Clearing out my closet

At the beginning of this year I made an announcement to my family... this WAS the year that I was going to get back into shape and shed the extra pounds.  After weeks of eating healthier and working out regularly... I am happy to announce that I am half way to my goal! 

Part of being halfway to my goal means that I am now in pants that are four sizes smaller than I was wearing a few months ago!!!!!

I have been hanging onto pants for a long time in closet because I was using my weight as an excuse...

• I might need those when I lose weight...
• I might need those when I gain that weight back...
• I am afraid that if I get rid of them I will need them again...

This time is different... I am not on a diet... I am on a mission to be a healthier, happier version of myself.  One that is able to keep up with my kids without getting winded.  So...

I cleared out the safety net this week!!!

I sold 42 pairs of pants in wide range of sizes... that I have outgrown and I never intend to get back into!!!!

We all hold onto clutter for a wide variety of reasons; however, one of the most common that I hear is, "I may need that again."  I was guilty of using this excuse to clutter my own closet and in a way I was sending a message to myself that said... "You can't do this... You WILL need these clothes again."

The feeling of boxing those pants up and sending them across the country was one of the most liberating feelings I have had in a while!!!! 

What can you clear out today that you are holding onto out of fear??? How is it holding you back in your life????   Let it go and experience the same joy I did this weekend when I cleared out my closet at last.

What should the average wardrobe consist of?

Americans, especially women, have an obsession with clothing! I am no different... I too love to shop for a great deal and a killer pair of shoes. I have implemented a rule in my closet, however, that for each new thing I bring in... a similar item must leave. This rule helps me control the volume of clothes that I hoard. Because let's be honest, we wear only 20% of our clothes 80% of the time... most of them just set on our shelves or hang on our hangers... never to see the outside of our closet again.

I recently had a client ask me as we were cleaning out her closet, "what are the guidelines for what an average wardrobe should consist of?" I told her that I would be happy to do some research on the topic, so for the last week I have been investigating the issue and this is the list that we have come up with. I encourage you to use this list much like I do in my closet... when you purchase a new little black dress, the old one needs to find a new home.

Here are our basic Wardrobe suggestions:

· One black dress
· One pair of classic black dress pants
· One denim skirt
· Depending on how often you dress up, several pairs of dress pants in various colors
· One white button down shirt
· 3-4 pairs of jeans that are in style and flatter your body shape
· 1-2 A line skirts that you can wear with several different tops
· 2-3 comfortable outfits
· A few pairs of comfortable capri pants for summer in neutral colors
· 3-4 cute dresses
· One cute vest
· A few pairs of shorts for the summer in neutral or denim
· A wide brown belt
· A wide black belt
· A couple of comfortable and stylish sweaters
· A great in style coat (trench style)
· A few nice t shirts (girl cut)
· A button up blouse or two
· A few long sleeved tops for when it's cold
· Some pretty tops for general everyday wear
· Some kind of sparkly/lacy top for the evenings out
· A couple of cardigans or shrugs to throw on when needed
· A couple of jackets, long and short. (blazer style)
· A pair of nice boots that can take you through Autumn and Winter
· A cute pair of flip flops
· A pair of nice sandals for summer
· A pair of pumps
· Cute killer heels for an evening out
· shoes for everyday wear and workout.
· Gym clothes (3 workout outfits)
· Pajamas (5 or so pairs of cute pairs)
· 7 pairs of Socks and underwear
· A couple of great fitting bras in the right size.
· At least one great scarf
· Winter gear: Mittens, hats, etc…

If you have thoughts or comments on this list I would love to hear them!

Taming the Clothes Monster!

Clothes, Clothes, more Clothes!!!! Does anyone else share this feeling when you look around your home? We have clothes hanging in our closets, sitting in our drawers, clogging up our laundry rooms, and probably strewn across floors and beds somewhere in your house... Clothes sometimes feel like they overtake our life and our Homes!

Did you know that the average American wears only 20 percent of their clothes 80 percent of the time!

Yet we as a society are obsessed with the need to keep countless pieces of clothing that don't fit us, we've never worn, or went out of style ten years ago. I myself am a major clothes horse... I love them. I love shopping for them, I love wearing them, and I love creating cute outfits out of them.

I have implemented an in and out rule for my closet... "for every new piece that I bring into my clothes collection one must leave and be replaced." This ensures that I maintain the level that I have in my closet space and eliminates the temptation to stuff my closet so full of jeans, shoes, and tops that I can't find any of the ones that I am looking for.

Here are five ways that you can pare down your clothes collection and finally begin to tame the Clothes Monster that lurkes in most of our closets:

1. Sell old clothes that do not fit yourself at a yard sale or on eBay.
2. Have someone else sell your old clothes for you... consign them and get money or store credit for new items.
3. Donate them to charities to help others who could use them more than you.
4. Gift them to someone that you know is a similar size as you are.
5. Recycle them in different ways. Used in craft projects, as dust rags, etc...

Happy clothes clearing!!!! If you need help with a project like this or another organizational project in your home contact us www.simpleorganizedsanity.com