The Purge! (Round 2)

Well, here I am purging my closet once again. I vaguely remember telling you I was going to start doing it again. I must confess, I did ferret away a few (okay, a lot of) things that in all seriousness, I do not need anymore.

First, I pulled ALL the shoes out from under my bed. They were being stored in plastic boxes which take up a lot of room, so I decided to go through them and throw out what I no longer need or wear. That was hard, actually. I love shoes, as most women do, but I love being uncluttered and clear-minded even more! Plus, as I have been reading some minimalist blogs, clearing out your shoes/clothes means there are less options. Sounds scary, right? In reality, it cuts down on the time you spend deciding what to wear in the morning and all the stress that comes with it.

I honestly don't think most people care what you are wearing unless it is revealing, smelly, or ill-fitting. My clothes (the ones I kept) are none of those things, therefore it was more simple to pair down what was lurking in my closet. I have a few outfits that I wish I could wear every single day because I feel good and comfortable in them. You can shave down your wardrobe that much, but I don't think I am quite ready for that. I do see how buying quality pieces that go with everything will help you to be less cluttered. So, from now on, I will start thinking about what I am buying and not just slapping down the cash because I thought something was pretty. It all adds up SO MUCH in the end.

I looked around at all of the shoes and clothes I was getting rid of and thought (as I've read my minimalist bloggers saying) "All of this used to be money." That thought makes me cringe! How awful to know that most of the things I've never or rarely worn were once money that could be sitting nicely in my savings account?

This thought has definitely challenged me to THINK before I buy. It doesn't have to stress you out, but just take a moment to ask yourself "Do I NEED this? Will I wear it? It is a quality piece that will go with the other things in my closet? It is a fad item?" How you answer those questions will determine whether or not you spend or keep your hard earned money.

Okay, back to the shoes.

I realized I had "duplicates" of several things, such as tan colored shoes. I had about three pairs. One of which I never wore and that hurt too much (too tight when I bought them) so they went into the donate bag. I also have two pairs of boots, one are for hiking/winter outings, the other for everyday around town (these look good with jeans or dresses... the hiking boots? Not so much), so I kept both.

I have a pair of black leather flats that got me up and down on Capitol Hill in 2016 (they have sentimental value, plus they are just good, sturdy shoes that I never have to worry about developing a blister while wearing them for long periods), and a pair of fancy black/brown metallic flats for the nicer occasions. Both are great, so I kept them and threw out one other pair that I never wore.

I got rid of a pair of tennis shoes that I thought were adorable at the time. At the time meaning "I've been on Pinterest too much looking at fashion photos of girls in the new 90s fashion comeback). You really have to regulate how much time you spend online looking at pretty pictures of people wearing nice clothes. This marketing trick makes me want what others have, and it is truly dangerous! No laughing matter there.

After dealing with the shoes, I went through the drawers in my closet keeper and actually emptied one. That's where my shoes are now, so they aren't underneath the bed where I can't get to them (thanks, Rheumatoid Arthritis). I just pull out the drawer, and there they are! It is really nice to think that I only have so many shoes, so I need to wear what I have and NOT buy more, unless the ones I have are worn out and hurting me.

I have learned (a while back) that buying quality shoes makes your life that much better. If they hurt, it's not worth it to spend the money! Keep that in mind when perusing the shoe store. Every ad we see shows some kind of sexy heel or other shoe that makes us think we "need" that pair. How many times have I fallen victim to this? So many!

Remember: It is possible to go into a store and not buy anything! If you like it so much, take a picture and post it online so you can show everyone. That's actually better because then it's not sucking your money or taking up space in your home, but you can still look at it now and then.

I also find that once I've left the store, my "Shopper's Adrenaline" goes back to normal. I get really, REALLY excited when I walk into an antique store or the book store (it also happens around food) and I just want to buy everything that catches my eye. This is dangerous, so just take a picture and enjoy that. Works every time for me!

I also got rid of several old purses today that had some sentimental value. But they were just spilling out of my closet and not being used. I carried them for a few years but then they began to break down and I bought a new one, so why do I need these anymore? They served their purpose, now move on and forward. Don't let things with no emotion hold you back! No matter how you yourself feel, the objects do not have feelings, so you can't hurt them!