Mindfulism = A Seasonal Wardrobe

It began as a typical Sunday morning.  We slept in late, and then Mr. B decided to make French Toast for breakfast.  After some time eating and chatting, we went our separate ways to begin the day.  Then the electricity went out.  We waited a few minutes for it to come back on, but it didn't.  Since most of my plans involved electricity for vacuuming, sewing, or blogging, I had to think of something else to make sure I had a productive day off.  I suddenly realized that we were over half way through autumn and I hadn't put away any of my summer things and had really only brought out a few fall items.  Well, taking down/putting away clothes and getting out/hanging up others is something I don't need electricity for, so I set to work.  I suddenly realized that I hadn't really been keeping up with my Changing of the Garb challenge that I set myself last year, so I thought we would revisit it in this post.  

I've been watching a lot of minimalism videos to help me through my No-Spending Challenge and there is something I have noticed.  Minimalist wardrobes: some of them are stylish, but all of them are super boring.  Yes, it's easy to decide what to wear when you only have 5 things in your closet and they're all beige or white, but seriously, does that bring you joy?  If it does then keep it up and I really don't care, but it wouldn't work for me at all.  I need colors, I need options and I need more than just 5 things in my closet unless it's a survival situation.  And even then,  I might have my leaf dress for summer and a nice deer skin for autumn.  I kid of course, but it does  nicely segue way into the topic of this post.  Mindfulism means having a seasonal wardrobe on rotation.  

Unlike Minimalism in which you have only a few pieces of clothing and then layer or de-layer depending on the season, and unlike Maximalism in which you just have all your stuff all the time and more affluent maximalists even have entire rooms devoted to their wardrobes, Mindfulism means having a selection of pieces that you rotate out every few months as I have just done on this rustic, electricity free Sunday morning and just in time for the spring season.  

I believe it was last year that I began a little experiment which I called "The Changing of the Garb."  I decided that for a whole year I would rotate my wardrobe every three months in order to get the most wear out of everything.  How did it turn out?  Well, the results were mixed.  Everything was going along just fine until two things happened:  First, during a particularly hot week of the summer, a gas can full to the brim expanded in the heat to the point that it exploded in the storage shed where I keep all my off-season clothes.  Gasoline spilled all over the floor and fumes filled the air for a week at least before we realized what had happened.  By that time the fumes had permeated almost all my storage tubs making everything smell like gasoline.   

Thankfully nothing was ruined, but it did mean that every time I wanted to rotate my clothes I would have to launder everything or else walk around smelling like a Quik-Stop.  So that was one thing.  The other thing was that I began taking classes and working two extra jobs at the beginning of the year so I no longer had the free time each week to go through my closet, take out the old, fold it up, stow it away, and bring out/launder/hang up the new. 

During the summer, I completed a massive clothing clean-out, which made it loads easier to maneuver around my storage shed and find what I am looking for, but I am far from done with my work out there.  To be honest, I could probably stand to give away double what I have already if I truly wanted to get down to just the basics, but I don't want just the basics.  I want my lovely, amazing wardrobe, just as it is right now, which is to say, only containing my favorites even if that is still a lot.  However, I don't really need anything more, not for a very long time, and I have begun the one-in/one-out policy to keep from having an over-abundance ever again.  So, now that I have done all this wardrobe weeding, I have decided to go back to my wardrobe rotation.

Keeping my wardrobe on a seasonal rotation helps to maximize wear from all my pieces and keep me from getting bored with my clothes and wanting to buy more.  I look forward to all my lovely clothes each season, just like seeing old friends come back for a visit.  A seasonal wardrobe doesn't have to be large and you don't have to keep everything.  If you wear something for three months straight you may find that it is worn out and ready to rotate for something new, and that's perfectly fine.  The point is that you use what you have and have only what you love and will use.  That's Mindfulism to a T.

Outfit Info:  Yorkshire Soft Corset and Yorkshire Day Dress from Selkie Collection.  Quipid Heels from ModCloth are so incredibly old.

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

One In, One Out; Putting it in practice

So, I decided to give myself a break for the holidays before beginning my next spending challenge, but I promised myself this wouldn't turn into a spending free for all and undo all the hard work I had done at building better habits.  There was a sale at Ivy City Co. that I wanted to hit and there were a few offers that I wanted to look at, so I gave myself permission to do so while meticulously writing down each time I shopped and how much I spent.  If I hadn't been tracking my spending, I easily could have gone overboard, it's kind of my thing after all, but I stuck to a budget and ended up with five dresses--three new and two thrifted, plus a vintage bathrobe I've been searching for for years.  

After my little shopping trip and the gifts of the holidays, I knew I needed to follow the one in/one out rule and go through my things to get rid of one item of clothing for every new thing received.  For this post, I'll specifically be talking about the 5 things I got from the sales I mentioned.  I thought this was going to be really difficult since I have just done such a major clothing cleanout, but when I went out to my storage shed, I immediately pulled two dresses and a shirt from one bin that I knew I didn't love and wouldn't miss.  One dress has some sentimental value; it was a gift and a very sweet one too, but in the nearly 20 years that I have had it, it's never actually fit.  Another dress is one that I made myself a few years ago and I actually did a pretty good job.  It's a lovely dress, but I think I have outgrown the print which is why I've only worn it twice, so it can bring someone else joy.  

I still needed two more things and wasn't sure what I would do.  When I went back inside, I spent a little time thinking and realized I had another bin tucked away in the house and it was full of dresses by a certain brand that I like, but rarely reach for.  I don't know why I put all the dresses from this brand in one spot by themselves, but anyway, it made it easier to go through them.  I pulled all the dresses out and immediately saw one, which has a print that is rather grandmotherly and I'm not there yet, so into the donation bag it went.  I continued going through and set aside two more dresses that I felt so-so about, but decided to leave them for a day or two to think about and went to bed.

Then I found an absolutely gorgeous and totally expensive dream dress--which just happens to be the one I am wearing in this post.  I wasn't on my no spending challenge again yet, and it was definitely one of those impulsive, if-I-don't-buy-it-now-it-will-sell-out splurges, but I did it anyway.  Although I did make myself wait a whole day and night to think it over before purchasing.  Well, since it was such an expensive item, I decided to put two items in the giveaway bag as compensation bringing my total up to 7.  I selected a very old and well loved dress that truly was just ready to be retired, so that went into the garbage, and another dress that was in far better shape and that went into the donation bag. 

With my 7 items selected, yes, I did end up getting rid of both those maybe-pile dresses, I was now ready to receive the new dresses and have plenty of room for them in my wardrobe, although I did learn a little something in this process.  Even though I thought I had thoroughly cleaned out my closet, I learned that decluttering is an on-going process.  Tastes and interests change over time and even though I was very conscientious the first time through, I still have more than enough stuff and looking over everything a second, third, or even fourth time will only help me continue to weed out unwanted things.

More than anything, each time I get rid of the clutter, I feel relieved like a literal and metaphorical burden has been lifted.  It feels like my wardrobe is actually getting better each time instead of just bigger over time.  With winter on the way, I feel I should use my time spent indoors hiding from the cold to do another major cleanout and just go through everything again with a fine tooth comb.  Plus, with Christmas on the way, I would really love to bless others in this way.

Outfit Info:  Jam Cake Market Dress is from Free People, Shoes are from VIVAIA, Ring is from Unlogical Poem

3 Reasons Why A Minimalist Wardrobe Won't Work For Me (Right Now)

At the beginning of my experiment with decluttering and a no-spend challenge, I started watching a lot of videos about what others were doing so I could glean from them and ultimately be more of a success.  But, one thing that I have taken away from all those hours of watching their content, it's that some things that work for "them" do not work for everyone and definitely will not work for me at this time in my life.  I'm not throwing shade at them because they're all just trying to help others by sharing something that's made a difference in their own lives and I admire them for it.  My goal in writing this post is more to shed light on the fact that just because something is good and works for some, does not mean it is a blanket solution for everyone.  So, let's dive in to my reasons for having a mindful wardrobe instead of minimalist.

3.  I Love Colors:   After spending the past three months decluttering my closet and watching a lot of minimalist videos for tips and inspiration, I have noticed a trend in their wardrobes and it is this:  BORING.  If you haven't spent a lot of time watching this sort of content it all boils down to two basic fashion types  those who have a tasteful wardrobe built around neutrals and those who just have clothes they put on their bodies but not much in the way of style.  Of course not every minimalist falls into one of these two camps, but we're speaking of majorities here, and yes, that's basically what you get from minimalists.  Those who opt for all neutrals tend to still look chic, but in a very bland way.  Everything is beige, white, or black.  They look good, but interesting?  No, not really.  And the other group are mostly the people who don't care what they wear.  It's a hodgepodge of stretchy pants, comfy tops, and slouchy shoes with the occasional maxi dress thrown in for good measure.  The neutrals usually look nice; the others usually look comfortable, but neither group looks joyful.  Neither of these categories of minimalist looks like they love their lives or what they wear, because as much as we wish it weren't so, your outward appearance really does say a lot about what's going on inside.  Now, if it works for these people, then more power to them (so, there's no need to leave a nasty comment that I'm never going to publish anyway).  All I am saying is that it wouldn't work for me because I love colors, I love pretty clothes, and I love my life.  Everyday feels like an adventure and I want that to show.  Which is why the mindfulness approach makes much more sense for me.

2.  I Wear A Lot of Hats:  Once again, watching these minimalist influencers, I have noticed that many of them work from home in some capacity.  If you work from home, there goes a huge chunk of your wardrobe because your at-home stuff can now do double duty.  I don't have that luxury at the moment, but I can tell you that when I was a stay-at-home-mom, I didn't have nearly as many clothes either.  I don't even have the luxury of the basic triad of work/home/evening-out clothing staples, because I am working three very different jobs which require three very different styles of clothing.  I also have a farm, so I need farm-work clothes.  And then you have the evening-out stuff as well.  So, having a minimalist wardrobe just wouldn't be enough to cover all the areas of my life as it is right now, but a mindful approach totally does.

1.  Distinct Seasons:  Oh to live in a place where the weather stays relatively the same all year round.  Actually my girls and I used to live on a tiny island near Canada that stayed cold all year round, and  come to think of, we didn't need a lot of clothing variety because it never got warm.  We pretty much just needed a winter coat and a summer coat and then things to layer throughout the endless winter.  Now we live in a place where it will be 20 degrees below freezing in the winter and 110F in the summer.  Layering?  Yup, still need it for a few months at least but we definitely need a larger variety of the types of clothes we wear too.

So, as much as I have loved and appreciated all the advice from minimalist influencers about how to simplify my life and closet, and as much as I have taken that advice to heart and made some major changes, I know I can't pare it down to just 30 pieces or whatever other magic number many of them use.  I do hope that one day, and very, very soon, that I will be working less jobs and wearing less hats, for the moment  I am content just to be mindful about what I buy and keep.

Mindfulism: Maintaining the Clutter Free Home With One In/ One Out

I have spent all summer creating a home space that I actually want to spend time in, and a big part of that was decluttering and making sure that everything had a place and plenty of space.  To that end, I have asked my family to join me in adopting the one in/one out rule.  In this way, every time we buy something new, we get rid of something else.  

Recently I have been taking a long hard look at my wardrobe, especially as I have been going through everything and looking for items that just don't fit into my life or style anymore and I have found myself with a craving for certain fabrics and colors over others.  Have you ever heard of a fabric craving?  I'm not sure I have, but I feel certain I'm not unique, so they must exist in others as well.  Whatever the case, I have had a craving for all things cotton.  I just carve comfort right now, and cotton seems to be the fabric that brings it.  It's also getting harder and harder to find cotton clothes as everything moves over to cheap synthetic materials.  

I know I've touched on this already, but it seems more and more like my life is heading in a different direction and my whimsical wardrobe isn't really welcome there.  Neither are my short skirts; I'm over 40 and sagging knees are not something I want to showcase.  Things are changing, and while I still love all the beautiful things in my wardrobe, I don't think I really love them on me anymore.  I think I would be happier seeing them on someone younger and with a different life.

At this point you may be wondering where I am going with all this, so I'll jump ahead to the point.  As I have been whittling down my wardrobe, I have been doing a lot of getting rid, but a little replacing as well.  I found a place on Ebay that does Target deals.  I haven't shopped at Target in nearly a decade because I don't like their attitude, but I didn't figure out these were Target pieces until later, so I've forgiven myself for my ignorance.  So, this place on Ebay was offering these pieces for about $10 each and they had a special of buy 3 get one free.  So, you know, I did.  And then I promptly went out into my storage and selected one sweater, two dresses, and one jacket to give away.  One in/one out for each thing.

Now, this isn't a set in stone rule of one in/one out, but personally, I try to chose my outgoing items to be things of equal size.  So, for example, I'm not going to buy a new coat and give away a brooch.  The idea is to prevent clutter after all, so it only makes sense to get rid of things that fill up roughly the same space as the new items.  As far as mindfulness goes, this really is a great task because it forces me to pay attention after I've made my purchase in order to find an item to give away and ultimately it will help me to think ahead when I'm making a purchase as to whether or not I want to get rid of anything to make room for this new thing.

My wardrobe got a little make over for $35, someone else out there will likely get the same with the four pieces I donated to compensate for my purchase, and my storage space broke even.  I know this isn't the end game here.  One in/one out is maintenance level stuff, but the real work that has to be done for me and my family is cutting spending in general.  So, let's discuss that in another post.

Shopping Info: Handkerchief dress by Universal Threads on Ebay, doll ring from Unlogical Poem, black top by Collectiflondon