Closet Before
Ok, so I know that I’m a bit late to post about my first week of Project Simplicity. Today is supposed to be the first day of week #2 but I’m running a bit behind schedule due to health issues.
This project was interesting for me mostly because I had actually done it rather recently. I’ve always had trouble with this because of changes in my life situation. Before I had my daughter I worked a fulltime job and had a business casual work wardrobe. Now that I’m a stay at home mom I don’t wear many of those clothes. But I also hesitate to get rid of them. What if I have to go back to work? The circumstances under which I would go back to work include extreme financial need, when I wouldn’t have money to buy new clothes. But yet I rarely wear these items. I also have several favorite dresses which I also rarely wear, mostly because my daily living doesn’t make dresses practical, but it is also hard to part with them.
In the end, I actually parted with a large trash bag worth of clothes. Half will go to the thrift store and some will end up at city textile recycling because they are too worn to give away. There were a few items I had difficulty with and ended up keeping, such as the red dress I wore the day my husband proposed to me. It hasn’t fit in years and probably won’t ever again, but he couldn’t bear to let me get rid of it. In the future maybe I’ll find a way to transform it into something else so it actually gets seen.
Closet After
Unfortunately, my before and after pictures aren’t very impressive looking. They look virtually identical. Now mind you, the bottom of the closet is my husband’s and while I did purge his clothes recently, he still has a lot. He is also responsible for replacing the left hand door which is currently sitting in our hallway. I didn’t do a desperate “I can only escape my home with one bag, what do I take?” kind of purge. I focused on getting rid of items not worn since before my daughter, now 21 months, was born. I’ve lost the baby weight, but if the item doesn’t fit it isn’t going to, and if I don’t wear it, there must be a reason. I held onto most of my work clothes that are still in good condition as back up in case I have to re-enter the work force at any point. I disposed of items I loved that are far too worn and organized my closet more seasonally. I routinely move my current season clothes to the center of the closet. Because I’m short and our closet bar is so high I need a step stool to reach my clothing, so it’s easier if the clothes I regularly access are in the center.
So week #1’s project has been completed; though not entirely to my own satisfaction. Hopefully I’ll finish week #2 on time.
This was an encouragement for me to go purge from the closet! I too have clothes that I haven’t worn for a long time and I understand the word wardrobe. I quit teaching last year, but will keep the clothes in the back of the closet just in case. I do wear them to church and funerals though! :<) Sometimes I use them as date night outfits with the hubby so he doesn't have to see me in my usual stay at home mom attire!