I just completed a mega closet clean-out as I switched from Summer to Fall clothing. It was a fair amount of work, but very rewarding. I am ready for Fall and all its adventures, with a closet of clothes that I will actually wear. And as I progressed through this multi-day task, I learned a few lessons from cleaning my closet that I hope you can learn from. They may save you money, and they will definitely save you some frustration!
Lesson #1: Take care of your clothes
Why, oh why, did I not take all my Fall sweaters to the dry cleaner back in March/April?? Oh, I know why- I am lazy. Perhaps that describes you as well! But not only would it be so nice to transfer a bunch of clean clothes to my closet, but it might help preserve them for a longer time.
And here’s a discovery I just made: a sweater comb. Instead of discarding something as “ratty”, I’ve been combing out all the pills and it makes a world of difference. Best $10 I’ve spent in a long time!
Cashmere & Wool Comb for De-Pilling Sweaters
And I’m dropping off all my sweaters at the dry cleaner today. And one more lesson from cleaning my closet: I’m dropping off the Summer throw pillow covers off as well- so Future Amy of April 2022 will be happy!
Lesson #2: Accept your current life
It was sad saying goodbye to that amazing jacket that I scored from The Outnet years ago. Ditto with the pretty sheath dress that I planned to wear on hot summer trips to Charlotte for work. But that’s not my life anymore. I’m not going to be wearing heels and I don’t need three work blazers. All of that went in the donate pile (or it’s going to The RealReal.)
And my current life exists in the Bay Area. Not Boston or NYC. It gets into the 40s perhaps 10 days a year. So it really makes no sense for me to own turtlenecks or huge cashmere scarves or wool coats. And it certainly makes no sense to keep buying more- stop the madness!
Lesson #3: Don’t repeat past mistakes
I have a number of bad habits. And one of my biggest is that I seem to think that, next time, I won’t mind when a sweater or shirt is too short. Nope, it’s not going to bug me next time, not at all! Same thing with shoes that aren’t all that comfortable (but so cute!) And although many of the things I donated were bright, colorful items, well, nothing to learn from that!
You can see where I am headed here- learn from your clothing purchase mistakes! Look at what you are donating- there are some patterns here, and you will save money and frustration if you commit them to memory. Here are a few of mine:
- I cannot tolerate a shirt or sweater that is shorter than 24″ (and 25-26″ is really preferable.) So, sorry J.Crew, that 22″ t-shirt or lovely sweater is either going to be returned or donated at some point. For me, there is nothing worse than tugging at a sweater, wishing it were just a bit longer. Of course, this requires measuring the items that I love and making a mental (or better yet, written) note of my preferences.
- I love prints. I love Liberty prints! But do I ever reach for prints when I am getting dressed? No, I do not. It is time for me to accept this. And focus on something where prints easily work- scarves. (More on that in a future post!)
- And jeans… I am really torn. I love the idea of jeans. But I rarely default to them. Partly because I generally find them uncomfortable to wear for hours on end. And don’t get me started on the resurgence of low rise! My definition of hell: low rise jeans (complete with muffin top) + a too-short sweater. It’s making my skin crawl to even think about it! For me, caution is in order when buying jeans.
Be yourself, accept yourself
One big benefit of getting older is realizing that a) you can wear whatever you like and b) no one is actually looking at you 🙂 The upside of this realization is that you will have a closet that (hopefully) brings you joy. And you will have more confidence in buying things that you love. If you are like me, when you find something you love, you’ll be wearing it for years to come. So why feel guilty about buying the nicest one you can find? Investing in quality makes a lot more sense when you are honest with yourself.
I am being super picky about what I bring into my closet. And letting go of the guilt about where I am right now!
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