I remember reading an article from The Wall Street Journal called, “
The
Master Cleanse: If you lost your entire wardrobe, how would you rebuild it?" and I immediately began to think of my very own wardrobe. Just like the author Annette Tapert, lately I’ve been having feelings of wanting to rid myself of everything in my closet— the items newly bought still with tags attached (ok maybe not all the new stuff), the super comfortable pieces I find myself wearing constantly and the things I’ve loved for years. I'm ready to hang an "everything must go" sign on my closet door and call a U-HAUL. Is this some sort of after quarter-life identity crisis?
With so many new factors in my life, I think now is a great time to make a few lifestyle changes, starting with my closet and wardrobe. As I prepare to master cleanse my closet, here are a few things I'm hoping will help me get through the emotional break-up with my existing closet, at least 50% off it.
1. Review personal style. What I liked then is not what I like now. What I would wear years ago is not what I’d wear today. And how I’d describe my personal style isn’t how I’d describe it currently. So as I review what my likes and dislikes are I’ll be able to chuck a few things. If it doesn’t embody the woman I am today, it needs to go.
2. Give it up & just let go. I realize that I've accumulated so much stuff in my closet because I'm emotionally tied to them, afraid to let go. And somehow I’m able to make anything I once loved work for me now. i.e. A pair of Nike Jordan’s that I've had since middle school are still in closet taking up space and collecting dust--they need to go.
3. Stop Shopping. Ok, maybe not completely stop but I need to cut back extremely. And although I have actually scaled down a bit in the last few years, a need to shop even less is necessary for me to achieve the lifestyle I ultimately want. The instant pleasure and gratification of that “something new” is no longer as satisfying as it once was.
4. Donate & Give back. I can help those less fortunate than myself by donating gently worn and used clothing to those in need. This is always a quick way to gauge just how much “stuff” I don’t need. I’m bound to see my closet dwindle down significantly. And it always feels good for me to give back anyway.
5. Get help. I've chosen to enlist a friend to help me with my closet/shopping detox. It so happens that this friend shares the same desire to cleanse and do away with much of their closet, as well as cut down on the shopping. We've made a pact to contact each other whenever we feel the need to buy something. We'll have to truly justify our frivolous clothing/shoe/accessory purchases before we can actually buy anything—so much for those late night online shopping binges.
6. Consign and/or Sell stuff. When faced with the items I've loved for years and can't let go of, sometimes it makes me feel more at ease to sell them knowing that they’re going to a home where someone truly wants and can appreciate them. For example, a few friends and I have set up an online thrift shop to sell a few of our fetching rejects at really low prices. Check it out:
www.fetchingrejects.com. (Tons of new stuff to be added soon!)
It will still be hard to completely let go of everything. Lord knows I’m not rolling in the dough to start my wardrobe over from scratch. But I look forward to a new sense of self by strategically creating a wardrobe that will best define my personal style as it is today. And the uncluttered feeling I'll experience, well, that will be the icing on the cake.
Does your current wardrobe reflect the person you are today? Are you in need of a closet and wardrobe cleanse?
Read more...