It has been about ten years since I had my first child. I’m not a size 6 anymore, and never again will I fit into those jeans, lurking… at the top of my closet. I’m ok with that. I have this monstrous entity called a closet, and it’s full of clutter. Holiday supplies, as in: 6 Easter baskets (even though I have 2 children), gifts for Christmas (in case I forgot someone, I have a back-up plan), shoes & boots I haven’t worn in 3+ years, jeans & work pants that were purchased and never worn with the tags still on, and shirts… a bazillion shirts!! I’m unwilling to get rid of these, because, “if I’m at the beach one weekend and loose some weight, this halter top flowy thingy will really look fantastic!” It’s just straight up clutter!
It was time to purge, all of these items, holding me down, cluttering my mind, closet, and soul. So I started reading about clutter and how it creates chaos, which in turn is a perfect breeding environment for stress, and releases the hormone, cortisol. Then I read some more, how delightful it feels to let go of things that hold you back. How uplifting it is to actually feel good in what you are wearing. As in, comfortable, not crying on the closet floor underneath a pile of clothes that just don’t “fit” you or your lifestyle anymore.
Here’s how I started to have better energy from less clutter and more organization in my closet. I donated and let go of clothes I’d had for nearly a decade, which all started with those size 6 jeans… at the top of my closet:
- Am I comfortable in these clothes? No? Toss it in the donation bag.
- Have I worn this in the past year? (Let it Go, yes, sing the Disney song while your purging)
- Will I actually, ever, wear this? (Be honest!)
Then I started on the organization. You don’t have to run out to The Container Store, and buy a bunch of bins, baskets, or cubbies, to organize your clo
set. Look at what you have first, try to focus on minimizing what you have. That’s how we ended up in this position in the first place!
I chose to use a laundry basket to put my “everyday shoes” in, and used suitcases to store winter coats/sweaters. Organize your clothes by type (tanks, sleeves, 3/4 sleeves and long sleeve). You can even dive deeper from there, fancy shirts on one side, normal everyday shirts on the other. You choose, it’s your closet. Oh, and those holiday festive articles in disarray, were placed in the holiday themed bins, stored in my attic. Everything has a place, including my comfortable fitting, Levi’s, or “mom jeans”.
Not sure what to do with your old clothes? You can donate clothes to a local shelter, have a yard sale or drop off at The Goodwill. So not only is your closet clean and you can find an outfit in a flash, you’re helping someone else by giving the stuff away that’s taking up space. Once your closet is organized, aim to keep it organized by purging when necessary.
