I am debating (well, who is kidding I have already decided) to donate my kids thermoses I bought them for lunches. They take up enough room in our kid/plastics drawer and the kids have now admitted that they HATE the things I send hot. LOL! I figure once they hit an older age and want a themos again, it won’t be a spiderman or princess one. 😉
I know this feeling! It’s like the zip pockets that come with sheets! I’m always hopeful that I’ll use it for the sheets, or another small blanket, and hold onto it…only realizing that I cannot fold sheets to that small of a size no matter how hard I try, and that plastic zip thing is just taking up space.
I found perfect use for those clear zippered bags.. I put my pashmina ( scarf) in them, can just throw in the closet and don’t worry about snags from hangers. plus can bring out from closet into better light to decide which one to wear….. just have to remember it goes back in closet after I put the pashmina I wore back in the bag.
Awesome! I need to get better at that. I have however been pretty good at implementing a rule – “If I hadn’t wished I had one at least 10 times I can’t bring one home.” I am really happy with how it is going and trying to teach it to my kids and husband. It is really helping keep cute gadgets out of the house and in my brain I believe it is reducing future clutter….. <3
Love that rule!
see this would actually be useful for me, since i walk to my exercise class.
This post made me laugh because I just threw away one of those strappy thingies. I was cleaning out the drawers of my old desk because I had purchased a new one (it’s easy to follow the one-in one-out rule with furniture!) and the furniture recycling people were coming to pick it up. Anyway, I found this strappy.. thing.. in one of the drawers and had no idea what it was, or what it was for. So I pitched it, figuring if I had no idea what it was, then it was probably just clutter. Now I know what it is and it is definitely clutter! I just carry my mat under my arm.
Ok, I really wanted to attach a pic of my strappy thing where it sits at this very moment but I guess that’s not allowed. So I will draw a picture instead.
…Fade in to a living room which is far from sparsely furnished in a small house in Kansas. The original hardwood floors are scattered with the toys of a 2 year old girl. A doll with her stroller, purse, flowery headband, and blanket are scattered in front of the tv, and off to the side are not 1, but two yoga mats, rolled together and secured by a strappy thingy. Of course, after a morning of hard play, the mats aren’t standing upright, but are laying on the floor. The mats may be down but they are proud! They were finally used after a 1 month workout sabbatical and were allowed to stretch in their full glory most of yesterday morning until a frisky cat drew attention to the way they haphazardly lay on the floor, causing them to again be stacked on one another and tightly rolled so that the strappy thingy would fit over them. Now they lay waiting, with hopes held high that soon the restrictive straps will again be removed so they may stretch out on the floor and be loved (a.k.a. sweated upon).
The End
Hahahaha, I know exactly what that is! I have one floating around my bedroom. I think the boy child has it in his room now, using it for police handcuffs. Hmm, I should have thrown it away before he handcuffed me.
Once again you sound just like me!
You know they say it takes 21 days to form a habit. For me it only takes 1 to break a good habit.
For several months I put my car keys in a designated jar. Every time. Day after day after day. Until 1 day I didn’t. Then, never again. Why can some of us undo a healthy habit in one move?
And so many things “normal” people find useful and easier becomes brain clutter for me. Like baby slings. Wonderful. Useful. Beautiful. For me? Just another obstacle to keep track of, have when and where I need it, fidgit with and frustrate me. No thanks. I’ll use the two arms God gave me and juggle my life as I did with the first 6 babies, because the sling/wrap was never where I needed it anyway!
Thanks for what you do!