istockphoto
I want to make it very clear that this is NOT a photo of my closet, or of a closet of anyone I know. I am using this image to make a point. That point being, that there comes a time for all of us, when we cannot put it off one more second—-and it is time to clean out the clothes closet.
My sister Andrea is a very good influence. She mentioned to me recently that she had read an article in last month’s Real Simple magazine that advocated throwing out 50 items that are cluttering up your life. Just spend a Saturday picking out 50 things that have no further purpose in your life and chuck ’em. There were a few stipulations that made the process a trifle trickier. For instance, if you were going to toss your old magazines, you had to count the whole lot as ONE thing.
So, trying to follow her good example, I began to tackle my clothes closets. Yes, that was plural. You see, one of my many failings is that I am a terrible clothes horse. I am ashamed of my materialism. I regret consuming more than my share of the Earth’s resources. I am grateful to be in a position of such abundance. I’m shallow. I have a lot of clothes, let’s just leave it at that.
A seasonal purging of unworn, ill fitting, and duplicated items is not only good for my soul, but for my marriage. I share the larger of my closets with my husband, who is relegated to three short little rods and a couple of shelves, while I get seven hanging rods, loads of shelf space and a special shoe cubby that holds 60 pair of shoes. And we are not even going to go into the other two guest room closets where I stash out of season stuff. The only thing I can say to justify any of this is that I keep things for years on end and that my weight has fluctuated between a size 8 and a size 16.
So I embraced Andrea’s idea of purging unneeded items as a way not only to clear out some clutter, but as a way to improve my character.
I began by putting everything on my bed in a huge mound, and stripped down to my undies and tried everything on. What an eye opener that was. About one quarter of the pile could be eliminated because it was too small or too big. Bye bye. Next I sorted out anything that I hadn’t worn for two years. Ciao. Then, I had to look with a stern eye upon any duplicate items. Does anyone need 15 pairs of black pants? Granted, they were assorted materials, and full length, cropped length, capri length, palazzo style, boot leg and so on, but good grief, there is a limit. I managed to pare that pile down by half. Well, OK, to 8 pairs. By the time I was finished, I was a hot sweaty mess, but I had six black garbage bags full of decent clothing to donate to my local women’s shelter.
I won’t tell you that I have completely turned over a new leaf and won’t be tempted in the future to purchase something new just because the urge strikes me, but I can promise that I will be much more aware of the excesses in my life. Maybe my sister has helped me to improve my character just a little bit.
istockphoto
16 responses to “Spring Cleaning”
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately too. Sadly, being lazy, I have done nothing. Good work!
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately too. Sadly, being lazy, I have done nothing. Good work!
Ahhh, I needed a good laugh – I think you posted a picture of my closet!!!! 🙂
Ahhh, I needed a good laugh – I think you posted a picture of my closet!!!! 🙂
Reality check!!! I need to clean out my closet, too.
My thoughts are the same as yours, but my thoughts have been about my fabric, and my many works in progress that are in cute little boxes just waiting for me to finish them one day. There are many of these.
I was buying fabric on a whim, whether or not I needed it. I have tons of fabric. I have a Christmas, Halloween, Valentines Day, Patriotic, collection like you wouldn’t beleive. That’s not mentioning all of the other fabric collections I have.
I have my scraps organized into color groups. I have cried before because my scrap collection was so overwhelming. My husband called me while I was crying. He is loves to do woodworking, and he understands scraps and the need to keep them. He suggested that I buy quilt books that specialize in scrap quilts. The Nickel Quilt books are great, and I love the quilts from “Rosie”.
I have been trying to buy fabric only if I need it to finish something, but it’s hard to do. I still have to have fun, and I do. I just think about it before I buy.
Reality check!!! I need to clean out my closet, too.
My thoughts are the same as yours, but my thoughts have been about my fabric, and my many works in progress that are in cute little boxes just waiting for me to finish them one day. There are many of these.
I was buying fabric on a whim, whether or not I needed it. I have tons of fabric. I have a Christmas, Halloween, Valentines Day, Patriotic, collection like you wouldn’t beleive. That’s not mentioning all of the other fabric collections I have.
I have my scraps organized into color groups. I have cried before because my scrap collection was so overwhelming. My husband called me while I was crying. He is loves to do woodworking, and he understands scraps and the need to keep them. He suggested that I buy quilt books that specialize in scrap quilts. The Nickel Quilt books are great, and I love the quilts from “Rosie”.
I have been trying to buy fabric only if I need it to finish something, but it’s hard to do. I still have to have fun, and I do. I just think about it before I buy.
Nicole, you promised if I let you photograph my closet you wouldn’t post the evidence!!!!!
Well it could be mine, LOL
Well done, good job!
Nicole, you promised if I let you photograph my closet you wouldn’t post the evidence!!!!!
Well it could be mine, LOL
Well done, good job!
Been there, done that. I’m down to ONE closet now and not much duplication. And I STILL don’t wear everything I own…I tend to wear the same few items that make me feel comfortable and the other things just hang there.
Good for you that you were able to accomplish this!
Been there, done that. I’m down to ONE closet now and not much duplication. And I STILL don’t wear everything I own…I tend to wear the same few items that make me feel comfortable and the other things just hang there.
Good for you that you were able to accomplish this!
Well I’m glad to be a good influence on someone.
I love how it sounds like you have ONLY 60 pairs of shoes, Imelda.
I should take a picture of our closet – My half (okay 75%) looks like the before picture and Rick’s part looks like the after (except for all the brightly colored tank tops).
When we were getting our closets done the woman from California closet looked at Rick very seriously and told him that it was California law (section 710, code FW-5120) that the woman of the house gets 75% of all the closet space.
I loved that woman and had her do the rest of the closets in the house.
Well I’m glad to be a good influence on someone.
I love how it sounds like you have ONLY 60 pairs of shoes, Imelda.
I should take a picture of our closet – My half (okay 75%) looks like the before picture and Rick’s part looks like the after (except for all the brightly colored tank tops).
When we were getting our closets done the woman from California closet looked at Rick very seriously and told him that it was California law (section 710, code FW-5120) that the woman of the house gets 75% of all the closet space.
I loved that woman and had her do the rest of the closets in the house.
Oh, I SO need to do this too! Maybe when I get my daughter off to college, I’ll come home and start tackling our closet! Are those your wooden hangers? I want to replace all of our mismatched junky ones with those! Thanks for the motivation!
xo,
Kim
Oh, I SO need to do this too! Maybe when I get my daughter off to college, I’ll come home and start tackling our closet! Are those your wooden hangers? I want to replace all of our mismatched junky ones with those! Thanks for the motivation!
xo,
Kim
Who let you in my closet?!?!
Who let you in my closet?!?!