So as much as I would really rather poke my own eyeball out...

[Dee*Jay]

... I am, RIGHT THIS MOMENT (well as soon as I finish posting this anyway), going *into my closet* and I''m not coming out until I''ve achieved some sort of organization. I''ve always though to myself that logic defies the idea that you can have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear, but sadly I have come to realize it can be true. So I am going to purge and organize and then plan some strategic shopping. Any encourgement/tips/tricks/wine anyone would like to offer on any of these (or any other) topics would be much appreciated...

 

[movie zombie]

you are a brave and courageous woman!

you''ve already done it: you''ve got your plan in place and as i write this you are in that closet right now. have 3 piles: the i will keep this, i will give this away, i will think about this piles. for every thing you put in the i will keep this, you must put two things in each of the other piles. immediately get the pile of things you''re getting rid out of the house. the i will think about it pile should immediately be boxed and if not touched within 1 year, given away WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING IN IT. if you didn''t need it for a year, you didn''t need it.

good luck!

mz

 

[lilyfoot]

Date: 6/23/2010 8:09:33 PM
Author:Dee*Jay
... I am, RIGHT THIS MOMENT (well as soon as I finish posting this anyway), going *into my closet* and I''m not coming out until I''ve achieved some sort of organization. I''ve always though to myself that logic defies the idea that you can have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear, but sadly I have come to realize it can be true. So I am going to purge and organize and then plan some strategic shopping. Any encourgement/tips/tricks/wine anyone would like to offer on any of these (or any other) topics would be much appreciated...

I gotta bottle of merlot

We just cleaned our closet this past weekend (very impromptu). It looks so much better, and feels so much better when I''m in there getting dressed.

Not to mention, all the things you purge, you can donate to homeless people/thrift store/etc., and that should give you a little fuzzy feeling on the inside!

 

[Dee*Jay]

I've tried on one blouse. Twice. (So that counts as two things, right?) Is that enough for one night... ?

MZ, I like your 1/2/2 strategy!

Lily, as soon as I finish the bottle of pino I brought in here with me for fortification I'm headed straight to your house for that merlot!

 

[lilyfoot]

Date: 6/23/2010 8:51:02 PM
Author: Dee*Jay
I''ve tried on one blouse. Twice. (So that counts as two things, right?) Is that enough for one night... ?

MZ, I like your 1/2/2 strategy!

Lily, as soon as I finish the bottle of pino I brought in here with me for fortification I''m headed straight to your house for that merlot!

Nope! You need to get it ALL done or you''ll never finish!

 

[marcy]

Woo hoo for trying on a blouse twice. I so need to organize my closet as well but I''d rather drink the wine.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I actually like doing that kind of stuff. If I lived closer I would trade you your closet for Tessa for an afternoon

You can do it!!!

 

[Beacon]

Go for it DJ! I love to throw stuff out - was just doing that today - it felt so good. My advice: be tough. No matter what odd excuses come to mind (and I make up very creative ones!) if that item has not been worn in years, give it a good old ride down the garbage chute!! Make room for the new and improved stuff you really want! Have fun, and be tough!

 

[zoebartlett]

It''s hard to get started but once I get on a roll, it feels so good to get rid of things. I try not to look too closely at what I''ve put in the "get rid of" pile, otherwise I''ll find reasons to hang onto it. Good luck!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Well so far I have managed to get rid of...

NOT...

ONE...

SINGLE...

THING!!!

SERIOUSLY.

I started with the formal wear. Five little black dresses. Three of which look good on me. Two of which look great (if I do say so myself). I moved to the suits. I haven't worn a suit since last September when I interviewed, but I am considering looking for a job again once the status of my knee surgery is finalized, so I don't want to get rid of those right now. Then I tried on a bunch of things I've bought recently (most of which still have the tags on) "just to be sure." Oh wait! There is one thing I tried on with the tags still attached that I am going to take back--does that count?!?

ARGH! I such a failure as a closet cleaner outer... Keep in mind this is only about 10% of what's in there, so I am FAR FAR FAR from done, and I KNOW there are things that will indeed get removed from my life, but I started with the low hanging fruit on purpose to make me feel like I was making progress. I've moved everything that I've touched tonight to the XHH's closet so I have more room as I keep going, so it actually does *look like* I've done something, but really...

Marcy, I stopped with the wine early on because I was afraid I would eventually just pass out atop my heap of clothes and never get anywhere!

Tacori, I would GLADLY take Tessa for an afternoon/weekend/until she's 18 if you would just do this for me!!!

Beacon, I'm glad you have a more successful day than I did at this!

Zoe, LOL, I wish I had a "get rid of" pile to look at right now...

 

[monarch64]

I''m currently making SO watch SATC 1 and the closet scene is playing (who knew?)...I think you need to either rent it or buy it and become inspired!!!!

DeeJ...Just do it!

I leave you with this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B_UYYPb-Gk

 

[marcy]

Well is sounds like you made progress!

 

[HopeDream]

You can do it Dee*Jay!

Be brutaly honest. If there''s anything you don''t wear because:

a)It doesn''t quite fit
b)You''re not quite sure about the color (unless you absolutely love the color---> it goes)
c) It just needs a little mending
d) It''s a little shabby so you just wear it around the house
e) It reminds you of this one time something bad happeded, reminds you of an ex, reminds you of a hated family member etc.
f) It will fit one day when your figure changes ( You are beautiful as you are! You deserve comfortable clothing that fits properly!)
g) You don''t actually wear it, but it reminds you of good times in the past
h) It was such a good deal (but you don''t actually wear it)
i) Nothing matches it
j) It doesn''t quite go with who you are now (hippy stuff from highschool/artsy stuff from college, when you''ve grown up to be a bank teller etc.)
k) It''s more than one of something that you don''t wear at least twice a week (unless you''re a cocktail waitress, or a member of the Addams Family you don''t need 5 black dresses)
l) It''s anything you are keeping because one day you might...take flameco lessons, get over your fear of ___, have an adventure, have time for that hobby
( If you''re not doing something you want to do, why aren''t you doing it? - unworn clothing does not equal fufillment of a dream)
m) It''s dryclean only and you don''t dryclean (or needs ironing, handwash etc.)
n) You''re keeping it out of guilt because your aunt/brother/bestfriend/dog bought it for you (but you don''t realy like it)
o)You don''t have the right foundation garments to go under it (If it needs a apecial bra you have no intention of shelling out for ---> toss it )
p) It''s a little out of date
q) You''re actualy always a little too hot/cold when you wear it
r) It matches a previous hair color, but not your current one
s) It doen''t make you look fabulous or doesn''t feel fabulous on

Give it away!!! Someone out there is waiting in a thrift shop for your discards - if you don''t wear it, at least make it available to someone who will.

Know who you are and how you want people to see you - get an image of your prerfect you and write it down (classy and confident, stylish and orderly, hip and easygoing, cool and comfortable, mysterious and exotic, romantically elegant) etc. Go through your wardrobe with that in mind - if it doesn''t match your chosen image - toss it.

The Effortless Truth (a slower approach):
Separate your clothing by season, and only keep the current season''s clothing in your closet. Pack away the other seasons. Now turn all of your hangers backwards so the hook faces towards you insteard of away from you. When you wear a peice of clothing you can turn the hanger the normal way when you put it back. at the end of the season all the items that haven''t been turned around are items that haven''t been worn, so they get given away. repeat every season.

Your closet is not a museum for who you once were.
Idealy your wardrobe will be full of clothing that you absolutely love and look fabulous on you, and that change as you do.

Clearing out the closet is an ongoing process - expect to make 2-3 passes a year to weed out the items you actually don''t wear.

Keep at it !!! I''m proud of you!

 

[MissMina]

Hope Dream

I thought I knew all the reasons for keeping
rather than tossing.

I have never gone by the one year rule because
if I haven''t worn something for a long time it
is like it''s new to me and I can enjoy it all over again.
Most of my clothes are simple classic and I think ageless

I still have the dress my mom wore to my wedding
in 1975. She was smart enough to get it out of
her closet but I would suffer great guilt.

I''m keeping the black wool hooded coat I bought in 1992
when we had our only cold snap of the century.
I may need it again.

That being said you give some very interesting criteria
that I am anxious to try out.

Film at eleven.

 

[Circe]

Dee Jay, you're doing the right thing! A stuffed closet = the inability to shop for more things. Awful. Now, that said, you don't say that your closet is stuffed: you say that you never have anything to wear. These seem like they might be two different issues?

I cleaned out my closet - twice! - this year, and it's still stuffed. At first, my criteria was to toss all of the worn/holey/"it's good enough to wear at home!" stuff (especially the last one, as I feel that gives rise to an odd form of low self-esteem, where the good stuff is only for other people - like, I don't wear nice lingerie for anybody but me, so why would I apply that to the outerwear?). Then I gave all the stuff that was still in good shape but no longer quite my style to my best friend. Now, I don't know what I'll do. Refer to HopeDream's list, probably - NY closets are not forgiving of sentimentality! But my own sort of plan for it it to toss anything I wouldn't buy today. If I was out shopping, and saw ____, would I shell out hard-earned money for it? I am pretty sure that should weed out some borderline items.

If the problem is more that you just have a lot of stuff but you can never find ____, or you hate how 19 outfits look on you in a row, that's a different issue. Two, actually. If it's the first, I am afraid the only thing to do is to just mow through it. I like to organize by color: makes the closet a thing of beauty in its own right, and I always know where the lone yellow blouse is.

If it's the second ... you sort of need to go back to step one. I have pieces that looks great on me during closet reorganizations, and awful when I'm trying to go out in the mornings. Perhaps those are the pieces that need to go? We could keep Hefty bags on the inside of the closet doors ....

 

[Dee*Jay]

Wow... I'm feeling a little inadequate; all of your are better at this than I am... Maybe there is a special genome that somehow got dropped from my double helix when the DNA was solidifying... ???

Date: 6/24/2010 1:27:18 AM
Author: HopeDream

k) It's more than one of something that you don't wear at least twice a week (unless you're a cocktail waitress, or a member of the Addams Family you don't need 5 black dresses) --> OK, was that really on the list or did you add it just because of my 5 little black dress confession?!?

l) It's anything you are keeping because one day you might...take flameco lessons, get over your fear of ___, have an adventure, have time for that hobby --> I actually do have a couple of things in my closet that would be appropriate for flamenco lessons but given that I have no rhythm (and also currenly no ACL) this is probably out of the question. Damn; there goes that hot pink ruffled bolero!

n) You're keeping it out of guilt because your aunt/brother/bestfriend/dog bought it for you (but you don't realy like it) --> The Demon and Oskie Boskie only ever buy their momma *jewelry* (although I do wonder how they get their furry little paws on my Am Ex... )

Monnie, I may be She With Too Much Crap In Her Closet, but I am also She Who Does Not Own A TV. When the XHH left his 60 inch pen!s--I mean flat screen--went too. Maybe I can come over to your house and watch it?

Marcy, you are far too kind by calling what I did last night "progress" -- but I thank you for it!

MissMina, I don't know... you sound pretty reasonable/logical about the things that are in your closet and for what reasons. Which of Hope's criteria are you going to explore? Are you hoping to grow up to be a bank teller?!

Circe, I may have come to an interesting realization last night (although this is yet to be confirmed). That is: I might have enough clothes, I just don't wear the ones I've got that I really like because they are "too nice." For instance, I have a blouse that I like the strucutre of so much I bought in three patterns earlier this summer. I had never worn it/them becuase they were too "good" to wear every day. Hello STUPID! So I have one of them on today and it looks GREAT. I plan to wear one a week for the rest of the summer. With three very different patterns no one will notice that it's the same damn blouse (and even if they do notice, fvck 'em, then need something bigger to worry about!!). I also have some other things that fit into this category; "too good" to wear. I am hoping that by the time I get done with this purge ALL I'll be left with is the *good* stuff! Then won't I be thrilled every morning when I walk into my closet and look at the choices?!? (I also do this with lingere. I have lacy underwear and frilly bras that I've never ever cut the tags off of. Well no more! I actually--just this instant--remembered that I have a hot red bra that would have been perfect under the top I have on today. Not that anyone but me and the dogs would have ever seen it, but why not?!?)

WHEW!!! I'm having one of those I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar moments! I love you all!

More on the clost front tonight when I get home. Not I'm EXCITED!!!

 

[movie zombie]

Date: 6/24/2010 1:27:18 AM
Author: HopeDream
You can do it Dee*Jay!

Be brutaly honest. If there''s anything you don''t wear because:


Your closet is not a museum for who you once were.
Idealy your wardrobe will be full of clothing that you absolutely love and look fabulous on you, and that change as you do.

Clearing out the closet is an ongoing process - expect to make 2-3 passes a year to weed out the items you actually don''t wear.

Keep at it !!! I''m proud of you!

words i''m going to remember!

mz

 

[movie zombie]

Date: 6/24/2010 3:25:49 AM
Author: Circe
Dee Jay, you''re doing the right thing! A stuffed closet = the inability to shop for more things. Awful. Now, that said, you don''t say that your closet is stuffed: you say that you never have anything to wear. These seem like they might be two different issues?

I cleaned out my closet - twice! - this year, and it''s still stuffed. At first, my criteria was to toss all of the worn/holey/''it''s good enough to wear at home!'' stuff (especially the last one, as I feel that gives rise to an odd form of low self-esteem, where the good stuff is only for other people - like, I don''t wear nice lingerie for anybody but me, so why would I apply that to the outerwear?). Then I gave all the stuff that was still in good shape but no longer quite my style to my best friend. Now, I don''t know what I''ll do. Refer to HopeDream''s list, probably - NY closets are not forgiving of sentimentality! But my own sort of plan for it it to toss anything I wouldn''t buy today. If I was out shopping, and saw ____, would I shell out hard-earned money for it? I am pretty sure that should weed out some borderline items.

If the problem is more that you just have a lot of stuff but you can never find ____, or you hate how 19 outfits look on you in a row, that''s a different issue. Two, actually. If it''s the first, I am afraid the only thing to do is to just mow through it. I like to organize by color: makes the closet a thing of beauty in its own right, and I always know where the lone yellow blouse is.

If it''s the second ... you sort of need to go back to step one. I have pieces that looks great on me during closet reorganizations, and awful when I''m trying to go out in the mornings. Perhaps those are the pieces that need to go? We could keep Hefty bags on the inside of the closet doors ....

oh, i gotta remember this one too!

mz

 

[TooPatient]

I love all of the tips here!

The closet at home is just

. I''ve been meaning to get around to it but....


I will start today when I get home from work. My summer quarter starts on Monday and I want to have the house clean and organized again before then.

 

[HopeDream]

Hi Dee*Jay,

You got me

the black dress comment was because you mentioned them. Keep the two fabulous ones, release the 3 decent ones, in a year or so evaluate whether you still need two black dresses, unless they are significantly different lengths. Be pickier! It sounds you have had a bit of a breakthrought about why you're not wearing your "good" clothes - I'm sure you'll have an easier time of it now. You deserve to feel fabulous Dee*Jay!

Miss Mina: Keeping a few classic pieces is great if you have the storage space and a well established sense of what looks good on you. If the items make you happy then keep them....BUT...you're on a bit of a slippery slope there

. Staples like a warm coat certainly get a little more leniency (Provided they aren't obviously dated). I bet your closet is bigger than mine.

Pieces that will still look good over time are usually quite plain with clean fairly conservative lines (Think LBD). Shy away from extremes of:
garment shape (I'm looking at you flared pants, bubble hemmed dresses and single shoulder-strap tops)
color (Seriously. Black is the new black.)
and pattern (Paisley, sequins, and plaid all seem to change so much from revival to revival)

My sister has had huge success by sticking to a limited color pallet for her clothing (black, white, grey and red with accessories to coordinate) and she always looks fantastic.

I'm proud of you ladies taking on this challenge!

Don't feel you have to do the ultimate clear-out all at once. My mentor says "Done is better than perfect", so do what you can, and then re-evaluate again in a few months.

Honestly my wardrobe needs a revival but I HATE shopping for clothes so I keep putting it off

. *shame*

 

[pennquaker09]

If I don''t wear something in 3 months, I give it away.

 

[Dee*Jay]

MZ, on the stuff that''s only good enough to wear at home, I often find myself bolting off AT THE DROP OF A HAT to avert a client emergency so I *try* to wear things, even if I''m only lounging around the house, that would be suitable for public consumption. There is that grey terry hoodie with the broken zipper and frayed cuffs though...

Too, yes! Join me in this endeavour!!!

Hope, I have *considered* going the route of your sister, but I never have the discipline when I''m shopping to stick to the plan. I''m like a baby--show me a brightly colored (preferably wildly patterned) whatever and I''m hooked!

Wow Penn... that''s impressive! I have things that don''t even make it out of the car and actually into my closet in three months... !

 

[movie zombie]

oh, geez, Dee, i tell my husband that the homeless dress better than we do at home! i never know when i''m going to dash out and start pulling weeds!

mz

 

[bebe]

Dee, I just purged crap outta my closet this week. Man did I throw out tons of stuff!! It is still sitting in bags
waiting for me to drop it all off somewhere ! I haven''t even hit the shoe shelves yet.
A few years ago I bought all new wooden hangers and nice hangers for pants and padded hangers for nice knits.
That was a huge investment, well over $500.00. It was a great motivator to get my butt in gear and that closet in order !!

 

[Imdanny]

When in doubt throw it out!

Seriously, to do this effectively you have to put everything in a 'pile' and make brutal yes, no decisions about each thing, whether to save it, throw it away, or give it away, according to what you truly need, truly want, etc.

 

[miraclesrule]

Most hysterical thread I''ve read in awhile.

I''m like you Dee Jay...I didn''t get the clean closet gene either.

Most of mine are on piles in the floor of the extra room because they need to be cleaned. I just adopt more closet or storage space instead of clean out the ones I have.

Ugh...we need an intervention.

 

[AdiS]

Oh Lord... I''m too scared to even go anywhere near my closet.

I just grab the first thing my hand can reach and wear it, trying not to look at the chaos around me. Good thing my clothes are mostly black and complement each other, or people would think I was mad/colour-blind.

I know it''s time to do something about it but I get depressed even thinking about organizing it. Yesterday I accidentally took out a pair of fantastic gray trousers with the price tag still on. I don''t even remember when I bought them and it was one hell of a price too.

I wonder how many other brand new clothes I have just lying around like that, not worn even once...

 

[HVVS]

So as much as I would really rather poke my own eyeball out...

I have to say, that is one of the most interesting thread titles I''ve seen on PS.

 

[HappyAnniversary]

So that''s an option then? If I don''t want to clean out the closet I can poke my own eyeball out? I''m thinking....I''m thinking. . .

 

[4ever]

I secretly really love cleaning out my closet every year.

I do keep, donate, sell and maybe piles.

The things I keep get organised into the right catagory and hung back up, the iteams I donate are ones I don''t want but wouldn''t be worth my time selling onlineand they full up a big black rubbish sack, the ones I sell are ones that are in good condition and were expensive but don''t fit or don''t suit me or I just don''t wear, and the very small maybe pile goes in a big plastic storage box in the botten of my wardrobe with my out of season clothing and gets chucked at the next clean out if I havn''t worn it.

There is no point holding onto clothing that no longer fits me, dosn''t do me any favours or I don''t wear because I have similar iteams I like better. Plus I really love a nice, tidy, organised wardrobe.

Then I can look at what I don''t have and what would make a lot of the items I like and want to keep but arn''t wearing work and do some stratigic shopping.