Currently my wardrobe has 6 pairs of shoes at a time. I like to have 2 pairs of heels: one neutral and one fun; 2 pairs of flats: both sneakers right now until I can find a dressier flat that I like and am willing to buy; and 2 seasonal pairs, or at this moment, boots (quite dirty boots :/) When I travel, I take one of each!

+ In April, when I switch to a Spring/Summer wardrobe (which really means exchanging 10 or so items from a shelf in my closet), the boots become sandals—one flat and one heeled—and the neutral heels become peep toes. And yes, I wear white shoes (and white pants) year-round.

Honestly, I spend most time barefoot—or at least all of my time at home. My shoes get a lot of wear so this helps keep my shoes around a little longer. I tend to wear sneakers during the day, heels at night (I feel taller and more ladylike) and boots when the weather gets really cold or wet. When I worked in an office, I wore the heels by day and usually sneakers by night. Ha, I guess Greg finally gets the fancier version of me ;)

I’ve found that 6 pairs of shoes is the right number for me. I know I can go buy a pair of shoes for an event if I really need to... but that doesn’t really happen. I could use hiking boots but I would only wear them every few months so I don't buy them. I use Sorels when it's cold out and sneakers when it's not. Living with less means choosing wisely and in this case, even buying clothes around my shoes. I have the heels that I like and that fit well and aren’t too uncomfortable. I make sure that any dresses or dress clothes that I buy will work with at least one of them. It’s freeing to get rid of dress shoes that only go with one outfit, any shoes that cause blisters, and a pair (or two) of old running shoes that haven’t been worn in years.

How many pairs of shoes do you like to have?

+ Regarding hobby shoes: A quick way to clutter up our homes and wardrobes is to own the gear for every hobby we’ve ever tried. I’m a little bit of a freak in that I’m hesitant to take on hobbies that require a lot of stuff. That said... snowboarding. So, for the first few years that I was learning (who am I kidding, still learning) to snowboard, I borrowed and rented everything I needed including snow pants! Once I felt more committed, I bought the basic clothing I would need. I still rent the board and boots as I go maybe once or twice a year and it’s a leaner way for me to tackle the sport. To reduce hobby clutter, I first consider my commitment to an activity and then consider how often I’ll do it.

Ahhh. Let’s pause for a moment and take a deep breath. As we are recovering from a busy time of year, and as I sit in my home that is currently a construction site, I am remembering the importance of space. I believe that we need to actively make room for great new things to enter our lives.

Right now, drywall dust and plastic sheets line my hallway and rooms. I am missing the physical space that I’ve worked so hard to create. When my life feels this cluttered, either physically or emotionally, I start to close up. I do the bare minimum as I react to the urgent and then feel like I don’t have the capacity to take on more. I am no longer the creative, open, helpful person I’d like to be.

But when I step back and actively create space, something amazing happens! Space gives us the room to move and operate freely, to honor what we already hold dear, and for great new things to enter our lives. These principles apply to all of our spaces.

Creating physical space gives us physical room to carry out our day-to-day, unfettered and unimpeded. It allows more attention for our favorite objects, even making them easier to find! And it allows for the possibility of new favorites.

Reclaiming mental space helps us tune out and ignore the chatter, both ours and others’, so we can better listen to our intuition. It gives us room to be proactive and clear as we focus on the things we know to be important, not just urgent. And it opens us up to learning new skills and being more creative as we make space for new ideas to enter our heads.

Finding emotional space allows us to let things go and gain a different perspective. We can think of others more as we have the space for compassion. And it begins to open our hearts, making room for love and even new relationships.

Essentialism promotes finding this space: letting go of one thing—saying "no"—to make room for something else—saying "yes".

5 WAYS TO FIND A LITTLE SPACE:
1. Create space in your week to do nothing. Block off 20 minutes, one day a week to just think, feel and listen to your intuition.
2. Spend some time alone in nature. Even a thirty minute hike or city walk will help clear your mind.
3. Create space in your closet by embracing a Lean Closet. Allow for room to grow, maybe even have an empty drawer!
4. Start a meditation practice to help quiet your mind. Try an app like Buddhify to help.
5. Leave space in your belly. Stop eating before you’re full and you might still have some energy left!

I’m giving us all permission to take the space we need this year so we can show up and be the people we want to be. What are you going to make room for?

“I need silence and solitude to create a buffer against the daily barrage of information and challenges.” - DVF