I ran across this post in my reading and love it...apparently I'm moving between #4, #5 and #6....and haven't moved past those yet.
I've been trying to simplify and declutter for over a year now. I'm not 'there' yet...where ever 'there' actually is.
But again, as far as I'm concerned, it is more about the intentionality of the process than the end product. So I'm ok with that.
And I'm trying desperately not to be so hard on myself and the unattainable goals that I tend to set for myself.
Showing posts with label minimize. Show all posts
Showing posts with label minimize. Show all posts
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Clutter control (March 25 - 31)
25 - We reorganized the clothes in Kellen's room and got rid of a few items in there (outgrown sleep outfits that he's held on to for way too long), t-shirts he's outgrown, etc) - 12
30 - After Jacey wore one of her pair of jeans-turned-into-almost-capris, I realized they were, in fact, too short for her. *sigh* - 1
31 - Hubby had warned me that the toaster was broken, but we hadn't gotten around to throwing it away. It is now in the trash (shhh...I did it before he got home and I wonder how long it will take before he notices). - 1
Weekly total - 14 items
March total - 67 items
30 - After Jacey wore one of her pair of jeans-turned-into-almost-capris, I realized they were, in fact, too short for her. *sigh* - 1
31 - Hubby had warned me that the toaster was broken, but we hadn't gotten around to throwing it away. It is now in the trash (shhh...I did it before he got home and I wonder how long it will take before he notices). - 1
Weekly total - 14 items
March total - 67 items
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Clutter control (March 18 - 24)
20 - 1 shirt that we realized Jacey has outgrown (I could have sworn I just went through that girls clothes!!)
21 - 3 items (including a random, non-insulated drink container that sweats horribly that I've had sitting on the kitchen counter for some unknown number of weeks....have I just been oblivious to this??? cleaning around it??? who knows, but it's gone now.)
24 - 2 pairs of shoes (1 each from Kellen & Jacey)
Weekly total = 6 items
March total = 53 items
21 - 3 items (including a random, non-insulated drink container that sweats horribly that I've had sitting on the kitchen counter for some unknown number of weeks....have I just been oblivious to this??? cleaning around it??? who knows, but it's gone now.)
24 - 2 pairs of shoes (1 each from Kellen & Jacey)
Weekly total = 6 items
March total = 53 items
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Clutter control (March 11-17)
12 - T-shirt purge (got rid of 3 shirts...1 just moved from the 'wear' pile to the 'sleep shirt' pile)
13 - Random clean-up around the house -4
Considering it was spring break, one might have thought I would have been slightly more productive...It seemed as though I was, but apparently it was in purging items from my home. I did trash-to-treasure things like turning lonely socks into bunnies for Easter instead.
Weekly total = 7 items
Monthly total = 47 items
13 - Random clean-up around the house -4
Considering it was spring break, one might have thought I would have been slightly more productive...It seemed as though I was, but apparently it was in purging items from my home. I did trash-to-treasure things like turning lonely socks into bunnies for Easter instead.
Weekly total = 7 items
Monthly total = 47 items
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
I think it's time for another t-shirt purge...
3/13 Update: after doing some additional laundry, I came across a few more t-shirts...so I've adjusted the numbers accordingly below.
Remember my old post about purging t-shirts to a more manageable number? Well, I think it's time again.
My t-shirt count is21 23 shirts (at least that are currently clean, folded and in my drawer - and I'm pretty caught up on my laundry as of *right.now*), and this is true t-shirts, not the girl-cut t-shirts (I know, I know...I actually differentiate between the two).
They actually (mostly) fit when they're all clean and folded in my drawer, but still....how many t-shirts do I need? I wear them on the weekends and occasionally on a Friday to work...occasionally.
In going through them, it's obvious I end up still wearing the same ones over and over again....maybe it's the way they feel? Maybe the way I feel like I look in them?
I honestly have no idea. But I'm thinking it's too many t-shirts. Especially when I'm not wearing them all.
So, there seems to be some that I have a twinge about getting rid of....race shirts, etc. Apparently I need to make some sort of keepsake item with those (a shadow box for my race shirts and medals? suggestions from other runners would be greatly appreciated!!). Others I will officially move to the 'sleep shirt' ranks. Yeah, they're that bad. Still others I'll move to the 'craft' pile for wreaths and possibly some flip flops for the girls and I.
So, the end count is....17 19 t-shirts.
Remember my old post about purging t-shirts to a more manageable number? Well, I think it's time again.
My t-shirt count is
They actually (mostly) fit when they're all clean and folded in my drawer, but still....how many t-shirts do I need? I wear them on the weekends and occasionally on a Friday to work...occasionally.
In going through them, it's obvious I end up still wearing the same ones over and over again....maybe it's the way they feel? Maybe the way I feel like I look in them?
I honestly have no idea. But I'm thinking it's too many t-shirts. Especially when I'm not wearing them all.
So, there seems to be some that I have a twinge about getting rid of....race shirts, etc. Apparently I need to make some sort of keepsake item with those (a shadow box for my race shirts and medals? suggestions from other runners would be greatly appreciated!!). Others I will officially move to the 'sleep shirt' ranks. Yeah, they're that bad. Still others I'll move to the 'craft' pile for wreaths and possibly some flip flops for the girls and I.
So, the end count is....
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Clutter control (March 1 - 10)
So this post will cover about a week and a half for the month of March...
Saturday the 10th was a fairly relaxing day...the weather was drizzly, and we had NOTHING on the agenda. Let me repeat that.
We had nothing on the agenda. [It's so rare it was worth repeating]
So I decided to pull Tatum's shorts, skirts, pants, capris and dresses out and she did a fashion show. It was really just a fun way for her to try on all of these things so I could see what needed to come OUT of her section of the closet and go into storage for Jacey or get purged because it was a little too loved. Then later on in the day we did her tops.
I then pulled ALL of the socks out from Jacey and Tatum and we played the match game. I am sick and tired of having mismatched socks....so am bound and determined to put an end to that. I went through the clean socks, matched them up, and them put the mismatched ones on the dryer so as I finish laundry, I can continue making sets. Once that's finished, I'm know which of them truly are lonely. Of course, of the socks that are matched, it seems that over half of them are too small for Jacey's seemingly huge feet. So out they went.
We matched socks, and now have a pile of socks currently mismatched. After I get through doing laundry..(and figure out which ones are truly lonely, like I mentioned)...we might make some puppets (that Tatum has been asking to make) out of the lonely socks.
After all of the clothes purging (with just a bit more to go, I might add...but Jacey is in no mood to try on her shirts or dresses)....Matt decided to clean out the garage. And the purge total climbed. We started a 'mission box' and went to town.
And in our random purging, I ran across a pair of shoes that Jacey has outgrown that I really haven't wanted to admit she's outgrown. And I put them in the bag to donate to our friends. I showed them to Matt as I was doing it and we both got our sad faces on for a few minutes and were saddened that she was outgrowing those shoes. Maybe we can find them in a bigger size and pretend she really isn't growing up after all.
Weekly total = ~40 items
March total = 40 items
Saturday the 10th was a fairly relaxing day...the weather was drizzly, and we had NOTHING on the agenda. Let me repeat that.
We had nothing on the agenda. [It's so rare it was worth repeating]
So I decided to pull Tatum's shorts, skirts, pants, capris and dresses out and she did a fashion show. It was really just a fun way for her to try on all of these things so I could see what needed to come OUT of her section of the closet and go into storage for Jacey or get purged because it was a little too loved. Then later on in the day we did her tops.
I then pulled ALL of the socks out from Jacey and Tatum and we played the match game. I am sick and tired of having mismatched socks....so am bound and determined to put an end to that. I went through the clean socks, matched them up, and them put the mismatched ones on the dryer so as I finish laundry, I can continue making sets. Once that's finished, I'm know which of them truly are lonely. Of course, of the socks that are matched, it seems that over half of them are too small for Jacey's seemingly huge feet. So out they went.
We matched socks, and now have a pile of socks currently mismatched. After I get through doing laundry..(and figure out which ones are truly lonely, like I mentioned)...we might make some puppets (that Tatum has been asking to make) out of the lonely socks.
After all of the clothes purging (with just a bit more to go, I might add...but Jacey is in no mood to try on her shirts or dresses)....Matt decided to clean out the garage. And the purge total climbed. We started a 'mission box' and went to town.
And in our random purging, I ran across a pair of shoes that Jacey has outgrown that I really haven't wanted to admit she's outgrown. And I put them in the bag to donate to our friends. I showed them to Matt as I was doing it and we both got our sad faces on for a few minutes and were saddened that she was outgrowing those shoes. Maybe we can find them in a bigger size and pretend she really isn't growing up after all.
Weekly total = ~40 items
March total = 40 items
Saturday, March 10, 2012
March goals....
In looking at this month...and considering that I'm feeling like God's current instruction and discipline includes asking telling me to slow down and begin to take better care of myself, I think I'll concentrate on the following:
1. Continue my running goal (average 1 mile/day) [nevermind that I haven't run at all this month because of said back]
2. Continue with February's purge goal
3. Continue with date nights with Matt (once a month minimum)
4. New this month....SELF CARE!
I'm off to a late start this month with solidifying this goals...but here we go.
1. Continue my running goal (average 1 mile/day) [nevermind that I haven't run at all this month because of said back]
2. Continue with February's purge goal
3. Continue with date nights with Matt (once a month minimum)
4. New this month....SELF CARE!
I'm off to a late start this month with solidifying this goals...but here we go.
Thursday, March 01, 2012
Clutter Control (Week of Feb 26-29)
Here is the recap of the home stretch of the February goal of clutter control. I was getting ready this week to host Tatum's birthday party (scheduled for at the house...yikes!!), so was gearing up to be a REALLY good excuse to go some last minute purging and cleaning up, right??
Right.
Well...it didn't really work out that way.
My back ended up going out and then Jacey ended up getting an eye infection....so the house ended up getting a quick spruce...but not the deep purge that I wanted right before her party....and then we moved the party to the park anyway, but that's a different story.
But this is life...and I live in the real world. And I do the best that I can. And I'm trying to do better about not beating myself up about things.
My goals are lofty...and I'll try to reach them...really I will. But if I don't....I still tried, and it's the effort along the way that's really important.
Because all told, I ended up purging over 200 items from the house in the month of February (granted, lots of it was candy....but still - I got it out of the house!).
That's over 200 things that my house didn't need anymore.
Even though I wasn't as consistent about it as I wanted to be or had intended to be, that total is WAY better than averaging 5 items a week for the month, huh? *grin*
Total Weekly Count = zilch, zip, nada, goose egg
Total February Count =228
February recap of this project
Week 1, Feb 1-4
Week 2, Feb 5-11
Week 3, Feb 12-18
Week 4, Feb 19-25
Right.
Well...it didn't really work out that way.
My back ended up going out and then Jacey ended up getting an eye infection....so the house ended up getting a quick spruce...but not the deep purge that I wanted right before her party....and then we moved the party to the park anyway, but that's a different story.
But this is life...and I live in the real world. And I do the best that I can. And I'm trying to do better about not beating myself up about things.
My goals are lofty...and I'll try to reach them...really I will. But if I don't....I still tried, and it's the effort along the way that's really important.
Because all told, I ended up purging over 200 items from the house in the month of February (granted, lots of it was candy....but still - I got it out of the house!).
That's over 200 things that my house didn't need anymore.
Even though I wasn't as consistent about it as I wanted to be or had intended to be, that total is WAY better than averaging 5 items a week for the month, huh? *grin*
Total Weekly Count = zilch, zip, nada, goose egg
Total February Count =228
February recap of this project
Week 1, Feb 1-4
Week 2, Feb 5-11
Week 3, Feb 12-18
Week 4, Feb 19-25
Monday, February 27, 2012
Clutter Control (Week of Feb 19-25)
We're drawing near the end of the Clutter control month here....and I haven't maintained consistency like I had originally hoped. My purges are coming in spurts.
I already mentioned and Kellen and Daddy did a great job of cleaning Kellen's room....and in doing so, they came across a cute outfit that Kellen had outgrown...It was his Easter suit, complete with tie. So on Sunday, we took it to church and passed it on to another couple whose kiddos can use it for their boys. (We'll count that as one item.)
Sunday was also the donation day for the Princess Project, so three dresses that had been bridesmaids dresses in their former life were donated to this project. Hopefully in this phase of the dresses life, they'll be utilized by a high school girl so that she can wear a dress to her prom. I was still able to wear them, but every time I tried to, Matt simply saw them as bridesmaid dresses and couldn't get past that mental mindset.
So off they went. Better to be used and worn again than for me to wonder, 'What if I could wear it to.....'
Then on Saturday, I went through ALL of the shorts, skirts and pants in Jacey's drawer to see what fit/didn't fit her. And I ended up purging some items from that drawer. (The girl is just a skinny-minny and some of things she inherited from her sister were for a completely different body type....'nuff said, right?) That totaled 18 items plus one pair of shoes she's managed to outgrow.
Total weekly count =23
Total February count = 228
I already mentioned and Kellen and Daddy did a great job of cleaning Kellen's room....and in doing so, they came across a cute outfit that Kellen had outgrown...It was his Easter suit, complete with tie. So on Sunday, we took it to church and passed it on to another couple whose kiddos can use it for their boys. (We'll count that as one item.)
Sunday was also the donation day for the Princess Project, so three dresses that had been bridesmaids dresses in their former life were donated to this project. Hopefully in this phase of the dresses life, they'll be utilized by a high school girl so that she can wear a dress to her prom. I was still able to wear them, but every time I tried to, Matt simply saw them as bridesmaid dresses and couldn't get past that mental mindset.
So off they went. Better to be used and worn again than for me to wonder, 'What if I could wear it to.....'
Then on Saturday, I went through ALL of the shorts, skirts and pants in Jacey's drawer to see what fit/didn't fit her. And I ended up purging some items from that drawer. (The girl is just a skinny-minny and some of things she inherited from her sister were for a completely different body type....'nuff said, right?) That totaled 18 items plus one pair of shoes she's managed to outgrow.
Total weekly count =23
Total February count = 228
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Clutter control (week of Feb 12-18)
Continuing on with February's clutter control theme.....I will say that this week was a little better (from my perspective at least).
A group that I work with was having a yard sale on Saturday, so we were able to donate our old BBQ grill for them to sell, and I played 'middle man' for another friend as she went through a her boys toys in her own purge mode (her toys don't play into my count)....Another friend had given me two large garbage bags full of clothes for Jacey not too long ago, so I (finally) went through those, pulled out the stuff I wanted to keep for her, and donated the rest for this particular sale. I have NO IDEA how many items were left in that bag, and they weren't in my posession all that long, but still....let's just say ~75 items left the house in those bags.
I actually had to work an event on Saturday, but when I got home, I discovered that Kellen and Daddy were deep cleaning Kellen's room. Deep cleaning. As in, there was an ENTIRE garbage bag of STUFF ready to be dumped out. Trash, broken toys, papers, wrappers, and I even think there was a banana peel. Don't ask. I didn't begin to even count, but let's say that was an easy 50 items.
Total weekly count - 126 items
Total count for February = 205 items
A group that I work with was having a yard sale on Saturday, so we were able to donate our old BBQ grill for them to sell, and I played 'middle man' for another friend as she went through a her boys toys in her own purge mode (her toys don't play into my count)....Another friend had given me two large garbage bags full of clothes for Jacey not too long ago, so I (finally) went through those, pulled out the stuff I wanted to keep for her, and donated the rest for this particular sale. I have NO IDEA how many items were left in that bag, and they weren't in my posession all that long, but still....let's just say ~75 items left the house in those bags.
I actually had to work an event on Saturday, but when I got home, I discovered that Kellen and Daddy were deep cleaning Kellen's room. Deep cleaning. As in, there was an ENTIRE garbage bag of STUFF ready to be dumped out. Trash, broken toys, papers, wrappers, and I even think there was a banana peel. Don't ask. I didn't begin to even count, but let's say that was an easy 50 items.
Total weekly count - 126 items
Total count for February = 205 items
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Clutter Control (Week of Feb 5-11)
To continue with my February goal of clutter bustin', I took some additional items to Kellen's Kids Klub (newspapers...no real count on those...we'll say a weeks worth).
I also re-purposed some existing candy into Valentine's Day treats for each of the kids to give away for next week at their respective parties (the candies will be out of the house, so that counts, right?? ;) ) [See posts here and here for Valentine's Day ideas]
It wasn't the best of weeks for managing our clutter.....
If I count the individual candies, then we're at 63 items....add in a few days of newspaper and we're at 70 items for the week. (I just realized HOW MUCH CANDY THAT IS!!!)
Total count for February is 79 items.
I also re-purposed some existing candy into Valentine's Day treats for each of the kids to give away for next week at their respective parties (the candies will be out of the house, so that counts, right?? ;) ) [See posts here and here for Valentine's Day ideas]
It wasn't the best of weeks for managing our clutter.....
If I count the individual candies, then we're at 63 items....add in a few days of newspaper and we're at 70 items for the week. (I just realized HOW MUCH CANDY THAT IS!!!)
Total count for February is 79 items.
Monday, February 06, 2012
Clutter Control (Week of Feb 1-4)
Remember my February goal for clutter bustin'?
Well....here are pictures of (some) of my first attempts to purge unwanted and unnecessary things out of the house.
Well....here are pictures of (some) of my first attempts to purge unwanted and unnecessary things out of the house.
There was another one or two that didn't get captured in photograph form, but you get the point. Luckily for me, Kellen's Kids Klub wants and uses magazines, newspapers, old toilet paper and paper towel rolls, etc., so some things can be reused rather than thrown away (yay for going green!)
My 'official' count was 9 items.
What have you managed to purge this week?
Thursday, February 02, 2012
February Goal for Clutter-Bustin'
It may not seem like much, but I will be purging 5 items a week for the month of February in an effort to contain clutter and purge items.
I feel like I just did this, but in my efforts to get organized, I am continually coming across posts that insist you cannot organize clutter. I agree.
Instead, I will get rid of those items. Yes really. I will. And they can't be 'trash' items (you know, empty milk cartons, etc).
So, even though the first week of February is a short week, it counts. So my deadline is February 4th to purge 5 items from my home.
I'll post a count update and perhaps even a picture of the items (assuming I can remember to take a picture before they're recycled or thrown out).
Care to join me?? Come on....you know you made some sort of New Year's Resolution to get more organized....
I feel like I just did this, but in my efforts to get organized, I am continually coming across posts that insist you cannot organize clutter. I agree.
I have decided NOT to organize what I do not want or need.
Instead, I will get rid of those items. Yes really. I will. And they can't be 'trash' items (you know, empty milk cartons, etc).
So, even though the first week of February is a short week, it counts. So my deadline is February 4th to purge 5 items from my home.
I'll post a count update and perhaps even a picture of the items (assuming I can remember to take a picture before they're recycled or thrown out).
Care to join me?? Come on....you know you made some sort of New Year's Resolution to get more organized....
Friday, August 26, 2011
Wardrobe Challenge, Week #5
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
In my selection for Wednesday, I decided to inventory my clothes against what I have already worn in this 'challenge' to see if I was truly nearing the end.
Come to find out, after selecting my outfits for Wednesday and Thursday
(I *have* to get back on board with selecting my outfits at the beginning of the week - but moving put a rather large kink in that system), I realized I still have 10 tops that I haven't worn!!
Thursday
Friday, August 19, 2011
Wardrobe Challenge, Week #4
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
It feels like I'm coming to the end of my wardrobe, and it seems like the most challenging part is simply remembering what I've worn and what I haven't!
Friday, August 12, 2011
Wardrobe Challenge, Week #3
Here is the third week of my wardrobe challenge....Monday, August 8th - Friday, August 12th. The photo section of this challenge is most helpful for me so I can remember what I've worn and haven't worn!
True to the suggestion last week, on Monday night I decided on the outfits for the remainder of the week and took all of the pictures. What a stress reliever to not have to worry about what to wear! A tip if you're going to do this, though...be sure to check your calendar so you know what meetings/appointments are (currently) scheduled for you.
Monday, 8/8
Unfortunately, I was dealing with a sick kiddo today, so my wardrobe isn't a 'work' wardrobe.
Tuesday, 8/9
Wednesday 8/10
The color seems very off in this picture, but the top is actually a nice shade of purple...promise!
Thursday 8/11
Friday 8/12, also...Graduation here in Aggieland!! I'll certainly be sporting my Aggie gear today!
True to the suggestion last week, on Monday night I decided on the outfits for the remainder of the week and took all of the pictures. What a stress reliever to not have to worry about what to wear! A tip if you're going to do this, though...be sure to check your calendar so you know what meetings/appointments are (currently) scheduled for you.
Monday, 8/8
Unfortunately, I was dealing with a sick kiddo today, so my wardrobe isn't a 'work' wardrobe.
Tuesday, 8/9
Wednesday 8/10
The color seems very off in this picture, but the top is actually a nice shade of purple...promise!
Thursday 8/11
Friday 8/12, also...Graduation here in Aggieland!! I'll certainly be sporting my Aggie gear today!
Saturday, August 06, 2011
Wardrobe Challenge, Week #2
A friend of mine had a great idea about laying out my clothes for the week ahead of time. I'm not sure why I don't do that with myself, since it's something I use for Kellen during the school year to stay organized.
So...I may give that a shot. The upside, I won't have to worry about picking something out each morning, but even better is that I'll be able to look at what I have worn vs what I haven't to keep up with the challenge!
Week #2 of the Wardrobe Challenge (Aug 1 - 5)
Monday (as you can see, this wasn't exactly a 'work' outfit. Tatum got sick Sunday night and we had a sick girl, stay home day)
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday (no, I don't normally make it a practice to wear a bathing suit to work, but I took a group of students who are participating in our summer research program to Schlitterbahn on Thursday.)
This is the awesome group of students I spent the day with at Schlitterbahn!
So...I may give that a shot. The upside, I won't have to worry about picking something out each morning, but even better is that I'll be able to look at what I have worn vs what I haven't to keep up with the challenge!
Week #2 of the Wardrobe Challenge (Aug 1 - 5)
Monday (as you can see, this wasn't exactly a 'work' outfit. Tatum got sick Sunday night and we had a sick girl, stay home day)
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday (no, I don't normally make it a practice to wear a bathing suit to work, but I took a group of students who are participating in our summer research program to Schlitterbahn on Thursday.)
This is the awesome group of students I spent the day with at Schlitterbahn!
Again, Friday was a 'Spirit Day', so Aggie gear! Two weeks down, and no problems, other than my trying to figure out my system for remembering what I've worn and what I haven't!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wardrobe Challenge, Week #1
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
And remember...Friday is a spirit day, so no worries about a fancy 'outfit' on Fridays.
Purse purging
In a post earlier this week I talked about my friend coming over to help me finalizing my closet purging. What she also helped me do was go through my purses.
I love purses.
And shoes.
She had already helped me go through my shoes many months ago and I threw out quite a few pairs that haven't been replaced. (As a side note, I now believe that my hubby has more shoes than me, and I think this is just hilarious.)
Have I mentioned how much I love friends like this?
Anyway, in our going through purses, she pulled out a few and stuck them to the side. She put the ones I knew she would in the 'keep' pile, and some of the ones she put in the 'no' pile I felt a little twinge over. She suggested I look through them and be sure they were cleaned out before I made a final decision.
As I was pulling things out of one of them, I came across a list of gifts from a baby shower that had been thrown for me.
It brought back such fond memories. Sweet, right? Especially considering that my sweet baby Jacey is now a year old.
Except that this gift list wasn't from a shower held for Jacey.
Oh no.
It was from a shower held for TATUM.
Yes, Tatum.
Over four years ago.
That clinched it.
Any doubt I had about whether or not to let go of that particular purse was gone, as it was crystal clear that it had not been used in over four years.
But it made me wonder....why did I feel that twinge when I initially thought about getting rid of that purse? Why is it, for that matter, so hard to get rid of most anything, even things we don't use that much? Or haven't used, in the case of this particular purse, in years?
These are the things that clutter our closets, fill our homes, cause us stress, require cleaning, yet we can't bear to part with them? Why?
In the past few weeks as I've been getting rid of things it's been so nice to pass them on to other people who can use them. It's hopefully blessed others and helped them, which causes me to feel like I'm doing good, it's made my house look better - cleaner and more open, it's made it easier to keep things clean around the house, and it's caused me to want to keep purging. The more I get rid of the more it seems I want to get rid of...like a weird purging cycle.
So my question for the day...what are you holding on to that's weighing you down? (And you can go as deep with that question as you would like). What kind of baggage are you carrying? Purge it! Get rid of that excess baggage now and for good!
I love purses.
And shoes.
She had already helped me go through my shoes many months ago and I threw out quite a few pairs that haven't been replaced. (As a side note, I now believe that my hubby has more shoes than me, and I think this is just hilarious.)
Have I mentioned how much I love friends like this?
Anyway, in our going through purses, she pulled out a few and stuck them to the side. She put the ones I knew she would in the 'keep' pile, and some of the ones she put in the 'no' pile I felt a little twinge over. She suggested I look through them and be sure they were cleaned out before I made a final decision.
As I was pulling things out of one of them, I came across a list of gifts from a baby shower that had been thrown for me.
It brought back such fond memories. Sweet, right? Especially considering that my sweet baby Jacey is now a year old.
Except that this gift list wasn't from a shower held for Jacey.
Oh no.
It was from a shower held for TATUM.
Yes, Tatum.
Over four years ago.
That clinched it.
Any doubt I had about whether or not to let go of that particular purse was gone, as it was crystal clear that it had not been used in over four years.
But it made me wonder....why did I feel that twinge when I initially thought about getting rid of that purse? Why is it, for that matter, so hard to get rid of most anything, even things we don't use that much? Or haven't used, in the case of this particular purse, in years?
These are the things that clutter our closets, fill our homes, cause us stress, require cleaning, yet we can't bear to part with them? Why?
In the past few weeks as I've been getting rid of things it's been so nice to pass them on to other people who can use them. It's hopefully blessed others and helped them, which causes me to feel like I'm doing good, it's made my house look better - cleaner and more open, it's made it easier to keep things clean around the house, and it's caused me to want to keep purging. The more I get rid of the more it seems I want to get rid of...like a weird purging cycle.
So my question for the day...what are you holding on to that's weighing you down? (And you can go as deep with that question as you would like). What kind of baggage are you carrying? Purge it! Get rid of that excess baggage now and for good!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Wardrobe Challenge
I've been going through my clothes, paring down. Not necessarily because I'm concerned about my space (although my hubby might like to have more than just his jeans in our 'shared' closet), but because I have realized that I have a lot of clothes. My 'a lot of clothes' may not be a lot of clothes to some, as this is certainly a relative term, but hear me out.
I work in an office from Monday through Friday. It's a fairly casual office, but it is a work environment, and depending on my schedule and meetings, there are some days that require me to be 'dressier' than others. Fridays are typically more casual, especially in the fall when you'll normally find me in a maroon shirt - many times it's my TAMU jersey, a departmental shirt, or some other A&M gear. So do the math with me here...that leaves me four days during the week for 'outfits'. Continue with that math and I need 16 'outfits' for a month - not counting Friday 'spirit' days.
Ibribed invited a friend to come over for dinner earlier this week and asked her to go through my closet with me and help me purge my clothes (again). I was mainly concerned with my tops and jackets.
Here's my newsflash: I am not a fashionista.
Stop laughing.
No really. Stop.
Ok. Now that you've picked yourself up off the floor, I'll continue.
So I asked this fashion-forward friend of mine to help with what I was hoping would be a final purge of my closet. She determined that a handful of my tops were not 'work' tops and forbade me from wearing them to work. Ever again. Then she got me into this decade and tossed out a few more shirts and jackets.
I was expecting that, which is exactly why I asked this particular friend for her help. We all need friends like this who we can trust to be brutally honest with us. I love her.
So after this purge, my inventory of spring/summer/fall work tops (hey, I'm in Texas and my 'winter wardrobe' of long-sleeve tops doesn't really count in this mix since I only wear them for maybe a month - tops...everything else can be short sleeve, sleeveless, and dressy tanks) totals 22 items. These are the tops, not the jackets and other accessories. Note: this count does not count tank tops, t-shirts, etc
If I factor in the Friday spirit day piece, and start my clothes on a rotation, this clothing count should take me over five weeks to fully wear. Let me say that a different way to fully state my point and the reason why I initially thought (and kinda still do!) I had (have?) too many articles of clothing.
If my clothes are on a rotation, I should only wear something ten times in a year (assuming weather conditions remain such that I can wear the same clothes year-round, which as we know is not the case).
Written in that manner, the amount of clothing I have still seems somewhat absurd to me. And I've purged. Really purged. Is this still too much??
I still have a few articles of clothing to the side in my closet that I'm hoping to fit back into after I stop nursing, but there really aren't that many of them (less than a half dozen tops). I also have some pre-pregnancy clothes that I'm not ready to admit defeat on quite yet.
I have realized that I'm in a clothing rut. I tend to wear the same things over and over again (at least it feels that way to me). Now that I've come to this clothing revelation, I'm going to experiment to be sure I'm wearing everything in my closet that I'm keeping. And if I don't like it, don't feel comfortable in it, or don't feel confident while wearing it, it's gone.
Period.
And I'm going to photo journal it. I'll try to post weekly on my wardrobe selection, so we'll see how that goes.
Wanna go on the challenge with me?
I work in an office from Monday through Friday. It's a fairly casual office, but it is a work environment, and depending on my schedule and meetings, there are some days that require me to be 'dressier' than others. Fridays are typically more casual, especially in the fall when you'll normally find me in a maroon shirt - many times it's my TAMU jersey, a departmental shirt, or some other A&M gear. So do the math with me here...that leaves me four days during the week for 'outfits'. Continue with that math and I need 16 'outfits' for a month - not counting Friday 'spirit' days.
I
Here's my newsflash: I am not a fashionista.
Stop laughing.
No really. Stop.
Ok. Now that you've picked yourself up off the floor, I'll continue.
So I asked this fashion-forward friend of mine to help with what I was hoping would be a final purge of my closet. She determined that a handful of my tops were not 'work' tops and forbade me from wearing them to work. Ever again. Then she got me into this decade and tossed out a few more shirts and jackets.
I was expecting that, which is exactly why I asked this particular friend for her help. We all need friends like this who we can trust to be brutally honest with us. I love her.
So after this purge, my inventory of spring/summer/fall work tops (hey, I'm in Texas and my 'winter wardrobe' of long-sleeve tops doesn't really count in this mix since I only wear them for maybe a month - tops...everything else can be short sleeve, sleeveless, and dressy tanks) totals 22 items. These are the tops, not the jackets and other accessories. Note: this count does not count tank tops, t-shirts, etc
If I factor in the Friday spirit day piece, and start my clothes on a rotation, this clothing count should take me over five weeks to fully wear. Let me say that a different way to fully state my point and the reason why I initially thought (and kinda still do!) I had (have?) too many articles of clothing.
I should be able to wear something different to work every day for over five weeks.
If my clothes are on a rotation, I should only wear something ten times in a year (assuming weather conditions remain such that I can wear the same clothes year-round, which as we know is not the case).
Written in that manner, the amount of clothing I have still seems somewhat absurd to me. And I've purged. Really purged. Is this still too much??
I still have a few articles of clothing to the side in my closet that I'm hoping to fit back into after I stop nursing, but there really aren't that many of them (less than a half dozen tops). I also have some pre-pregnancy clothes that I'm not ready to admit defeat on quite yet.
I have realized that I'm in a clothing rut. I tend to wear the same things over and over again (at least it feels that way to me). Now that I've come to this clothing revelation, I'm going to experiment to be sure I'm wearing everything in my closet that I'm keeping. And if I don't like it, don't feel comfortable in it, or don't feel confident while wearing it, it's gone.
Period.
And I'm going to photo journal it. I'll try to post weekly on my wardrobe selection, so we'll see how that goes.
Wanna go on the challenge with me?
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