My grandmother always took great care to maintain and repair her things. For example, she had a designated place where she’d keep the clothes or linens that needed mending and on a periodic basis, she would take the time to mend. I always aspire to do the same, but it is so easy to be lazy and just donate, recycle or toss items instead.
When my favorite pair of jeans started to rip, I decided to take the time to mend them. It only took a needle and thread, some patches of fabric, and an hour to extend their life. In that time, I reflected on why it is so important that we take time to mend, or repair, or even just maintain our things.
Mending or repairing our things:
- Saves money. Everything is just a few clicks away to buy, but the costs add up quickly.
- Saves the planet. Clothing is more affordable than ever, but “fast fashion” has a negative impact on the environment. People are buying much more and keeping their clothes for far less time. The less we consume, the better.
- It feels good. Writer Matthew Crawford says that manual competence makes us feel better and behave better. It gives us a sense of autonomy, a feeling of responsibility for our work and the material world, and ultimately makes for better citizens.
I talk a lot about consuming less and creating more a lot on this blog. This is another way to practice that. Try something today, perhaps as simple as cleaning your airpods or make-up brushes, and then see where that takes you!
Most importantly, mending and repairing will be a good mindset and practice for the healing we will need to lead and do in the coming weeks and months.