Thursday 11 September 2014

Nothing to Wear

Closet Choices: Nothing

Closet Content Analysis: Everything

UN-NECESSARY      NO NEED

"I have nothing to wear" - how many times have I said that as I stare into my overflowing closets? 

More than I care to admit. I now have two closets, one in France and one in Canada and I still have nothing to wear. This is proven by the fact that I only wear five or six things repeatedly but have loads more in the closets.

Technically most of us have more than one closet for clothing - there's the storage closets for winter clothing and perhaps yet another storage space for that which we don't wear often. How many closets does any one person need?

You know you have too much in your closets when:
1. You are truly surprised when you re-discover something you had forgotten you had. 
2. You can't remember the last time you wore a particular piece. 
3. You remember that you had something but can't find it when you want it. 
4. You find items you have only worn once and don't ever want to wear again. 
5. You are layering on your hangers.  
6. You have multiple pairs of black pants, blue jeans, coloured jeans, white pants, beige, navy and you only ever wear one of the pairs in any one colour category. 
7. You don't want to take the time to look through your clothing, because it will take to long, to find what you thought you had.  
8. You can't find something you know you "just" wore.  
9. You have an overflow area for things you wear often and can't fit into your regular closet.  
10. You're sure you don't have something and go out and buy it, only to discover one month later that you already have two or even three.
With that, perhaps when we feel like going shopping we should adopt what Sara Blakely, founder, owner and president of Spanx, has described as her shopping karma . . .
I have this system where if I buy three or four new things, I give away three or four things. Sometimes, it's a very painful system, but shopping is even better when you know that someone else who needs it will be getting. Keep the clothing karma going, I say.



2 comments:

  1. Relaxing in Kelowna12 September 2014 at 10:51

    Oh boy, have you hit the nail on the head here!!! Part of the problem is the changing of personal size; ten pounds can make a difference in what one can wear, and so one hangs on to things in different sizes. Much easier than controlling food intact! ha ha ha! That being said, a purge in my closets is certainly needed, and this is the Fall to be doing it. If I can downsize my household I should be able to downsize my closets! So many folks are in need these days, so it is time to let go! Wish me luck!

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    Replies
    1. Good luck to you or I should say, Bon chance et bon courage! Somehow, the giving away seems easier here in France. There are a variety of organizations that are happy to pick up or provide bins for this purpose. I have never seen anyone in France "dumpster dive" - I've heard about those who dumpster dive and then sell clothing as consignment in North America. I believe that the items here in France are being re-used or re-purposed or even re-cycled with integrity. Or perhaps I'm naive! Naive or not I know that you can give away "rags" - that are re-cycled for their fibre content. Do we even do that in Canada? But I digress . . . let me know how you do, there might be a post in the variety of ways people deal with downsizing their closets. Please do update me on your progress.

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