Monday, December 17, 2012

I'm cleanin' out my closet





I'm not really sure what possessed me to clean out my cupboard right before christmas. Perhaps it is that inner obsessive compulsive that rears its head every now and then. Or perhaps that desire to have everything done, and the peace of mind that comes with that, to relax during those days after christmas.

It's not like I never clean out my clothing cupboard. It's had many a cull and clean out over the years, but I find every few months it needs attention to keep it functional and not looking like a tip.

It's a fairly small cupboard and I've tried to keep it that way. A cluttered cupboard I find goes hand in hand with that age old problem of having a closet full of clothes but nothing to wear. It all just gets a bit overwhelming finding something to wear.

And mine had cluttered. My pre-Violet clothes which had survived the last few culls, but which were not being worn because they had never quite fitted the same way again, were certainly taking up quite a lot of space. There were old shorts there, pretty little dresses and my old favourite jeans. I realised that I'd actually become quite emotionally attached to these items. They were the outfits of the last part of my 20's. I guess I'd hung onto them hoping to recapture that same (younger) person. And when I looked over them with a more critical eye I realized not only that I may never be quite that skinny again, but that I had changed. I am now approaching my mid thirties with three children, and I no longer had any desire to wear that cute, but impractical miniskirt.

But it wasn't without a little sadness that I packed them away and sent them to the op shop. My cupboard feels lighter and surprisingly a little more optimistic. There's not a lot in there now, and once grouped together I discovered there were more than a few sewn by me clothes. They seem to be the ones I turn to these days, which tells me that there will be more to come. It's a good thing to see at a glance exactly what is in there. And not many shoes, but all ones that I do regularly wear.

So while my days of wearing hipster skinny jeans, denim hot pants and buttoned pocket miniskirts may be over for now, I look forward to slowly adding some fun vintage inspired dresses, some skirts, comfy light tunics and a few pretty blouses. It's kind of liberating to know that I can now make these myself. Clothes that feel like me. Now.



Have you ever found it hard to get rid of certain items of clothing?
Do you become emotionally attached?
Have you grown out of some of your clothes too?

17 comments:

  1. It is very therapeutice having a closet review and cull.
    It is not just about the clothes, but they represent part of your life with the memories.
    But I have found that after the process, the benefits of having a closet with only clothes that fit and I like to wear and fit my lifestyle of today is much more inspiring than an unworkable closet stuffed with unsuitable clothing.

    It is even more special that you are noticing that your new wardrobe has more clothing that you have made yourself.

    Good job!

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  2. i've just given a whole load to a clothing swap. it was a bit of a wrench seeing them go, especially the more expensive designer numbers but they were just clutter as my shape has changed so much since babies. and i dont miss them now they're gone. but i do wish i could sew. maybe once i;ve mastered knitting...x

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  3. Good for you! It really is a fabulous feeling when it's all organised. I'm still holding on to a bright yellow mini skirt I wore when Darren and I met at a night club. Barely covered my behind but I can't part with it. I bet your creative brain is ticking over a mile a minute conjuring up lovely new things to pop into that cupboard. Have a beautiful day :) x

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  4. My wardrobe is in desperate need of a clean out! Last night I took to the hall cupboard with a vengeance (why on a Sunday night for goodness sake?). Currently I have stuff strewn all the way along the hallway. I work full time so it's going to take a few evenings to complete the clean up. I always get the cleanies before Christmas!!

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  5. I like the optimism that you have towards your newly ordered wardrobe. I always feel freer and lighter when I remove clothes from the house but it can take me several months to make the final decision to lose an item. I am doing project 333 right now and just love having more room in my wardrobe xo

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  6. Oh yes i know this one! So many clothes i don't quite fit that i kept for when i would. Until i realised that even if i could fit them my style had well and truly moved on. Yep time for another cull here too.

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  7. Oh Tania, I understand where you are coming from! I do a tidy up of my teeni tiny cupboard every few months because without it would also look like a tip. During that tidy up I also cull a few items. It's sad to see some go, other's I often chant "what was I thinking". Like you, my body has changed since children...although being blessed with hips I could never wear hipsters but I think I am also embracing my curves and my body shape and being drawn to clothes that suit me...not dictated by fashion. I also hope to add more "made by me" clothes next year to my wardrobe. xx

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  8. I tend to be ruthless and honest when i cull. In fact I have only held on to very few things from my 30s or 20s. Some pieces I cherish and won't part with . I discovered I still had a Victoria secret bra from my first trip to the states all of 14 years ago. I remember trying that on and looking damn hot, I just cant let that one go, even those the feeding of four bubs has left less to fill that thing out.
    I love cleaning out my wardrobe I did it last week, there must have been that feeling to do everything just so as we could relax as you said. Your wardrobe looks like you have some great pieces.

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  9. I seem to be bitten by the bug at this time of the year as well. There is nothing quite like the feel of a decluttered house during the festive season.
    I've recently been going from room to room and being ruthless, it doesn't matter how often I do a spring clean we always seem to accumulate more.
    My wardrobe got a overhaul recently but there are still one or two items I just can't bear to part with :)
    x

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  10. I need to do a clearout of my wardrobe too! I have alot of pre-baby clothes that I now know I will never fit again. xo

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  11. I've been fighting the urge to clean out my plastics cupboard and our tallboy of clothing for the last week or so. I think that at this time of year, when everything seems so rushed and a little chaotic, cleaning out cupboards and closets allows one to feel organised and at least in control of *something*. ;)
    ~S.

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  12. I love a good spring clean of my wardrobe. It's hard sometimes, I do get emotionally attached to pieces. But at the end of the day, if I don't wear them they get chucked out.

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  13. We recently gave away three large bags of girls clothes. A lot of memories there, the last clothes of girlhood, now we are into the teenage fashion stage. It was hard to give them up, but am happy that we gave them to families at church so we will see them being loved by other girls!
    As for me, I have a few dresses I am holding onto for sentimental reasons, my "going away" dress, my 21st dress etc. sad but true.

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  14. A fresh clean start and room for some extra special items. Job well done.

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  15. I held onto my "pre baby" clothes for years before I realised I'd never be a 6 again... and a little longer before I was Okay with that. But once they were gone it was liberating, I didn't have to stress about getting back into my old size and making space allowed me to mature into a more earthier style that I had adopted over the last few years, It was okay to be comfortable and even if I was not "fashionable" I had my own style.

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  16. I've been itching to do a good wardrobe cull here too, but have made myself wait until after Christmas :) I too only have a few pairs of shoes and a small wardrobe which I've been slowly whittling down. Not only do I have many of worn pieces, but like you, many just don't feel like 'me' anymore, pieces from my 20's that don't seem to suit my age or my personality anymore. I'm desperate for a wardrobe update :)

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  17. I totally get sentimental about clothes and thus keep them way after I've stopped wearing them. But, I am getting better about letting them go to the thrift shop where someone else might find and love and use them as I once did. This is actually a good spur to motivate me to do the same at my house. I didn't have enough hangers to put away the clean laundry last night. That is a sign.

    Ultimately, in my ideal world, all my clothes would be homemade (even if not made at MY home). Someday!

    I really like the style you have now. I find it hard to imagine you in a miniskirt, but I was just looking at old photos of myself in very revealing tops that I would never feel comfortable in now. Tastes change. Bodies change. I suppose that is only natural.

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