I remember a time - not so long ago - when shopping for
clothes meant going downtown or to the mall with any excuse of
"needing" some clothing item, or having no excuse at all. It involved
hours of endeavor - all morning or afternoon - going in and out of stores,
trying on clothes. And often as not leaving the stores with several items, even
though I’d gone there looking for something in particular.
Ah, and those were also the days when our credit cards had room for a few more
purchases – not minding the ever-growing balance of debt that accumulated. Shopping was
supposed to be sheer pleasure. On that basis, we bought a lot of stuff. Our
closets overflowed.
Today, things have
changed for many of us. Shopping for clothes isn’t at all what it
was. We’ve rejected crass consumerism. We'd feel
embarrassed to flaunt our exit from the stores carrying so many bags. We also know
that we should carry a personal, reusable shopping bag, or at the very least,
leave the stores with as few disposable bags - paper over plastic - as possible.
Also, of late we’ve embraced the
concept of minimalism – for the home and for the closet. We no longer like to
see our closets spilling over with outfits. We’ve found that some well
chosen clothes – maybe just 20 or 30 items often work very well. And we allow
ourselves something new only when we’re willing to give away a corresponding
item.
 |
| My winter wardrobe of 25 ítems |
Closet minimalism is a
good way to go. I recommend it. And why worry about limited closet space when
what you really need takes up just a small space? If you like the idea,
start editing your closet right away. It’s easier than you might think.
Start editing
Take all your
clothes out of the closet and inventory them. You'll see that you have more
clothes than you thought. There are probably several items that you used to
love, but have gotten shoved to the back of the clothes rack. Some clothes no
longer fit, others show wear, and some need zippers or buttons.
To begin your inventory, make five piles of clothes on the bed or floor.
The first pile is for “keepers” - those that fit
and that you absolutely love and wear at least once a month.
The second pile is for those things that fit but
require dry cleaning or some minor repair. If you plan to keep them, take care
of these needs right away.
The third pile is separated out for donation,
selling or giving away. It includes clothes that no longer fit, are out-dated,
or those you just don’t like anymore.
Pile four is made up
of torn or stained clothes that nobody is likely to want. (I never recommend
throwing out clothes. You can wear them around the house or to bed, or cut them
into rags (for cleaning or craft projects.)
Pile five is for seasonal clothes or exceptionally
good special occasion outfits. Store them in a box or clothing bag elsewhere in
the house. You’ll get them out when you need them.
Hang the "keeper" clothes back in your closet by groups
of items -- such as coats, outer wear, dresses, skirts, blouses, dress pants,
exercise wear -- or in some other order that makes sense to you. You may also
need to sort through and edit the rest of your clothes - underwear, shoes, and
accessories - before returning them to their places.
 |
| All the shoes in my winter closet. (Boots are in boxes.) |
Then, if you think that you still have too many "keeper"
clothes, here are some further editing options.
Extreme wardrobe reductionism.
You can further reduce your need for closet space and stop wasting
time wondering what to wear. Do this by simplifying your clothing needs to 6,
8, or 10 well-coordinated outfits. Keep clothes that are simple in design and
of the same color scheme, so you can mix and match. Since you are
going to have fewer items, you want to choose totally comfortable
items. Get rid of the rest. You never again have to dig deep in your
closet to see if there’s stuff in there that you want to wear.
You won’t need many items at all, if you adopt a personal uniform
style – everything is usable, by definition. Your uniform should be one of
your choosing – a look that represents your inner self or, at least, that part
of yourself you want to share with the outside world. Eliminate absolutely everything
else. For example, there are women who always wear a suit to work. They have 4
or 5 suits that are simple in style and neutral in color. The individual pieces
of the suits can be mixed and matched to create their entire professional
wardrobe. Another sort of uniform, for women who are homemakers or casual-dress
workers, would be 3 pairs of khaki pants (or nice jeans) and 5 blouses or
shirts in similar style but varying colors. This kind of uniform can be worn
year-round.
Don't accumulate useless stuff again
Regardless of your editing criteria, once you've reduced your wardrobe, don’t allow yourself to accumulate a lot of stuff again. Remember, your best wardrobe is one that is full of clothes that you love and wear often.
Regardless of your editing criteria, once you've reduced your wardrobe, don’t allow yourself to accumulate a lot of stuff again. Remember, your best wardrobe is one that is full of clothes that you love and wear often.
When you decide that you really need to shop, don't buy several items, when you only need one. Also, think about
alternatives to going downtown or to the mall. You don’t have to buy new
clothes. Nice, gently used clothes are easily found. Visit yard sales. Go to
thrift shops or vintage stores. You’ll probably find something that you like at
a great price.
Check your closets and drawers every few weeks to see if they are still in the best possible order. You’ll find that your edited and organized closet will be a long-term source of personal satisfaction and confidence.
Note
Due to "popular request" and to my compulsive need to document most everything, here is a list of the 25 clothing items and shoes in my winter wardrobe. Gym/yoga clothes and at home grunges are not included.
2 black skirts/different textures
1 blue jean skirt
1 dress pants/black
2 blue jeans
1 "dressy" dress - LBD
2 cardigans/black & grey
2 pullovers/grey & black
3 jackets/black zip-up, black snap-up & blue jean
1 blazer (still need to buy)
1 parka/black
1 trench coat/medium blue
1 hooded sweat shirt/dark grey
4 short sleeve shirts/assorted colors
3-3/4 sleeve shirts/assorted colors
2 tennis/walking and running
2 heels/ closed with tie and closed with strap
2 boots/hiking and snow
flats with straps
chunky pull-on flats (still need to buy)
| Related posts. http://grandmasusansalmanac.blogspot.com/2012/09/things-to-downsize-right-away-case-1.html http://grandmasusansalmanac.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-consumerism-still-tries-to-fool-us.html |
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