The Case of the Disappearing Footwear

This past year I have been working very hard to practice what I have learned when it comes to my new minimalist lifestyle. I really embrace the theory of minimalism. I truly believe that it isn’t what you have, but how you live that creates a peaceful, happy life. I now agree that more stuff means more chaos. I follow one decluttering guru that has said that your house is more functional when it’s clutter free and organized. I really like coming around the corner into my kitchen and seeing a bare countertop. I used to be that person who would do last night's dishes while I was cooking tonight's dinner. Last week’s clean (wrinkled) laundry got folded as I was washing this week's loads. A different YouTube decluttering mentor said “Always see a job to the end.” So I’m really trying to do that. And it’s worked for the most part. I feel like things are tidier and more organized. The only failure I’d say is that I went a little overboard when it came to getting rid of stuff. Last Christmas I was all ready to make mini loaves of pumpkin bread for my coworkers and went to grab my handy-dandy Pampered Chef 4 loaf mini-baker. It was nowhere to be found and I was frantic. My husband suggested that it fell victim to the Minimalist Challenge, 2019. I was so bummed because it was already seasoned and is pretty pricey to replace. More recently, a friend and I were discussing the need for less shoes. Yes, I said “less shoes.” I came to the conclusion that having fewer shoes that I really like, wear, and are comfortable is more important than sheer quantity of shoes. Unfortunately, my last donation trip to GoodWill included the dress shoes I wore once to my son’s wedding. I kept moving these high heel shoes back and forth between the attic and closet for 2 years and finally convinced myself that I would never wear them again. This also applied to a pair of boots that made it to the donate bin around the same time. After those left my world, I inherited a skirt that would have worked perfectly with the former pair of boots. To make matters worse, a week ago, I was invited to attend a gala event next fall which would require, you guessed it, those wedding heels. So my system isn’t exactly foolproof. I found myself wandering the aisles of Goodwill trying to buy back my donated footwear, to no avail. I didn’t feel peaceful or happy when I left the store empty handed, but I’m still a believer in minimalism and decluttering. I just need to iron out the kinks.