A friend sent a nice bit of birthday money (Thank you, Lisa!) and it was exactly the right amount to get a two-pack of inexpensive sweat pants – just what I need for around-the-house this winter.

When I was a kid, drawstrings at the waistband had two ends, and you tied them together the same way you tied your shoe laces.   Apparently that went the way of the dodo bird because virtually EVERY thing I own that has a waistband drawstring now has the closed-loop style… like this:

Now, I don’t know about you, but I find this loopy thing to be almost impossible to tie tightly enough to be worthwhile.  BUT if you don’t tighten, eventually whatever you are wearing begins to fall down.

Thankfully, last year I bought a package of squeeze-lock cord catcher things… yes, I know there’s a name for it, but I can’t think of it.   Anyway, they are already in most of my other drawstring attire, and I still have quite a few left.   I LOVE LOVE LOVE these things.  You squeeze the top and bottom together as you pull the cord through, then release the thingie and a spring-loaded catch captures the cord and holds it firmly enough that your drawers don’t fall down.

Besides being great for quickly securing my sweats and surfer shorts and other drawstring attire, these would be AWESOME for seniors who can’t easily tie bowties or can’t make a secure enough knot in these dang-burn-it closed-loop drawstring things.

I think there were originally made for quickly closing/opening totebags or camping gear, but I find them useful in other ways.

If you really REALLY want to order some, I’ll go back through my Amazon orders and see what they are called, just leave a note in the comments section below.