The rubber seal in the top corners of our French door fridge were tearing apart. It got to the point that we had to open from the right side, then close from the left side in order not to ruffle the rubber any further. The doors no longer closed automatically. The delicate synchronization now required was really annoying.
To replace the seals would cost $500.00. Really? That was not going to happen. “We might as well buy a new fridge,” is not something you would hear me say either. We don’t need a new fridge. What we need is a solution.
My handy hubby was not jumping in with his usual repair flair, so I took the matter in my own hands. I trimmed and flattened the torn bits as best I could and applied duct tape to smooth the surface. It works like a charm. Who looks at the top corner of the doors? No one. We have our eyes peeled on the food inside.
What if there is a better solution to other problems, big and small? Sometimes we think we need a $500 hammer when a tiny scalpel will do.
Dieting by severe restriction when you’re trying to lose weight, for example, can feel like a white-knuckled, willpower-infused hammer. This isn’t usually effective for any length of time.
If you use a scalpel you would be more strategic. Planning your meals, making room for occasional indiscretions, managing your stress and regulating your emotions will do much more for your waistline than the hammer approach. Through the process, you might also improve your relationship with food, thus avoiding any temptation to duct tape the fridge doors shut.