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Declutter Your Closet: Why is it So Hard to Let Go of Clothes?
By
Danelle Ice - Home Ever After |
May 27th, 2008 |
Category:
Clutter Control |
15 comments
How to Declutter Your Closet
Why is it so hard to let go of clothes?
Those memories may be in our minds, and they may be attached to those clothes, but if that attachment isn’t serving us then it’s time to move on. Be in control of your life! Start with your closet!
You have the photos from your sister’s wedding; giving up the dress won’t make you forget the special day. You have photos from your Disney vacation; you don’t need the souvenir t-shirts. You have the sentiment that someone thought about you and gave you a gift from the heart, but even they wouldn’t want you to keep something just because you feel obligated. Too small clothes? It’s time to face the facts: you’re not that size anymore. If you become that small size in the future, celebrate by buying new clothes that are in style (not retro from your old skinny days!).
Whatever your reason, it’s time to let go of it. If you must have the clothing memory, take photos of the items before you purge them. Print out the decluttering criteria for clothes (don’t forget to print clothes decluttering part 2 also) and go to the closet to get started.
1. Repeat the mantra: “The only clothes that belong in my closet are clothes I wear that make me look and feel great.”
2. Take a deep breath, and put the bad clothes in a bag to donate.
3. Put the bag in your car without a second thought.
4. Feel the burden lift as you let go of attachments and items that don’t enrich your life.
5. Feel good to be in control and choose to be clutter free!
Homemaker Barbi Says: Be in control of your life, your decisions, your closet, and your clothes!
Hi Danielle!
I actually like decluttering my closet. I find it a fun thing to do, because I love being organized. This year my kids and I actually went over to my mother’s and decluttered her closet. I don’t know why people would want to live with too much stuff. It gets too confusing.
Anyway, I tagged you! Hope you don’t mind tags, but I got tagged and then had to pass the love around. Go Visit To Love, Honor and Vacuum today! for more details!
Decluttering my closet/kids is something I do twice a year.
But, I had to laugh. I was a bridesmaid in 12 weddings, and all of those dresses are taking up almost one WHOLE closet.
My husband wants me to get rid of them, but I spent so much money on each of them…I find it hard.
But, where will I ever wear them again! Seriously!
Time to get rid of them!
This is a great post! Thanks for sharing it.
Great post! I need to do that!
So, so true! I don’t have a lot of clothes but I’m excited to finally get rid of my maternity clothes, the fat clothes, the skinny clothes and the in between clothes. I’m excited to be done having babies so I can go back to one size again and stay there!!!
Thanks for the comments ladies!
@Sheila: Good for you! It’s always easier for me to help someone else than to do my own!
@Carrie: I laughed hard at your comment (I’ve been there myself!). There’s always eBay, to try to recover some of the cost
@Lazy: I’m with you – complete wardrobe for me through all seasons of maternity until I’m done having babies!
Danelle, Home Ever After
I think I’m going to take a picture of the shirt I wore on my first date with my husband and then give it away. I haven’t worn it in years, but it’s been hanging in my closet all this time…
Thanks for this. I really needed this right now, with a closet full of clothes that I NEVER wear. I cleared out 2 drawers today and sent the bags with Hubby because the drop off (TAX DEDUCTABLE) is right next door to his work. Now I can’t go diving for them, and we have another deduction for our taxes!
[...] 3. Get rid of stuff you don’t need. This can be hard, but hanging on to products or clothes you no longer use will only weigh you down. A good article on De-cluttering your closet can be found here. [...]
Great article. I laughed when I read “Not just a little snug, but several sizes too small – we’re talking 5 years ago too small.” A few years ago I gained some weight, but hung onto these awesome jeans that I knew I would fit into again someday. Well, someday happened and when I went back to my closet to try on those beloved jeans I learned that they were high-waisted and *gasp* a little TAPERED (remember this was a few years ago, before skinny jeans came back, so it was really horrifying). I vowed that moment never to keep things in the hopes of fitting into them again. What a disappointment!!
I was so glad to stumble upon this article. My mother passed away 6 years ago this April, and I’m having a really tough time giving in to it. When I look at the clothes they make me remeber her, but like your article stated, I’ve got pictures galore of my mother! The other hint I will now try to abide to is only having in my closet what feels good and fits. So true. It’s so depressing anyway to try old jeans on, it’s almost like I need to close the chapter on my “skinny jean” days. What a great writer you are, I look forward to reading more inspirational articles.
SCook
@SCook: I am so sorry to hear the news about your mother. I can only imagine how tough it is for you to take on that project, especially with all the special memories that are involved. Why not try picking a few favorite articles of her clothing, and having them put into shadowboxes from your favorite craft store? That way you can hang them on the wall, maybe even with a photo or 2 included, where they’ll be displayed as the special items they are.
Thank you for the compliment – I love to be able to help. Good luck on your project, and may you have all the strength you need!
Danelle, Home Ever After
My daughter has been pressuring me to throw/give away all my “80s clothes” which occupy half of her closet in her room. I know I probably should, but I still find it hard. I’m doing it little by little. It does not help that she goes “ewe!, what’s this?” and “ugh, this is ugly!” when it holds a lot of memories for me, good ones at that. Thank you for the article and I’m getting to that point where I will just give them all away.
@Jo-Ann: Good for you for being strong! Make a special “80s clothes scrapbook” in which you take pics of all the outfits in your daughter’s closet. Put each photo on a scrapbook page, and write up a story it reminds you of. You’ll have all your good memories intact in a scrapbook your daughter might actually think is pretty cool when all is said and done (and she gets to know a little about her mom’s younger days!). Great work- you can do it!
Danelle, Home Ever After
I have a lot of t-shirts that I collected while traveling which clutter and I never wear. Instead of throwing them out I have decided to cut out the logos and make a blanket out of them. That way I can still have those family memories of traveling and the old shirts can be used again. Cutting them up and sewing the pieces together also saves space.