One Purge to Rule Them All
Thursday October 11, 2012
Sometimes I’ll re-read Tim Gunn’s “A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style” book’s chapter Diagnosing the Common Closet or come upon inspiring posts from bloggers like Ronnie and her Happy Closet series and I’ll just feel the motivation I need to make those tough seasonal closet decisions.
I know the rule. If you haven’t worn an item in a year it’s time to say good-bye. Some people even follow a stricter time frame. I often follow it easily… but then there are some items for which I make excuses. I tell myself, “well not this season but maybe next!” Before I know it, I’ve held onto something for two years maybe having forced myself to wear it once. Usually they’re things I used to cherish but are no longer really “me.” And therefore I rarely wear.
That’s what the majority of this purge is.
The “maybes”
I gave second and third chances to without success. Dresses, skirts, and shorts I started to feel were too short each time I wore them, oversized sweaters that gave a less than flattering puffy-snowman look, and other items I bought during 2010~2011 as I swayed from one trend to the next following my fickle tastes wherever they led. :dizzy: Most of my purged things are from H&M, Target, or Shimamura that I bought during that time.
Much of this also includes many pairs of heels. Yes, I think it’s safe to say my wearing of flats is no longer a “phase.” I’m donating over half my heels. I have my tried & true black heels and a few other pairs in different styles. But so many needed to go. So I purged them. :)
I’ve been pretty stable and focused with what I pick up lately. At least since mid 2011. Many things I bought last winter I’m already prepping and excited to wear soon as the weather grows colder! Like my sweater dress from last year. Oh how I look forward to reviving it as a staple winter dress!
These items along with some books are being donated to the Vietnam Veterans of America pickup program. Click the link to see if they pick-up in your area. They always need donation items especially clothing :)
Tags: wardrobe
17 Responses to “One Purge to Rule Them All”
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Thank you for writing this. It gives me hope I can have a happy closet soon.
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I just donated a bunch of heels over the weekend! Maybe it’s a late-20s government worker thing ;) Like you they were all things that I used to love but I’ve moved on from. It’s hard to throw away sentimental clothes! “Oh but I bought this the first time I went to 109 and I know I never wear it but….” So I definitely sympathize with the dilemma!
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Yay, I love organized clutter-free closets! I’m sure you’ve made a ton of people very happy with your lovely “sloppy seconds”, I know I’d be!
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Oh I absolutely love this post and thank you for sharing a new blogger with me. I’ve been fighting with my closet recently and I think it’s about time that I go from high school-college attire to a more adult-like wardrobe. I need to let some things go – especially the ones that have a past.
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I just read a preview of Tim Gunn’s book on my Kindle, it seems like an interesting book .. I might just purchase it.
Thanks for this post, it reaffirmed my need to reduce lately, I donated a whole bunch of my clothes that I no longer wear but have been keeping just-in-case I had a change of heart. like you, I realize some clothes are no longer “me”. I finally just threw it into a giveaway pile, and donated it the same day.
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Recently when I had to move to my university city I went through my wardrobe and there are things I had there that I haven’t worn in years and it surprised me how many of those pieces I have! I cleaned those out and now I follow the “buy only what you really want/need rule” and my wardrobe is slowly improving itself. The number of old clothes is slowly decreasing and the clothes I really feel comfortable in is increasing :)
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I am in dire need of a wardrobe clear out, I should get on with it!
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I love your WC bags! So cute!
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The WC bags are so cute! I don’t know if I ever want to donate my clothes away since I think that everything sort of comes back in style and trend so I like to keep certain basic pieces in my closet even if I’ve only worn them a few times. You just never know how they might come in handy in making a new outfit with some new pieces in the future. But I do understand what you mean how some items are just not “you” anymore and feel a need to give them away.
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I recently donated…LOTS. It is really hard sometime to give things up. A lot of people are thinking, “I will wear again” ~ *denial*. It is even harder to give stuffs up when you spent a lot. My rule is to try to buy on sale so that later it does not feel so difficult to just give away (and I ask myself if I would wear it everyday — if I wouldn’t it means I do not love so much and should pass it up). At the end, it helps that what you donate will go to a good cause or clothe someone who would really appreciate it. :)
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Thanks for this post! Extremely useful!! Lately I have been struggling to just buy clothes I really like and don’t end up having a pile of clothing items which are sort of in the middle. I really admire how you really narrow down to just the stuff you love and of your ‘style’.
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I wish I could purge my closet like you do! A lot of my wardrobe consists of “vintage” pieces from my mother that I can never wear on a daily basis to campus.. I have to buy hoodies to ‘fit in’ during the winter months versus wearing her mink furry coats and london fog trenchcoats! :(
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I love love love the title of this post hahaha I’m currently trying to sort out my own style myself and before I would also make purchases without really thinking hard about how often I’d wear it etc. And I think that once you finally settle on a style nearly everything you buy will match with your wardrobe! No more thinking “oh this top will go so well with ONE of my bottoms” =)
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same same im doing that too! hard to let go but i’ll feel better when i do let it go