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Cleaning in Spring

Posted on: Friday, April 4, 2014

"The more you get rid of, the more you have to wear"

I have, periodically, flipped through my wardrobe, tossed no longer worn and out-of-date clothes into a pile on my floor, thrown them into a garbage bag, and given them away. And then, slowly, I accumulate new things, my closet bulks up, I thin it, and so the cycle goes. Can anybody relate?

Well, this time was different.

My closet had begun to bulge, and I had run out of hangers. My sundresses and tanks were all hung 2, 3, 5 deep on one hanger, and often after laundry day I had to set aside clothes for when one would open up. Solving the problem did not involve a trip to the store for more hangers, oh no: it meant doing some serious Spring cleaning. So the other day I enlisted my boyfriend for help, and I went through everything. Everything: each hanging item, my sock, underwear, and bra drawers, my sweats and workout drawers. I told him to answer these questions as I tried things on: Is it my style anymore? Does it look good on/still fit me? He was ruthless.

The result? 35 hangers now available, an organized closet, and a fresh feng shui energy moving through my wardrobe.

Here are a few bits of wisdom I gained I would like to pass along…

- First, have a close friend-whose opinion you trust and who isn’t afraid to tell you the truth-join you. Too many times I talk myself into the ‘maybes’ staying around for another season. Having them there makes it way more fun and actually goes quicker because they protect you from overthinking each decision!
- Is it my style anymore? I, like many of us, have a hard time parting with things we have sentimental attachment to: “I used to love this shirt,” ”I wore this dress all the time back in ___.” But do you love it now? Do you currently wear it all the time? Yes: keep. No: chuck. Clothes are not like friends-silver and gold-you do not need to keep the old and the new.
- I realized how much my style has evolved in the past couple of years, influenced by job changes as well as a bolder approach toward my personal fashion. It is neat to realize how defined my style is becoming, and how uniquely me it is!





- Does it look good on/still fit me? Our bodies are constantly changing, and we pick the clothes that fit us best in that moment. No need to keep a pair of baggy jeans or a clingy shirt, make room for the ones that do fit now.
- Take the time and try it all on. When I tried on practically everything I own in one afternoon, I gained a great overall sense of how to better define my style and what essential pieces I am missing.
- Knowing what I have in my closet gives me options. Waking up each morning becomes a chance to try out a new combination I dreamed up or wear that outfit I forgot I had. Plus, I can see what I have at a glance!




- We noticed there were one or two reoccurring items I needed to complete several different looks. We wrote those down and now I purposely hone in on this list when shopping. It’s exciting, because I know what I buy I will wear all the time, and this is further motivation to get one I absolutely love. For example, I noticed that several shirts I tried through would look great paired with a bralette or cropped bra. Now I am on a mission to find a great one!
- My closet and drawers look better. Without all the worn out bras and holy socks, my drawers look so much more attractive, I like the items left behind more than I did before. They seem to stand out more!


- I found I kept things I didn’t love, but wanted to replace. For example, I had a striped shirt that didn’t fit the way I wanted it to, but I kept it as a reminder to get another one. The irony is I never bought another when I was out because I felt like I had one already! Write it down and make room.
- My mom has made me several crocheted items that I absolutely love, but some do not fit my current look. These aren’t things I’m willing to part with, so instead I wrapped them up and put them away for another season or to pass along to my daughter someday.
- Is it worth altering? A few things I keep that need alterations before I will wear them. I have a handmade skirt from my travels abroad I want to modify, but forget about since it’s stowed away in my hanging abyss. I made a pile of the things worth fixing and set it beside my sewing machine for a rainy day in April.
- Lastly, I folded the discarded clothes strewn about and put them into pile. Then, I tied each one with string—making it easy to pull in and out of the garbage bag when bringing around to friends. They are like a present handed off instead of a pile of your old throw-aways!



And the crazy thing is, I still have a ton of clothes left! Why did I keep that bra with a broken underwire for months? Why did I feel so attached to that floral shirt that never fit right? Honestly, I don’t know anymore, it seems so silly in retrospect!

xo,
Betsi


1 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing your secrets here.Move in move Out Cleaning Edmonton appreciates your effort on providing useful tips here. Very helpful especially to those people wanting to learn how to clean carpets right.

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