Decluttering--Take 2

After seven years (possibly more) of choosing to hold onto things instead of regularly decluttering, it was certainly a goliath task to undertake, not just of physical effort but mental and emotional as well.  I am definitely one of those people who attaches memories to her clothes.  More so than photos really, my clothes are souvenirs of moments in time, so getting rid of them was incredibly difficult, but I knew that in the end, I would feel better, lighter, if I just let it go.

Seven garbage bags of clothes later, I did feel better, so I sat back for a couple of months and enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment.  But, over time, I began to think of things that could also have gone into the donation bag and eventually I decided to complete another no-spend challenge and adding to that the challenge of getting rid of an additional two trash bags filled with clothing.  While I did complete a declutter of some books and other areas of my home during this time, I'm not terribly sentimental about much besides my clothes, so while it still felt good, it wasn't quite the emotional challenge that the clothing was.  I also don't really hang onto or collect much besides clothing, so this is definitely the area in my life that needed an overhaul the most.

Decluttering is never a one-and-done kind of task.  It should be part of a regular home and lifestyle maintenance, but if you can't afford the time and energy, then once or twice a year should suffice.  I remember it being part of the traditional spring and fall cleaning at our house when I was growing up and something I desperately need to reincorporate into my life.  But, since I was so fresh on the heels of a major declutter, I really didn't think I would have anything else to let go of for a year or so.  After all, I had thoroughly gone through every single piece of clothing I owned and made the decision to keep or part with it.  And yet, the thoughts kept coming to me, "do I reeeally like that?  Maybe I should donate X to someone else so it doesn't just sit there on the shelf."  

So, with the decision to begin another spending freeze, I decided to once again go through everything with a fine tooth comb and ask myself the following questions: 

1. Have I worn it in the past year?
2. Do love it?
3. Is it serving a purpose? 
4. Would I really miss this if it were gone?

And because I had challenged myself to fill two more huge bags, I tried to be really picky about how I felt about each piece and how well it fit into my life.  There was one blouse in particular that was so darling and even my girls voted to keep it, although they personally weren't interested in wearing it, but the fact is, I hated the fabric.  I hated how it felt and how staticky it always got and that's why I never wore it.  So, it didn't last in the second round of eliminations and has now been  sent to someone who will love it and wear it and doesn't mind the slippery fabric.  As much as I do like the blouse, it felt way better to give it to someone who will really love it.

Over the course of one month, I have in fact filled two more trash bags with clothing to give away.  I briefly tried to sell a few pieces, but in the end, I always get caught up browsing on Posh when I sell, so I decided it would be counterproductive to my no-spend challenge and opted to just donate them instead.  And, guess what.  I feel even better the second time around that I did the first.  It's getting easier, I'm getting more space, and my wardrobe is really turning into just the pieces I truly love

Outfit Info:  Delia Dress from Ivy City Co  Use my referral link to sign up and save off your first purchase,  J Crew Cardi from ThredUp, Shoes are old from ModCloth