I just returned after a few months away to my tiny grad room, and am confronted with unpacking the boxes in storage. On the one hand, I'm happy to be reunited with some of my fav clothes, and household luxuries, which I wasn't able to bring with me for reasons of practicality. On the other hand, I'm beginning to feel claustrophobic by the volume of space occupied by these items. These bouts of commuting and subletting a few months at a time have helped make me realize what I miss, and what I need in terms of fashion and function.

It would be great to use these moments of unpacking to reduce my number of possessions, given my small living space (think one chest of drawers, and a 1.25m rack) and in anticipation of a long distance move next summer. Easier said than done, though.

a) Clothes challenge:
I have a collection of tops that I do not wear, even though they're flattering in colour and fit. I bought them overseas and feel attached to them and their unique style (MidEast retro). However, my own style has shifted and I gravitate toward silk T-s and blouses in black and white, with long cardigans or blazers overtop. These items are attractive to me because of the clean lines, the fabrics, and the reserved modern look, whereas my other garments seem too "young" or busy and project an image that I don't want to project ("open"?). The same dilemma with a few skirts, except in the case of the skirts, the fit is only flattering on "slim" days.

b) Shoe challenge:
Problem feet means that I have only one pair of shoes that I can wear to accommodate a special form of inserts (not orthotics), but a whole range of other shoes and boots for "dressy" occasions. Some of these I'm holding onto because of "what ifs," because I like them, and because I paid dearly for them (before I got these inserts). They take up quite a bit of space, and only one or two pairs at most can make it into to the travel suitcase. Guidelines for keeping and giving away?

c) Accessory challenge:
Keeping pretty accessories that were gifts from family, but that I don't wear because of fabric composition. Or again, keeping head coverings that I bought overseas but do not wear.

I'm thinking of devoting a small box to clothes that I can keep, but don't wear, and when that box gets full, I need to give something away to make room for something else.

Any thoughts?