“I really think guys only need two pairs of shoes.
A nice pair of black shoes and a pair of Chuck Taylors.”
― Mindy Kaling, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?
It is humiliating and humbling to have an actual count of how many pairs of shoes I own. And the truth of the matter is that I just strolled through the clutter and counted what I could see. Odds are that there are a few more pairs hidden in boxes or even in bins out in the shed. Oh the humanity!
"I am absolutely embarrassed and ashamed at the amount of shoes I own." was the text I sent my friend late Monday night.
Then she asked me the total. When I told her she responded with "Oh my!".
Hanging my head in shame, horror and embarrassment I set out to change my situation. Let's be real, I love dressing up but rarely do. I work in a man's world and for me to "dress up" means it would bring attention to myself. Attention that I really do not want to get from married men. So, I fit in. I'm one of the guys. Only difference is that I have boobs, I smell better, and I wear jewelry. Even though I love my heels, I don't wear them often at all. My favorite pair I didn't even put on at all in 2014. Plus, I'm 5ft 9in tall. Heels make my legs look gorgeous but I tower over the world like a circus side-show act while donning them. It's time to say farewell to all of them but the few timeless and most used ones.
Eighty. My total was eighty. Eighty pairs of shoes, boots, heels, flip-flops, wedges... One-hundred-and-sixty-two individual shoes. Yes, I found two shoes that haven't seen their mate in well over four years yet I've held out hope that I'd uncover them while sorting. Sorting that I *intended* to have happened five years ago. This is so humiliating.
I began this challenge in December. And, as I mentioned in my very first post, I was pretty worried about the fact that my shoes had holes in them. My chucks. My chucks have holes all along the edges of them. The thought of tossing them out this month and going 11 months before buying another pair was honestly nerve-wracking for me.
Chucks are a part of who I am. They are a major part of my makeup and identity. My gray chucks will not last more than another month, I'd guess. Meanwhile, I actually have a teal pair and a purple pair that I found buried in a pile. *facepalm* They aren't my favorite. In fact, why did I even buy the teal pair? But the fact of the matter is, I will have backups for when I need them. And how sad is it that I feel the absolute NEED to buy new ones, while having perfectly good ones that are serving me no purpose other than taking up space?
At first walk-through I have pulled and tossed out 4 pairs and lined up 25 pairs that are waiting to head over to the local Goodwill. In my mind, as drastic as it may seem, I have the goal of keeping ten pairs of shoes in my head. This will not include dress boots, wellies, and winter boots. Even though I am a woman, I see no reason as to why I cannot function on a few chucks, a few dress shoes, some flip flops and sneakers. I do not NEED ten options for each of those categories either! I'm not Carrie Bradshaw. I don't have a Mr. Big who is going to build me a giant closet that dreams are made of.
By Saturday I am anticipating a decent haul of stuff to go to Goodwill. And with it, a sigh of relief as I learn how to keep what I actually use or need.
