Skeletons in my closet
Cindy on March 26th, 2009
“The art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.” — Havelock Ellis
It’s time for some serious spring cleaning. The costumes and uniforms of my past are taking up way too much space in my closet and in my psyche. But since I’m a born collector, I struggle when it comes time to release the threads and fabric of my past. Do you find it hard to let go of things you no longer use or wear? If so, you might want to check out this week’s Midpoint column in The Oakland Press.
March 26th, 2009 at 8:09 am
I’m actually the opposite. Twice a year when I change my closets seasonally, I easily toss out garments, such that my husband keeps a wary eye on the bag in case I toss something of his that he may want to keep. I’ve always been like this, keeping a few of the very cherished items in my life, but not holding on to so much else.
March 26th, 2009 at 9:28 am
Joanne, I envy your discipline. Actually, I am getting a little better every year, getting rid of more items each time I go thru this ritual. Not easy, though! –CL
March 26th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
I am on the road to recovery as well.
It is very liberating to get rid of something that no longer serves me, what I no longer love or use. Plus I donate everything which seems to soften the blow. Atleast I know someone else can use it and hopefully love it. Good luck. Use the process as a call for energy, purpose, and joy. ~Sara
March 27th, 2009 at 6:21 am
Last spring I did a major purge of my closet. For several months afterward, I was able to put on an outfit I WANTED to wear each morning. One year later, some bad clothing choices have crept back into my wardrobe. Your post inspires me to go back and do battle with my closet again.
March 27th, 2009 at 9:58 am
I just popped over from Johnstone Journal.
I don’t have a problem with getting rid of stuff. In fact, I do it on a regular basis. Ever since my husband and I moved into a one room apartment when we were first married and we realized we had garbage bags of clothes, purses, shoes etc. that had not been used in eons. We were forced then to declutter and it’s been a practice from that day forward. I ritually and seasonally purge from my closet. It is SO liberating!
Kat
Please visit my poetry blog (above) and my nostalgia blog Poetikat’s Invisible Keepsakes http://www.cultclipsgenx.blogspot.com if you have the chance.
March 27th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Hmmmm. I’ve been to your house and while you do have a lot of stuff it does not appear cluttered. You’ll see we are on the same page… I just wrote about this topic too.
I’m too much of a saver, good when it comes to money, bad when it comes to stuff.
March 29th, 2009 at 10:33 am
Cindy,
Oh you will be so happy. I streamlined a year and a half ago by getting rid of as much of my stuff as I could, storing the rest and renting out my house to move into a house sharing deal with very few things with me. It is delicious! Not everyone wants to do that, but the sense of lightness even doing a thorough de-cluttering feels great and frees you up mentally for other things.
We published an article on Womenbloom about this by a personal organizer; had some great tips for overcoming the reasons we hang on to stuff: http://budurl.com/exqq
March 30th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
As a born pack rat — I found a solution to the problem — living in a 360 sq ft studio! You can get creative with storage, but you are also forced to make some choices. Here’s a post I just wrote about how to get creative with a small space: http://tinyurl.com/c9lmbj
Most of all, I try to figure out whether or not if I’ve used the item in the last year. If I haven’t, and it’s not a family heirloom of some sort, there’s a strong presumption that it needs to go!
March 31st, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Cindy,
You inspired me to fill up four bags of paper and magazines from the office to recycle!
The clothes, however, are such a challenge. I think I did the papers so I could give myself a pass on the closet!
March 31st, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Cindy, great article. I need to clean my own closet and dressers, but I think it’ll need to wait a while. I’ve been cleaning and purging stuff from my mother’s condo and it is very liberating to see bags of donations set aside, or containers of recyclables taken to our local resource recovery center. I think Cheryl Richardson’s closet checklist is spot on!
April 1st, 2009 at 9:21 pm
This topic is on everybody’s mind this time of year. Spring is the time to clean out and lighten up. Two years ago we got rid of all kinds of stuff when we moved to a house with less storage space. With no basement to hide things away, use it or lose it.