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?

Beauty Product Overload

Lately I've been feeling a bit stifled by the clutter in my life. I'm not exactly sure why it's hitting me now but it doesn't matter. My wonderful Dad was the king of clutter. He saved everything that could be useful. He was a handyman and used many of those old parts and things to do repairs later.  There were lots of other items that weren't useful and just took up space.  When my parents retired and moved out of the house where I grew up, truck loads of items were purged.  Because I have that "saving" gene, I have to force myself to clean out and purge on a regular basis.  I could start in almost any room but our bathroom drawers of  beauty products, makeup and nail polish are filled to overflowing.  It's nuts.  This weekend I'm going to start purging.

These are just a few of the idea I've collected on my Get Organized! Pinterest board. I could start almost anywhere in the house but because the bathroom is an important part to the start of my day, it's my first choice.  I'm also going to purge items I don't use or haven't used in a long time.  Makeup doesn't last forever and I'm sure that I have lots of products that are long past their expiration date. 

photo credit: her social network - Nicole Moulton

Once makeup is opened and used, it collects bacteria that can be harmful.  I know that I can toss lots of products, using this list as a guide. Deciding to purge has also made me think about the products that I use daily and can't live without.  There are items I use occasionally but when it comes to my daily items, I have my favorites. In November, I did a post about my daily beauty items.  I didn't outline all of them but these are my core. It makes me pause and think about what I really need and what I use regularly. 

It also made me consider hosting a beauty product swap.  I can't be the only one that has products I've only used once or twice but can't stand tossing.  I could come up with some rules and guidelines (things like no eye or lip products and that if opened, the item can't be more than six months old).  It's a thought. I'll have to ask my friends if they'd be interested. 

I'm sure it's a bit cliche to get organized at the start of a new year.  Maybe it is, but I think that anytime you make your life and home a better place, it's a good thing.  Are you planning to do similar thing to improve your quality of life?