Stay or Go?

Cleaning out my closet and drawers has never been an easy task for me. Parting with worn or stained clothing or shoes is never hard. It's those items that I like and think I may wear again that cause the issue. Just recently, I had to drastically reduce the clothing that I had stored in our basement. A friend was moving in to rent the space and I needed to make room. A few items were hard to part with. They were items I thought I might come back to, eventually. I donated tons of items that I hadn't worn in ages and didn't think I'd wear again.  About a month after this big donation, I started noticing tops like these popping up online.

In my big purge, I had donated two similar tops because they were left over from my 90's club days and frankly I didn't know why I still had them.  When I saw these tops online, for a split second I regretted donating them. Then I did a rewind and reminded myself why I'd gotten rid of them. I'm not 25 anymore. I don't spend Friday and Saturday night in a club anymore. I don't want to look like a throw back to Melrose Place (the original not the remake). I did this trend once already and it wasn't even that great the first time. In this case, my regret passed quickly.  Other times I've really regretted getting rid of an item and actually purchased another similar item to replace it. The "if you haven't worn it in 6 months or a year" rule has never worked for me. I have a few great pieces that I've owned since college. Now you see my dilemma.

My closet purge this time will be thoughtful and calculated. As I decide which items to store and which items to toss or donate, I will be taking a little inventory. Once I pack items away for storage, I'll make a list of those items. Then I will know exactly what I have that could be worn again.  If an item doesn't fit, no matter how great it is, I will either give it to someone, swap it or donate it. I found a great decision tree. It's definitely one of the best I've seen. I'll keep you posted on my closet purge journey.

 

How do you decide what to purge and what to keep?

New Year's Wishes

The term resolution is daunting.  It's always seems like pressure and not in a good way.  To me it is similar to the times that my parents or someone of authority would tell me that I had to do something. It just makes me want to do the opposite.  A few years ago a close friend suggested using the term, New Year's Wishes instead of Resolutions.  It sounded so much more appealing.  A wish is like a gift.  You can make it a goal and if you can't quite reach it, then you don't feel like you've failed.  After all it's a wish. The promise of good things to come.

I thought I'd share some of my New Year's Wishes with you all.  In a way it will help me to stay accountable and it will make them feel more real. These are in no particular order.

• Save and Invest More - This year I've been focusing on getting my financial life in better order, saving more and putting aside money for our upcoming wedding. I've also renewed my interest in using coupons. I'd like to get more organized with my coupon shopping. I'd also like to do some investing with my Honey in some stocks. I think it would be a good project and a way to earn some extra money for the wedding.  

• Eat Healthier and Exercise More - I want to be healthier and in better shape for my life and our wedding (April 2013).  Health is a priority for me due to my family history and my life in general.  Wedding dress shopping is scary to me. Dress sizes are not forgiving and run small. The standard is that you need order your wedding dress six to eight months prior to your wedding.  That deadline gives me a timeline of August to October to get myself in a bit better shape. I'm planning to work harder at choosing the most healthy food and by taking our fuzzy kids for walks regularly (as a start).

• Organize my Exploding Wardrobe - I have some amazing clothes and shoes.  I am terrible about holding onto items because it seems that every time I get rid of something, I decide I want to wear it again.  My wish is to cull through my closet and storage area. I need to box up items that are out of date (for now) or that don't fit.  Get rid of terribly dated pieces that aren't vintage quality and trash anything that's too worn. I can also swap or donate items that just don't work or that I don't want to keep. There are a few swaps coming up. I'll be posting about swaps tomorrow. They are great ways to purge a little.

• Find the Perfect Shade of Red Lipstick (for me) - I love bold lips but the perfect shade of red lipstick seems to be an unattainable beauty item. I can rock fuchsia but when I wear red I always feel like my lips are overpowering my face. Finding the perfect classic red for me would be fantastic. I'd love to find a bargain shade but to be honest if I find a pricey brand that's perfect, I'll take the plunge because I know I'll wear it often.  

• Give Back - Volunteering has always been part of my life. Unfortunately, when things get hectic, I don't do it as much as I'd like.  This year I want to look for new ways to give back and volunteer. I've already signed on to help a local high school with their Cinderella project (free prom gowns for needy girls). I'm sure I can find some great ways to help in my community.  

What are your New Year's Wishes?