In which I reveal a little life-hack that can get you out your front door noticeably quicker. First, a picture.
That’s a really long shoehorn. You can use it standing up, just a slight stoop even for 5'11" me. This one comes from Daiso, a Japanese 100円 (think $1) store, which has embarked on world domination.
Why you should do this · So you don’t have to tie your shoes. Slip ’em off when you come home then use the shoehorn to slip ’em back on when leaving.
Now, we all know that your Mom told you never to do this, because it would ruin your shoes; they’d get all crushed at the back. But since she didn’t have a long shoehorn in the front hall, we can forgive her slight wrongness in this case.
I have evidence: In 2007 or so, I fell in love with a pair of hiking shoes from Zamberlan, and since then I’ve worn Zamberlan every day I’m not wearing sandals (less than half the year in Canada) or shiny-blacks (only when I give a speech or meet a future Prime Minister). And as I write this, I’m waiting for delivery of a new pair. Which will be the third pair I’ve owned. Since 2007. Which is to say, slipping your shoes on and off doesn’t necessarily ruin them, if you do it right.
Consider the aggregate time I’ve saved over those years, not tying shoes once or twice a day!
On Daiso · In full, the text on that shoehorn: Tender Sky/Passion to build new lives. I wondered about that; suspected Brand Marketing. But nope, Net searching suggests it’s just a thing Daiso puts on merchandise; the usual cheerfully-deranged Japanese English-flinging.
I recommend everyone check out a big Daiso at least once; they update regularly and manage to be interesting. Having done that, I can no longer take the cheap/exuberant onslaught, and wait elsewhere in the mall while loved ones do the Daiso.
Anyhow, stop tying your shoes!
Comment feed for ongoing:
From: David Glasser (Jan 24 2016, at 14:36)
I got one (same brand from Daiso even) immediately after returning from Japan. The passion has definitely built new lives. Works even better with laceless shoes.
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From: Fazal Majid (Jan 24 2016, at 15:01)
Now if only someone would put a bunch of these after each TSA checkpoint,..
I tried to interest Johnston & Murphy in the idea,with a promotional angle in having their branding well in evidence, but no takers.
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From: John Cowan (Jan 24 2016, at 18:06)
How do you know when you're going to meet a future PM? Do you use an oracle for the purpose?
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From: Ed (Jan 25 2016, at 11:58)
Learn to tie your shoes this way (http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/ianknot.htm) and you'll get that time back, even when wearing boots you can't slip on with a shoe horn. It took me about 3 days to get it down, and I'm loving it.
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