For those of you unfamiliar with the text of "How to De-Clutter Your Life in a Week," the first step is to clean out your closet. Well actually all your clothing.
The trick is to put all your clothes together in one place at one time so you know what you really have. I was game to that. Hence the pictures of the insane pile of clothes on the semi-made bed --all mine.
I was honestly amazed at the amount because I thought clothes were the one area of my life that I have the ability to yell "next" and take a big bag out to donation. It is absolutely amazing what lingers un-bothered in the back of your closet.
I had no idea that I had so many pairs of jeans, or that I still have certain sweaters and jackets. I am a certified winter coat whore so that was no surprise. But I maintain anyone who spent 4 winters in Blacksburg has multiple winter coats. I just held on to them ---ALL. Except the snazzy pea coat that literally fell apart and could not be sewn back together that 11th time. I keep a button in remembrance --- that would be funny right? if it wasn't true, but it is.
Everything I forgot I owned I tried on, and only 1 thing still fit. Depressing a bit, but it wasn't like I couldn't even get my legs in too small, just like lay down on the bed and suck it in too small. I am justifying, and that's fine, because I did the right thing --- they all went in the donation pile.
I the end I had three large boxes for donation, even the coat hangers (having invested in the supper snazzy huggable hangers and now having the proper amount of clothes to where I don't need plastic hangers!!!). And another box that I would like to yard sale/put in consignment.
It was surprising what was easy to get rid of --- my favorite pair of skinny jeans and even my black leather jacket circa senior year. I have a new 21st century leather jacket that makes my old jacket look a little lot lizard (I fear that it may have always been a little lot lizard, but if I couldn't bed Eddie Vedder I could at least wear similar clothing.)
Other things were a little harder. The Charlotte Hornet Larry Johnson jersey that I got at a yard sale about two years after LJ retired? Why was that so hard? I do not know, I chalk it up to mild mental illness and my continued belief that the cheap 5th foul on Greg Anthony in the 1991 Final Four may have been the beginning of the end of our civilization. That would be funny too, if I weren't being completely serious. But I am.
I digress, and then there was the horribly date 1980's jean jacket given to me by my grandfather. I have had several reincarnations of this staple and yet this acid washed monstrosity has lingered in my closet. It is of course the memories and so with teary eyes and a shove to the bottom of the pile, it was gone.
There are certain things I did not give up. I still am the proud owner of my Sacramento Kings Hedo Turkelo jersey. I was a Turk fan before last year's finals and I wear it every so often to remind those near and dear. I also kept a couple of frilly J Jill tops that I will get to wear if I ever get another day at the office. There are certain hopes to which we must cling to kept our tenuous grasp on sanity.
Still the difference is noticeable, especially in my dresser drawers. I also worked hard to redesign the flow. The cold hard truth is that I don't know until I put it on. So I am trying to set out pieces that go together and then hang back up the losers that morning. So far so good, but snow schedule is a friend of mine.
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