Now that it’s officially spring, time to do a little cleaning. That also includes your closet and anything else that you are holding on to that you need to let go of. Some of the clothes you are holding on to are for two reasons, to lose the weight, or come back in style. I know, I have those same outfits in my closet. You are probably reading this thinking, I’m not about to get rid of this suit, I paid $350 and it’s a designer suit. When I bought it 20 years ago, I promised myself the I would never get rid of it, even though I haven’t worn it in 10 years. This woman is crazy.
I am very guilty of this myself. This thing menopause keeps 20 30 extra pounds on me just because and I can’t wear everything in my closet. I am not giving up on losing the extra weight, but I know it’s time to purge and donate some of my clothing. When I lose the weight, I’ll get a few new things. I did this last year when we moved, but I still have things I kept because I just couldn’t let go. I’m turning into my mother, love you momma but I am. She kept clothes forever. When she passed away in 2003, I was the one who went through her closet since I was the surviving daughter. My mother had clothes in her closet from 1970, seriously. She was very particular and had everything stored properly and neatly. I almost felt guilty giving most of it away, no one wanted it and I was taller and heavier than my mom. I did however keep her designer handbags and carry them to this day. Love the vintage feel when I carry them.
Funny, I don’t have a problem going through my girls’ closet, because children grow and I can’t stand their closet to be cluttered. I give away their clothes every year, but very little in that give-away pile comes from my closet. My closet isn’t cluttered, I just hate giving my clothes away. I’m gonna make that change this year, some of the clothes are getting close to 10 years old and I simply don’t wear them anymore. That also includes shoes. That’s gonna hurt because I love shoes, I might have to rethink the shoes. I’m gonna try to follow this philosophy that if I haven’t worn/used it in 3 years, I’m giving it away to someone that would get use out of the clothing or object.
I may as well do it for the rest of my things, household items is my next project. I moved them twice last year and don’t use half that stuff. Ok, some of it is from my first marriage in 1987. I know, let it go and I will. That will empty about 4 or 5 boxes in my storage area. Wonder what makes us hold on to stuff the way we do? My husband will not throw away boxes, if we’ve purchased something, we still have the box for it. He also has that set of large, I mean huge speakers from when we had the big stereos! He doesn’t even have the stereo any longer but refuses to get rid of the speakers. So between me and my old wedding gifts, his box thing and those speakers, we could clear up a bunch of stuff and have room for that refrigerator that they took apart when we moved in December. Yes, my brand new refrigerator that we can’t use because we are renting now. They had to take it apart to get it in the townhouse. I still get heated when I go down there and look at it all taken apart like a project or something to do.
I have several organizations in my area that I donate to, Goodwill, Vietnam Veterans of America, Salvation Army. We’ll have a big donation coming in the next few weeks and whoever can come pick this stuff up will get it. Do you all donate clothing and other goods to charity? How often do you purge and give away clothing and other items?
