I needed new silver flip flops. My old ones were flopping more than they flipped.
I knew I needed new ones because the old ones were embarrassing.
And yet, when I scored some new ones for 75% off at an end-of-summer clearance sale, I didn’t automatically throw out (because they were too bad to donate) my old ones.
And that right there is why I need something as obvious-to-normal-people as the concept of out-with-the-old-and-in-with-the-new to be a rule.
Replacing old stuff, even mostly-unusable old stuff, even when I’ve gone to the trouble of buying a new version of the old one because the old one is junk, does not come naturally to me.
Even when I’m taking off my new silver flip-flops and shoving them in next to my old-and-icky silver flip flops and lamenting the fact that our shoe-shelf has become a shoe-area and needs to be decluttered.
Having learned from experience that the One-In-One-Out rule is the way to maintain any decluttering progress, the way to maintain a Stuff Equilibrium in my home, helps me stop in these moments of eye-rolling frustration and realize that the solution is actually simple.
Ummmm, just one-in-one-out those flip-flops.
Duh.
It doesn’t solve the shoe-area problem, but it keeps it from getting worse.
From becoming more overwhelming.
One-in-one-out is the key.
Need more explanation? I talk about it in this new video.
--Nony
I know exactly what you mean. It is incredibly difficult for me to throw away things that are obviously trash, too. My husband will occasionally look at me like I have three heads because I am having a crisis over putting something like your silver flip flops in the garbage. I don’t want them because they are so far gone, but in my mind I’m still thinking, but SOMEONE could probably find a use for them! Uhm, no they couldn’t, just put them in the trash already! I obviously have a problem! LOL. Thanks so much for sharing and making me feel normal too! Love your blog! Tracie – a long time lurker 🙂
I’ve got the same problem. No issues if I can donate or Freecycle, but to throw out! Never! I have a pair of black merrell flip flops that the sole looks good, but some of the trim on the thong part has cracked off. They moved from my shoe storage to my foyer, for “quick runs to the mailbox.”
Now i have an old pair of suede adidas slip ons that my dog snagged when he was a puppy, so I’ve got them parked at my basement door, in case I have to run out in the damp grass from the basement. Did I mention that my dog passed away over a year ago at 16 years old and he tore these a tad when he was a puppy teething? When he tore them, I immediately stopped wearing them out and they have been relegated to the basement ever since. At tjis rate, they’ll never wear out although I do check them for insects like spiders before I slip them on.
Does this make me cray-cray? Or practical and frugal? My husband will never understand me, after almost 50 years of being together.
Completely me! I AM getting better at it, though. On the other hand, I keep finding great craigslist scores . . . .
nice to know I’m not alone.
Ty for your tips! 💜 Your sense of humor/facial expressions!
This is me with furniture. It would be more convenient if it was little things like flip-flops LOL