How many of us wear every single item in our closets? Probably not very many of us. Well, I haven't yet but I wear a lot more then I use to. And I plan on wearing everything in the near future. Because recently I revamped my wardrobe.
For years I would go to my closet to get something to wear and an hour later half the contents would be lying on the bed or scattered on the floor and I would be left feeling completely defeated and miserable. Or, just end up throwing on jeans, a t-shirt and tennies just to get it all over with and skip the frustration. I want to open my closet be inspired and be able to just pull something out that fits, looks good and makes me feel good.
Yes, it took me a while and am still finding a piece here and a piece there that I can get rid of and replace with something much better. But in the long run, I have found it so much more enjoyable to get dressed in the morning. I don't feel so stressed out and rushed in the mornings and actually have time to do my hair and put on a little make-up (usually). I definitely feel more presentable and my husband is loving not only the way I look but also my better moods.
I finally got so fed up with it all that I decided it was time to take action. SO, I took the plunge and purged my entire wardrobe. From jeans, slacks, skirts and blouses to belts, purses and shoes. Even jewelry. Anything that I didn't wear on a regular basis I tried on and checked for fit, comfort and style. I had to find out why I wasn't wearing these items. Then I checked everything that was left for any rips, tears, holes, missing buttons, messed up zippers, etc. I also got rid of any (well at least most) of my frumpy grubby clothes. I kept a few for serious house cleaning and painting. And that means I got rid of all the Teeny Bopper T's. Oh, And I took out ALL the pieces that I keep thinking I'll get back into one day. I didn't get rid of them yet, but put them in a bin at the top of my closet and gave myself 6 months to get back to that size. If I don't, no big deal I'll just donate. This way they aren't mocking me every time I open my closet. ONLY THINGS THAT FIT GO BACK IN!
As for shoes, I tried on every pair and again checked for fit, comfort and style. I ended up letting go of a lot of shoes I really liked but never wore. Did you know, that the average woman has around 40 pairs of shoes but only wears 3-4 pairs of those shoes?! We buy the shoes because we like them, so why aren't we wearing them? For me it's a fit problem. I shop with the children who distract, rush and frustrate me so I end up with shoes that I think fit comfortably but actually don't. They pinch a toe or hurt a heel so I never wear them and just leave them in the closet not wanting to admit that I just wasted money on another pair of shoes I can't wear. I keep all my shoes in boxes to help with the storage issue. It does help with keeping the shoes dust free but if I had the space it would be better to have the shoes out so I could see all that I have.
When putting everything back into the closet and on the shelves I organized the items by color. It really makes it so much easier to find what I am looking for. I also organized by type - Jackets with jackets, skirts with skirts, etc. To help with my space issue and to save the shape of my sweaters, jeans and slacks, I folded them and put them on shelves. It's awful to put on a sweater that has ears on your shoulders from the hanger.
A lot of my jewelry is out see I can see it. Hanging on thick hooks or pegs to protect the chains and not put too much stress on them. I am still working on a dispaly system for bracelets. I wear a lot more of my jewelry then when it was all tucked away.
Yes, it took me a while and am still finding a piece here and a piece there that I can get rid of and replace with something much better. But in the long run, I have found it so much more enjoyable to get dressed in the morning. I don't feel so stressed out and rushed in the mornings and actually have time to do my hair and put on a little make-up (usually). I definitely feel more presentable and my husband is loving not only the way I look but also my better moods.
