January is one of my favorite months of the entire year. I usually clean out and reorganize like a nesting mama to be. We reorganize the toys. We get rid of bags and bags for donations. And we take down all the Christmas decorations and our house feels fresh and clean. While Christmas is about the only time I decorate the house, I am beyond ready for it to come down by December 26. January is here and it is time to start fresh for a fresh new year!
Resolutions in the New Year
I love when people set a word for the year and resolutions. I’ll be honest, neither of those feel quite right for me. I have a hard time sticking with things. And then I get frustrated and quit entirely. It’s something I’m working on! I completed a project that I’m pretty proud of myself for. I do love setting high goals for myself with the plan to get myself organized and get there, but it is definitely a work in progress!
Last year, I set my first resolution in a long time. I fell down the Instagram rabbit hole of slow fashion. It was eye opening and has forever changed my perspective. My resolution was to not purchase new clothes. I’d still allow myself to shop used and thrift stores, but purchasing elsewhere was a no-no. I lasted until May, when I learned that I was expecting baby number 3. I was growing much faster than I had before and needed some comfy clothes.
Slow Fashion
While I was not perfect with my resolution, I did learn a lot. Sustainable brands/ethical clothing/slow fashion is amazing and worth it. The quality difference is noticeable. I don’t like when clothes fall apart after a few washes and wears.
The maternity clothes that I purchased are ready to fall apart. The shirts are all piling, the pants are falling apart and have worn out knees and they have only been worn a few months. They look cheap, which is fitting because they were. I purchased from big box companies and did my best to pay very little. Slow fashion is better quality, but it also comes at a higher price tag and I knew I wouldn’t be wearing the maternity clothes for very long.
Thrift Shops
People donate really great clothing items that I don’t like paying full price for. I bought a Lululemon sweater for $4.50 from Goodwill. It has a tiny bleach mark on the back, but it’s tough to see. When you have time to search, you can find great thrift shop deals on clothes that you will love. If thrift stores aren’t your jam, there are so many online thrift places that you can search through quickly and easily.
When you are more intentional about what you are purchasing, you will wear it more. The price per wear is a friendlier way to think about what you are buying and wearing. I love dresses, but I don’t wear them very often. Buying a beautiful, expensive dress doesn’t make the most sense for me. On the other hand, I’ll wear a sweater or athletic pants daily, so that is where I will spend more money per item.
New Year
I don’t have a resolution set for this new year, but I do plan to be more intentional. I want my money to support smaller businesses and more ethical clothing lines. I’ll purchase items that I’ll wear regularly. I want to be more intentional with my time.
And… I want to hear about your resolutions. Are you a word of the year person? An annual goal setter? Share your plans or your successes from last year.
