bits and bobbins

i have to tell you…you have come a LONG way with this decluttering project! you prepared yourself for the process by thinking positively and readying your mind, body and space for the task…and then you did the dirty work, and actually decluttered your closet and wardrobe! pat yourself on the back! i’m telling you, that is pretty darn awesome. you worked really hard! *applause, applause!*

but you know, those pesky wardrobes are beastly creatures! they are prone to entropy! you slip up and accidently make a couple harmless, perhaps thoughtless shopping trips, and neglect it by jamming stuff into it without care, and before you know it, that sorry good-for-nothing closet has slipped right back into the sloppy state of yore, the very same state you struggled to stymie with all that sorting and such! it’s become a messy monster again!

so, my ears are ringing!! i hear you asking: what tactics can i employ to facilitate the on-going task of keeping my closet clean, useable, and ultimately, making sure it remains a reflection of ME? are there other ways of shopping that won’t lead me down the path that ends in sartorial sin?

well, chickadees, i am here to help! to keep your closet/wardrobe in a sweet state, you must concentrate on two simple things: awesome organization and smart shopping!

organization comes first!

-after all of the hard work you did purging those unnecessary, ill-suited-for-you and ultimately rejected clothes and accessories out of your closet, you are likely to have LOTS of leftover hangers. right away, i suggest that you count out a limited number of hangers, say, 20 or 25, and set them aside on the closet rod or place them in your ironing basket. when you start to accumulate new things, you are only allowed to fill up that limited allotment number of hangers…and absolutely NO MORE. to continue and compliment the earth and people-friendly suggestions i offered up in the last post, think about donating the rest of your remaining hangers to a charity or thrift store, family member, or friend. allow someone else to get use out of your discards! it cuts down on clutter too, and hey, that’s the point, right?

-once you’ve tossed those superfluous hangers, turn to the items you still have hanging in your closet and organize them by type, and/or color. skirts go together, pants together, dresses together, blouses together, and so on, and so forth. wanna know what i do, type a that i am? i actually organize my clothes even further by keeping the orange dresses in the same vicinity, the green dresses hangin’ together like best buds, and…you get the idea. this system really works for me. i know where everything is because it has it’s place. and when i do the laundry for the week, i can slip the clean clothes into their proper place because the organizational framework i created is there. it probably takes about two brain cells more effort to pop the black blouse in the proper closet spot with it’s fellow blouses than to jam it into the closet haphazardly. pinky swear!

-apply the same type/color organization scheme to your drawers, if you have them. put bras with bras, socks with socks, jeans with jeans and so forth. when you go to reach for such things in the future, you’ll know where to find them. if it helps, get some drawer dividers to corral all the different items and keep things in their proper place.

-try your very hardest to put things back in the places you have set aside for them…end that tossing stuff on the floor or back of the chair behavior NOW! you took the time to sort through your things, right? well, put the same resolve into picking up after yourself and keeping organized. the organization, if maintained, will decrease your stress levels like you wouldn’t believe! structural stress sucks…and it’s totally preventable.

-when the times comes, purge again…following the same process i detailed in the previous post! purging is a task that you really need to do on a semi-regular basis. you can decide what interval works best for you. every 6 months, every year? if you’re super organized and love calendars, you could perhaps jot down a date on your schedule that works for you. just resolve to stick to that date! do it for yourself, for your own mental health. remember that it’s a good thing, and healthy for you and your space!

now comes the REALLY fun part…smart shopping!

-before you hit the shops, check that mood board…again! remember who you are, and what you want to express to the world via your own special and unique take on personal style. resolve to only purchase that which you LOVE, to only acquire clothing and accessories that fit in with and your personal aesthetic and flatter your figure. if an item you are considering does not do either of these things for you, you are probably better off without it!

-the purging process, while totally necessary, and healthy, can also leave one with some gaps in the old wardrobe. be smart about the way you will fill these wardrobe gaps from here on out! sit down in front of your freshly organized and utterly lovely closet with a pen/pencil and a pad. ponder what you truly and honestly require to fill in the gaps in your wardrobe. what is missing that could support and enhance what you already have, and take your wardrobe to the next level? be specific. if you know where you think you might find such an item, jot that down as well. you are essentially making a plan for smart shopping that you can later pop in your bag and carry with you when you are out and about in the world. it can serve as a reminder of what you NEED, so you don’t fill up your closet with frivolities you DON’T NEED. it makes you accountable and keeps you honest.

so, just got finished cleaning my own closet out last week. i made just such a list, and my list of things to get looks something like this:

-interesting, well-made black flats
-interesting, well-made red flats
-high heeled sandals with real wooden heels (chie mihara?)
-vintage acid wash skinny jeans
-leggings in a warm-gray color
-good quality black tights
-colored tights
-hand knit sweater coat (knit by me)

this little list resides in a tiny notebook that lives in my purse…perfect for taking notes of this sort.

-think quality over quantity: tis better to have a closet with a limited selection of well-made, well-designed garments, than a chaotic, jam-packed closet brimming with crappily made, cheap, overly trendy garbage that doesn’t work for you and your REAL style and REAL body anyway. people cry and moan like this all the time: “but, i can’t afford the *nice* stuff! i can only afford the cheap stuff…and lots of it!” yes, you can afford the nice stuff! especially if you stop buying a ton of cheap garbage that in reality adds up to the cost of one or two REALLY nice things! delayed gratification, people! if you have great stuff you’ll be able to and want to wear over and over again, you’ll be able to maintain the clean state of closet nirvana you have worked so hard to create of late! and don’t forget the thrifts/consignment shops…they can be a cheap way to acquire nice, gently used, high quality garments. finding such garments may take some effort on your part, but remember, anything worth doing is worth the effort, time, and money.

-again, eschew those tedious and often tricky trends. sure, keep your eye open to what’s happening in the world, but don’t let the masses determine what works for you. don’t believe the hype (aka, the marketing machine) that makes you feel like you NEED to have the latest and the greatest. you don’t NEED to shop for stuff constantly…you don’t NEED to look like a spread in ELLE. cheap, new items may allow you to “save” and spend now, but you’ll soon be spending again to replace them…and that’s exactly what the stores want you to do! it’s a trap! make your closet and your clothes work for you…not the other way around. besides, trends and cheap junk can sabotage a newly sorted and sweetly organized wardrobe! shop smartly…shop for YOURSELF. there’s no need to “fit in” if you know who you really are. be critical of the messages being sent to you by marketers, and think critically about what you REALLY NEED and what you REALLY WANT.

let me know how it goes, everyone! if you took any of this to heart, or if it helped, and you want to share your successful decluttering and organizational story with me, by all means, do so! i’d love to hear about it.

i’m here to help! and happy to share when i think i have something helpful or interesting to give to you or show you.

less stress!
less stuff!
more happiness!
more YOU!

think critically, be fabulously organized, and shop smartly!

remember, LESS **IS** MORE!

so, you’ve prepared your mind, body, and your workspace…now what?

steel yourself, smile, turn up the music, and dive in! it’s time to sort through your duds and make the hard but necessary decisions about what you’ll keep, and what you’ll toss! keep your eyes on the prize: an awesomely clean closet!!

some tips to help you get through the sorting and the purging:

-keep your mood board handy, if you think you need the visual reminder. set it up on top of your dresser or somewhere else where it can be in sight while you work.

-if you have time, try on EVERYTHING in your closet. it’s important to evaluate absolutely everything in your closet. if you work or go to school, this might be best done on a day off on which you have no other obligations, perhaps on a sunday afternoon, if you have weekends off, for example. otherwise, you can break the task up over a couple days, if need be, but make sure the days are successive and in the same week so you stay motivated. sorting through your things can be intense and sometimes difficult, but trust me, when it’s all over and you’ve dumped the things you don’t LOVE or need, you’ll feel terrific!

be as objective and honest as you possibly can about the objects you are evaluating. look at yourself in the mirror, and ask yourself the following questions:

-is this piece truly my style? does it suit the aesthetic i want to express to the world at large? again, refer back to your mood/inspiration board if you need to. i may be harping on these boards, but seriously, THEY HELP. they are used by artists and designers when they need to focus their ideas…but they can just as easily help you, especially with a task like finding yourself and finding the clothes and other accouterments that suit YOU.

-do i absolutely, unabashedly LOVE this piece? if you don’t completely adore something, it is best to let it go. follow your gut feeling about something, it never lies. if a piece holds a negative memory for you, you’ll feel even better for letting it go! TRUST ME.

-is this piece truly flattering for my body? again, be honest with yourself here. trust your eyes and your gut…you will KNOW when it works. don’t force anything. you might in theory love an item and the way it looks on the hanger or in the stack, but if it’s an off-color for you, ill-fitting or has the wrong proportion for your figure, it may not flatter you. it’s important to wear what suits your body AND your style, so that you are left with what makes you feel and look like a million bucks. remember: just owning something, though you might love it, does not mean it will or does flatter you. for years i used to buy things just *because*, fantasizing that they would look good on my figure, and you know, they just *DID NOT* look good, and the pieces just sat there in my closet, taunting me! what’s the point of having something that doesn’t fit or flatter? THERE IS NO POINT! it’s a waste of money and a delusion. get rid of what doesn’t flatter you…and strongly resolve to get what does when the time to shop comes again. (p.s. more on smart shopping and clean closet maintenance in the next installment!)

-try not to think about trends at all as you sort through it all…what you love and what suits your person and personality are FAR more important than the latest trend-du-jour. what you love will and should outlast whatever magazines or stores are currently shilling. think about yourself…you are trying to get rid of the bad and fill your closet (and life, by extension, really!) with the good.

-what state is this particular piece of clothing in? is the piece plagued with pills, tears or stains? does it need mending or restyling? will you actually do this mending or restyling? will you actually, honestly take those shoes or that dress to the shoe repair or alterations place? being honest about what you will ACTUALLY do can help you decide whether to keep or discard an item. if something is in really bad shape, though, think about tossing it. just let go… keep what works. toss what doesn’t.

-what is the quality of the piece? if something flatters and fits, keep it. even better if it’s made of materials that will last.

place the items you’re evaluating into three separate piles!


-pile one consists of items you unequivocally love and want to keep. these items are YOU. they are things you will wear, things that express your personal style perfectly.

-pile two is things you are unsure about…things that need more thought and evaluation. set them aside.

-pile three is things you are absolutely sure you’d like to get rid of. no regrets.

once you’ve got your clothes and other sundries in said piles, you can tend to them as follows:

-items in pile one can be placed back into your closet or drawers. i’ll give you ways to organize them in the next installment!
-as for the items in pile two, give them a little more intense and honest scrutiny. be as realistic as possible with yourself, taking into account your lifestyle, and your skill level. how can you work the items in pile two into your closet? do they work with other pieces you have? what shape are they in? do they flatter you or support your personal style? can they perhaps be restyled in some way? will you actually do that restyling, or are you committed to having it done by an outside contractor? or really, are you better off without them? once you’ve thought carefully about each item in pile two, place them in the appropriate remaining pile: either one or three, and place them back into your closet or drawers, sewing pile, or into the donation bags as necessary.

-of course, items in pile three can go straight into the bags you have gathered, without guilt. don’t even look at them again!

do you need further motivation while you sort? is the mere thought banishing clutter and having a kick-ass closet full of clothes you actually love not enough?
keep these generous, earth-friendly thoughts in mind while you do your sorting:

-one person’s trash is often another person’s treasure: what you don’t love could be completely delightful or just perfect for another person. used clothing that’s stylish and in good condition is absolutely not trash! it often has a lot of useful life left in it that can be realized if it’s given a chance to be purchased and loved by another person.

-others can truly benefit from your discards! if you give your gently used clothing or other wearables to a thrift store or charity, the proceeds of such can help people in need.

-give your used clothes to a relative or friend. perhaps the items will suit them better, or give them a lot of delight! you can enjoy them through their eyes, knowing they are getting used and perhaps loved by someone you know.

-have a naked lady party! have friends bring their wardrobe discards to a party at a set location (your home, or a friend’s), along with some munchies and other refreshments to share. drink, eat, and merrily sort through the pile together! find a new-to-you item that works for you, or help your friends do the same! when the festivities have commenced, you can take the unclaimed leftovers to the local charity or thrift shop.

-if you are really motivated and think you’ll actually do it, and want to recoup some of what you spent on these items, you could do the ebay thing, or perhaps take them to a secondhand retailer in your area that pays or gives store credit for used clothing. you may not get back every cent of what you invested, but you never know! that cash or credit can be re-spent on something that you really love.

when you’re done, when the task is all over: TAKE THAT DISCARDED STUFF AWAY, PRONTO. DO NOT let it sit around for days, taunting you to take a look at it again!

jam your discards into your car, or load up your bike, or fill your arms with the bags, and pedal or walk to the nearest dumping off point, and GET RID OF THAT STUFF.

take a deep breath.

YOU ARE NOW FREE OF YOUR STUFF!
stuff you didn’t love or need anyway!

feels good, right? it’s refreshing! it’s liberating!

YES! woot!

…but, crap, what now? you might be asking yourself, “how do i maintain this marvelously clean and workable closet without succumbing to the clutter monster again??”

“how do i buy only what i NEED, and LOVE…how??”

“HALP me, tricia!!!”

well, lovlies, help is on the way, in the guise of…

PART 3! aka:

maintaining the less is more:
tactics for controlling clothing clutter/buying what you love/need!

stay tuned!

last week i went out for a lovely lunch with my friend m.

we had a nice, intelligent chat over falafels and lemonade that touched on a little bit of everything: religion, psychology, love, craft…and eventually, we landed on the subject of decluttering.

m. admitted she’s been feeling overwhelmed by her *stuff* of late, and was having a hard time sorting though all the stuff she had collected over the years. it had reached a critical point for her…she HAD to get rid of stuff, but was completely flummoxed and unsure of where to begin.

m. was plagued by her thoughts, and by guilt:

“what if i could use this later for something?”

or…

“this was expensive…i feel bad having spent money on it or that others spent money on it, and thus i’m remiss to let it go.”

m. confessed that almost everything she owned seemed to hold some importance, or it evoked a memory; some negative memories, some positive memories. she felt incredibly attached to EVERYTHING, in a way that she could hardly explain.

m. didn’t use or really even LOVE many of these items, and they were getting in the way of the things she DID love. and while some items were inherently lovely, she felt they didn’t represent who she truly is…they just were not her style.

m.’s STUFF was threatening to take over her life.

it was time to sort through it all, but how? where could she begin? how could she even approach such a seemingly daunting task?

i know a lot of people (including myself) are in the same clutter-filled and nearly sinking boat. we are deeply entrenched in the consumerist culture in which we live. we go out and collect things we need and want, and sometimes, those collections get out of control.

but how much of this stuff do we truly use, need, or love? how much of it is just stuff that we may never get use of, regardless of any good intentions we might have for said objects? i’d venture to guess that much of it, while perfectly useable, is just STUFF that you or i don’t really need, and would be better off without.

things are nice, but realistically and honestly, LESS IS MORE.

when you have what you actually NEED and LOVE, pawing through your closet can be easy, and relatively stress-free. you can see what you have readily, and can be more assured that what you have suits your lifestyle, personality, and body. no more needing to comb through the so-so stuff to get to the stuff you actually adore and use.

doesn’t the idea of that sound NICE?

but again, how would one go about it?

well, as i’ve been through this myself numerous times, i’ve got some tips to share, and i’ll do so over the course of three installments!

PREPARE FOR THE DECLUTTERING PROCESS!
you can prep yourself in these ways:

it’s super important to get your mind space and physical space souped up before you scrutinize your stuff!

-first and foremost, make a concerted effort to keep a positive attitude about the decluttering your wardrobe. think of the process of delcluttering as an amazingly good thing: it’s a fresh start! you’re going to a.) eliminate stress in yourself and those who live with you! b.) end up with what you NEED and LOVE. and c.) put the kibosh on clutter.

-make sure you have a full length mirror at the ready. you want to be able to see yourself from head to toe. none of this half-body bathroom mirror business.

-open up all the curtains and windows in the room, or turn on all the available lights in the room where you’ll be doing all your sorting. you want to be able to see yourself and the clothes and accessories which you will be evaluating in the best possible light. good lighting allows you to see the true colors and textures of your clothing and accessories and how they honestly work with your skin tone and figure.

-before you begin, eat a good healthy meal and set aside a glass of water that you can sip on while you work. dehydration and low blood sugar are bad bedfellows for your brain and the task at hand…you want to be at your best when you’re trying to determine if you TRULY love and look good in that denim skort, lace-up bustier or argyle socks!

-to set the mood, put on some great music! choose some tunes that you know will motivate but not distract you. i think something that gets your blood pumping is just perfect for this sort of task! i love to put on a breaks or hip-hop dj set while i am working through my closet and trying things on. when i need a break from the intensity of sorting and deciding i can dance around the house a little!

-shower, put on makeup, and do your hair! this tactic helps me, big time! i can evaluate the clothes i am sorting through as if i was getting dressed to go out in the usual way, without being distracted by the possibly scary state of my makeupless face or wild bedhead!

-if you’re a little unclear about your personal style and are feeling overwhelmed trying to figure out who you are and what you love, make a mood board/inspiration board first. if ye know thyself, the process of decluttering your stuff will be much simpler and less stress-making.

-gather up those trashbags or get out those empty shopping bags you been saving! these will be the eventual receptacles for your discards.

PART 2 is to come:

the sorting process!

stay tuned!