Have you ever been stressed out by the pile of laundry that’s been sitting there for a week? It’s an eye-sore and weighs heavy on our minds. Laundry piles, or as I like to call them, “Mount Washmore” and “Mount Foldmore,” are just big ol’ reminders that there’s more stuff to do.
I’m finally figuring out that the less I have the less I have to keep up with. My goodness it is refreshing! The less clothes you have, the easier it is to get ready in the morning. The less clothes you have, the less laundry you have to do. The less clothes you have, the more likely they will be pieces you actually love and feel good in. You get the point!
There’s a study somewhere that says we only use 20% of the clothes in our closet. I’m not sure if that’s true but it sounds about right to me. I know I always go for the same things. The clothes that go easily together, feel and look the best on me, are effortless and timeless.
Today we will focus on a few things to get rid of from your wardrobe.
I am a no-nonsense kinda gal. I like to keep things simple and to the point. I made this SO simple and straight-forward that it won’t take much thought or effort to do. You don’t have to decide if each piece sparks joy (which for some reason doesn’t work for me!) or anything like that. It is as straight forward as it can get!
If it fits in any of these categories, it goes. That’s it.
I am talking about the clothes that aren’t even worth giving away. The ones that need repairs you never made, are faded, misshapen and saggy in weird places. The clothes that you got your use out of but are just no longer flattering any way, shape or form. Just let them go. You’ll never feel good wearing them. They are just frumpy. How many sets of “work clothes” or “yard clothes” or “painting clothes” do you really need? If you want to keep one old pair of jeans and shirt fine, but keep them in a separate place from your wardrobe so you don’t have to look at them every day.
This is another no-brainer. They aren’t going to get more comfortable. Life is way to short to be walking around with blisters, pinched toes, sore feet and a bad back. It’s just NOT WORTH IT. Get rid of them today. You won’t miss them. I’m sorry you made that purchase but we’ve all been there. They looked cute in the store or you needed them for a special occasion but now there they sit: too late to return them but you don’t want to have considered the money wasted. It’s already gone, Baby. There’s no getting it back or getting any value out of something that doesn’t work for you. They are simply taking up precious space! Take it is a lesson to invest in good quality shoes and resist purchasing cheap or trendy shoes in the future. Your body will thank you!
What you wear underneath does make a difference. If you have an uncomfortable bra or underwear get rid of them immediately. Why would you want to be pulling at your bra strap or have underwear riding up all day? No one wants to have underwear lines either. Go for seamless! I’d rather have one pair of nice fitting underwear for each day of the week than than a bunch that might look cute but are uncomfortable. As boring as it may be, I have found a brand I like and bought around two dozen pair. That’s all I wear now. Easy peasy. I only have a few bras also but they all fit perfectly, give me a nice shape, are comfy and look good under everything. No more weird bulges, sore shoulders or straps that fall. Ahhhhhhh. And socks…same deal. For work (I’m a nurse) I bought a bunch of the same brand that I know fit well and are comfortable. So easy to pair up. I do have dress socks and tights too but keep it simple with every day socks and it really does save me time, effort and the frustration of pairing them. And as soon as a pair gets worn out, it goes in the trash! I think I got around 20 pair because the rotation of them keeps them looking new for a longer period of time.
If it is doesn’t properly fit you it doesn’t belong in your closet. Period. If you try something on in the morning and have to take it off because it’s not flattering, too short, too baggy or tight then out it goes. If it pinches, pulls, requires adjusting or you feel self-conscious in it (I’m talking muffin top, camel toe, your tummy or back shows when you lean over, etc) out it goes. It just makes sense. You need to be able to move freely in your clothes. And by the way, when you do lose weight (if that’s your goal and reason for hanging onto something) you’ll want new clothes anyway. That was a different time. Holding onto them isn’t making you any thinner or you’d already fit into them. You can’t go backwards. Just live for today and wear what looks great on your body shape now.
If you have something that is completely outdated it is time to let it go. You got your use out of it. If you have something that has an unusual pattern and you can never seem to find something to wear it with, that’s another item that can be let go and will never be missed.
What you’re going to be left with is going to make you feel so good about yourself. You’ll be looking and feeling fine!
It makes you feel better mentally. It actually can de-stress you and make you feel calmer and even happier. It takes stress off of one little area of your life. One step at a time to a healthier, more productive, beautifully simplified life where you can admire a clean closet, feel good in your skin and just have less stuff to take care of.
Image from IKEA
If you just got rid of the items above you will be in really great shape. As a BONUS to yourself, if you are feeling really ambitious, you could also go through all of your accessories such as belts, bags, jewelry and such. I can make a separate post on that if anyone is interested.
I sure hope this was helpful to someone and you don’t wait as long as I did to figure this out!
Let me know in the comments if you’re already a minimalist or are really good at purging items on a regular basis. I’d love to hear any great tips. I’m just learning as I go. Do you agree with the above suggestions? If not, why?
Thank you for reading!
May you be happy and well!
