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.