The Lost Art Of Fixing Things
They’re Still Good Boots Photo by Lorraine Dolbear
Shoes Do A Lot For Us
I don’t own a lot of shoes. I technically have two pairs of winter boots because a few years ago my old pair started ripping. They were letting the snow and cold in, so I bought new boots. I wondered about fixing them but didn’t know where to start. They’ve stayed tucked away in my closet.
I’ve been working on decluttering and addressing tucked away projects. This year one of the zippers stopped working on my newer boots and I couldn’t get them on or off very easily. I was tempted to buy a new pair of boots but figured I’d look into shoe repair.
Does anyone do shoe repair anymore???
It turns out, yes. Trusty google identified The Cobbler Shop right next door to one of my favourite local restaurants Soups Up!
I took in both pairs of boots. The cobbler said he could fix the broken zipper but that my old pair of boots wasn’t very salvageable. The reason is that they were ripped in areas where there is tension when I walk, and patches would just rip again, quickly. It was helpful, because I got one pair of boots repaired and was able to throw away the other pair.
A few days later I picked up my boots and paid less than $10.00. They’re as good as new!
Photo by Noah Buscher on Unsplash
Fix It or Throw It Away?
I often have conflicting feelings when I’m deciding whether or not to fix an item. Will I end up spending the same amount to fix it over time? Why don’t I just buy it new? These questions are valid and exactly why we need a system to determine when to repair and when to buy new.
An area that most of us choose to fix rather than buy new is with our vehicles. It’s expensive to buy a new car and that option is out of reach for most people. So, we take care of our cars with regular maintenance and we pay for repairs as needed. Eventually it does make more sense to buy a new vehicle (ideally a good quality used vehicle… and make it electric!).
I suggest exploring the repair option before exploring the buy-new option. Chances are the repair option will be available (if you’re willing to google and call around) and chances are it will be affordable. When you know how much the repair costs, then trust you instincts about whether it’s the right path. If you’re still stuck, then ask a friend for advice. If you take this approach then you will certainly cut back on buying new and you will certainly cut back on filling up the landfill (the earth thanks you!).
In the case of my boots I made the right decision. The boots still work, I like how they look and now they work very well. The cost of the repair was low and even if it buys me only one more season with the boots (I think it’ll be more) it means I don’t need to spend $50.00 (minimum) on new boots until next year.
Photo from My Adobe Stock
Be The Change
How can we circle back to a fix-it-culture versus a throw-away culture? Why do people buy new rather than fix? Fixing things is not part of our daily lives right now, at least not in the way it was many years ago. Most people are busy and fixing an item requires time and brain power. At least for me it does! I hope to build up a list of local fixers, but for now it takes a lot of effort to find out where I can get various repairs done. The process involves finding someone who will fix it, dropping the item off to be fixed and picking it up. We’re accustomed to easily replacing items by discarding the broken one and buying a new one (probably at a big box store).
Two things have motivated me to look for fix-it solutions over buy-new solutions… the environment and money. Do you get items repaired? What motivates you? Send me a message via contact page!
