my closet clean-out: the big purge

i got inspired to clean out my closet after reading lauren conrad’s style book (read my review of her book). and then kendi, one of my favorite bloggers, did a great series on creating a working closet, step one of which is to purge.

whoa. i forgot how exhausting it is to clean out your closet.
» how and why the heck do i have so much stuff?

i went through my non-hanging items on saturday (sweaters, cardigans, t-shirts, jeans, athletic wear, sleepwear, shoes) and put away my summer tanks and skirts.

on sunday i asked eric to help me go through the hanging items. deep down i knew i would keep more if i did it by myself.

first, i threw all my stuff on the bed, so i couldn’t take a nap until it was DONE.

then, we went through each item one by one. i tried on a few things i haven’t worn recently to try and remember why i don’t, and to get ideas on how i can style them in a new way.

eric was a huge help in convincing me to give away things i like but don’t wear. and he had some really good ideas on how i can use my old t-shirts in a new way. sometimes i am too closed-minded and just don’t “see” opportunities.
» except when it came to two gifts he’s given me that i don’t wear…THAT was harder for him than it was for me because he was more attached to the items. i ended up packing one away as a keepsake and donating the other.

when we were done, i donated a box of stuff to goodwill and sold one thing to plato’s closet.

i also found some items i borrowed that i need to mail back to their original owners (college roommates), and put a few things aside in case my younger cousins want to go through them.

conclusion: i have done myself no favors by adding things to my closet over the years without getting rid of older, unworn stuff. it gets too cluttered and i can’t see anything!

i love this quote by julie morgenstern, author of shed your stuff, change your life: “the…clutter in our lives generates an enormous amount of waste and at the same time prevents us from seeing what is possible.”

sounds—and looks—like i need to have a one-in, one-out mentality like linda.

going forward: my closet is now organized and i know where everything is again! woo!

it feels good, good.