I have always been a shopper, and quite honestly I don't know where that gene came from since neither my sister or parents enjoy it as much as I do. Maybe it's because I was meant to make up for their lack of shopping, or maybe I'm just the weirdo of the family. Either way, I have whole-heartedly embraced this trait. I wrote
this post
a while back about how I used to use retail therapy as my crutch. I'd shop just for the high when I really didn't need the stuff. As I've gotten older and moved into my own apartment, I've realized that I couldn't let this continue (especially considering how many things I got rid of that still had tags attached).
Now don't get me wrong, I still allow myself to go shopping. Sometimes a trip to the mall and being in that type of atmosphere is all I really need. Other times, if I try something on, I realize I don't need it desperately after all. It might not be perfect, but it's what works for me. I've managed to cut back on the stuff I'm bringing in, but what about the madness that is my closet, which has accumulated over the years?
The other day I finally got around to putting some new clothes away that I had purchased a while ago but just never took out of the bag. I'm really bad about this, please tell me I am not alone! Anyway, most of these were sweaters, and as I tried to stuff them in with all of the other sweaters I had, I realized I just had way too many. You might call this my light bulb moment. I pulled about 10 of them out to give away and make room for the new ones. The thing is, though, I was still wearing these sweaters to work, but only because I had them. They weren't really my style anymore. In fact, I had gotten some of them back in high school ... It's bad, I know, don't judge me. What was I thinking?
From that point, I got the biggest surge of inspiration to really go through everything in my closet and not just de-clutter, but actually cut back on the amount of clothes I keep. I have decided that less is more, and you shouldn't hang on to things for the sake of having a full closet. There is no point in keeping those yellow pumps if you never actually wear them. And the same goes for feeling obligated to wear something just because you have it. I really want to focus on defining my style and only keeping pieces that truly fit that.
If you're uneasy about getting rid of a bunch of things at once, do it in small groups. You can start with sweaters, then pants, then shoes, etc. After all, if you're closet looks anything like mine, it's pretty unrealistic to be able to go through it all without rushing. Also, if you are iffy about some items, pull them out and set them aside in a bag or box. If you go a couple weeks and don't think to reach for them, you know it's safe to give away!
I'm really excited about using this newfound motivation to nix my unnecessary shopping and start making more thoughtful choices about my wardrobe. A trip to the mall here or there will still probably happen, because I am only human after all. And a girl, I'm a girl. But let's just hope I don't find anything else with the tags still attached come this time next year.
xoxo,
Amanda
