Intro
“How to declutter shoes?”
I often hear this question from my friends. Actually, almost everyone who come to my home would ask me like this:
“Why do you only keep these pairs of shoes? Is it enough?”
Well, in fact, YES!!
You may be wondering how many pairs of shoes I have, well, the answer is, SIX PAIRS.
- 4 Outside Shoes: black converse*1, flat leather shoes*1, short leather boots*1, sports shoes*1
- 2 Slippers: cotton slippers*1, flip flops*1
For me, this combination has satisfied all my shoe needs, not only the rigid needs, but also the fashion matching needs.
My everyday outfits have developed into a style, which is also minimalist and goes with everything, just perfect enough to match my shoes.
Step1: Lay out all the shoes
First of all, find all your shoes and put them together, so that you can see them all at the same time.
You may be shocked by the large number of shoes you have, if you haven’t organized your shoe closet in a long time, you’re likely to find some surprises: for example, a pair of shoes in the corner of the closet that you haven’t worn once in a year.
This at-a-glance approach can help you make better decisions without doubt.
Step2: Throw, throw, throw!
Type1: Unsuitable style
There is a saying: “When an outfit suddenly no longer looks appropriate, people often mistakenly think that there is something wrong with the matching of the clothes, but in fact, most of this incongruity comes from the shoes.”
This is the most common problem I have with shoes in my shoe closet. I always feel like I have a chance to wear them, but actually this “chance” never come.
I believe many people have had this experience: you bought a pair of shoes you had been looking forward to, the price may be really high, cost you a lot. However, there is just no suitable occasion or ideal clothes to match your perfect shoes! Then, the shoes ended up in the bottom of the cabinet, until you finally forgot its existence!
Well, let me tell you this truth: The shoes you have never worn once, you will never wear again in your whole life!
All you need to do is make up your mind and throw it away! The sunk costs will only get higher and higher, so it’s better to give up early and gain peace of mind.
Type2: Unsuitable size
The size your feet do change. In most cases, as people gain weight, the insteps become wider. Just like clothes, everyone has those clothes in their wardrobes that they think they would wear after they lose weight.
However, in the end, there are only two results:
- You lose weight, but the clothes are out of season/you don’t like them anymore/you have new pretty clothes;
- You didn’t make it.
The same goes for shoes.
There’s nothing to be reluctant about parting with shoes that aren’t the right size and are buttoned wrong from the start. Whether it’s too loose, too tight, or the heel is too high, I always believe one thing: Do not ignore the frustration that a pair of uncomfortable shoes can bring you. That could literally ruin your day.
Type3: Shabby appearance
This situation is very common and simple, because some shoes are simply too old.
You know from your heart that you will never wear them again, but you are still a little bit reluctant to part with them.
But, in fact, even if the shoes are gifts from others, if the shoes are old and worn, they are of no use indeed. If they are kept, they will just be clutter and will only occupy the storage space.
When you make up your mind to throw it away, you will find that the depression in your heart is gone! This is the relaxation and happiness that declutter brings to you!
Shoes Decluttering Tips
Tips 1: One In One Out
If you have once organized all of your shoes, made all their functions clearly, and already make sure that the shoes you currently own can perfectly meet all your needs, then the best way to control the number of your shoes is this: ONE IN ONE OUT!
To say it clearly: if you’re buying new shoes, get rid of an existing pair.
This is a very efficient and practical way to declutter things, not just for decluttering shoes, but for everything you own.
In fact, instead of buying a bunch of shoes that you like only to throw them away after wearing each a few times, isn’t it better to just buy a few pairs but wear each pair to the fullest?
Tips 2: Seize the season
The best time to get rid of your shoes is when the seasons change. Whenever the seasons change, we usually set aside time to organize our wardrobes, but some people may neglect their shoe cabinets. Sometimes, you may still have sandals from last summer in your winter shoe closet. And the first thing you will do next summer may be to throw away this pair of sandals that have been gathering dust in your shoe closet for half a year.
In fact, shoes need to be updated frequently. Think about it, have you really worn any pair of shoes for several years? Therefore, every time the season changes, you must be determined and update your shoe closet decisively! Actually, the joy of getting new favorite shoes may be far greater than the sadness of throwing away old shoes.
Conclusion
For myself, it is also not easy to throw away things. I will struggle for a long time and be reluctant to let go of many things, but finally, I give them up.
Sometimes what we can’t throw away is not the object itself, but the familiarity and emotion it carries. However, memories are also very energy-consuming. If old things always occupy your mind, how can you have room to carry new ones?
You need space to place your new feelings and new memories. Only by constantly enriching your memory bank can you know what is precious.
Decluttering things is also about sorting out things to organize one’s inner self, reduce material desires, and return to oneself. Also remember to avoid spending too much money and energy on redundant items. When there are too many items, the item utilization rate will decrease, and you may even forget that the item exists. Therefore, when purchasing, we should also do our best to only buy the things we need, and respect the items.
So, what about you? Have you learned how to declutter shoes through this guidance? Welcome to share your experience~
