Cleaning Out My Closet (Literally, not Figuratively)

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Chevron Dress I have this dress.  I love it so.  I got it for about $3 at Charming Charlie.  I’m no stranger to a good deal, but this dress was different.  I didn’t buy it just because it was a great low price.  I bought it because I couldn’t WAIT to wear it.  I thought about how I would accessorize it.  I looked up ideas on Pinterest.  Which shoes would be just right?  Then, I waited and wore it on a day when I would see a lot of people I knew.  It was exhilarating!

But this got me thinking…  Why would I have anything in my closet that I’m not THAT excited about?  As I browsed through well over a hundred articles of clothing accumulated from years of clearance rack and thrift store shopping, I couldn’t find many items that excited me the way that one dress did.

Over the next few months I became much more critical about the items I allowed to take up space in my precious closet.  I purged.  I tried things on.  And I became less overwhelmed with choosing an outfit each day.

These are some of the questions I asked to help me pare down my ridiculous wardrobe:

Does it fit?  (Most of my items got knocked out in the first round thanks to this question!)

Does it make me feel special?  (Only you can answer that one for yourself.)

If it isn’t special, does it serve a purpose?  (My hiking pants and workout clothes fall into this category.)

Would I wear it right now if the weather/occasion was appropriate?  (If you’re starting your clean out during a hard Colorado winter, it’s okay to cut yourself a little slack on whether or not you’ve worn a summer dress in the last month.)

Can I wear it with multiple other items?  (A shirt that only matches one coordinating item might not be necessary to keep.)

Tidy Closet

I didn’t stop with my hanging clothing.  I took this method all the way through my underwear drawer (HELLO free VS panties!), my rainbow of tights and leggings, my shoes, and accessories like scarves and jewelry.

I’ve gotten rid of so much, but I still feel motivated to keep going.  I’m starting to feel like my closet matches my Pinterest inspirations, and I’m finding more ways to mix & match using the items that I really love.

I’m not sure I could ever be considered a minimalist or contain myself to a “Capsule Wardrobe”, but I’m happy to have an organized closet full of possibility.

I know that sometimes between the spitup, the dirty diapers, and the dishwashing that it just seems easier to stay in yoga pants all day, but I encourage you to take the time to invest in yourself and your appearance.  I’m no supermodel, but I always feel better about myself in a cute outfit and earrings.

 I challenge you to put on an outfit that makes you feel good, snap a selfie, and post it to our Facebook page to encourage other moms.  I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

3 COMMENTS

    • Crystal, it’s tough to be in between sizes. I wouldn’t do any major purging yet until you feel like you are comfortable with where you are at. Then you can purge and even buy a few new things for your new size ?

  1. I love this. I’m very much not into fashion, so I don’t actually have a lot of clothes, but this is a good list of rules to follow. My wardrobe is literally composed of half workout clothes and half jeans. I do hang onto a pair of jeans that is one size too big and one size too small in the event that I need to check myself every once in a while but that’s just me 🙂 I Will happily get rid of shoes and shirts and other things that I haven’t worn in at least a year. Thanks!

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