https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 11 Apr 2026 13:19:28 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293950 Sat, 03 Dec 2022 00:32:24 +0000 rachylou 2293950@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I’m impressed! I’ll bet you feellighter and freer </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293836 Fri, 02 Dec 2022 14:36:46 +0000 Anonymous 2293836@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Beautiful piece of furniture, Janet! Love the new use of it </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293825 Fri, 02 Dec 2022 13:31:36 +0000 RobinF 2293825@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I am not good about getting rid of clothes but it always feels so good to do a big clean out! I think the hardest for me would be the bags. Even if I don't use them I tend to save because, for one thing, they always fit! :)</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293780 Fri, 02 Dec 2022 05:13:29 +0000 Firecracker (Sharan) 2293780@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Congratulations! It's so great to have that clarity about what you are ready to let go of. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293757 Fri, 02 Dec 2022 03:07:02 +0000 Carla 2293757@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Well done! &nbsp;I like your attitude </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293741 Fri, 02 Dec 2022 02:32:18 +0000 Jaime 2293741@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>To start with the latest, excellent rethinking of a beautiful piece of furniture! I had to smile ruefully at the sentiment "I am confident I am not going back." This is not something I recall feeling - I have seen too many surprise twists in my life. Anyway, sounds like you did an amazing job and will enjoy your new wardrobe (especially in its new storage) all the more! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293735 Fri, 02 Dec 2022 02:11:48 +0000 Janet 2293735@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Strangely, I think some of this new attitude is being sparked by the home renovations. Or maybe it’s just happening in conjunction. A simplified atmosphere that isn’t full of crap we don’t use but instead is thoughtfully equipped and decorated with things we use or love… well, it just extends to the wardrobe as well. </p> <p>Funny story how these two efforts of wardrobe evolution and home evolution are dovetailing: we had a big wood 3-piece cabinet in the living room from Arhaus we purchased many years ago. It’s a nice piece — slightly Asian in style, glass paneled sliding doors, very sturdy and well made. It’s not part of our new living room plan, and I kind of hated to sell it, so I started thinking about how to reuse it in our home. </p> <p>Well, we have had an old antique armoire in our bedroom that we’ve owned ever since Jamie moved in with me 23 years ago. We had very little closet space so we went out and bought this antique armoire to store his clothes in. It was kind of hilarious though because it was quite shallow (all we could fit in our tiny house at the time) so his clothes hung sort of sideways in it. When we moved here, where we have a larger closet, I repurposed the armoire as an accessories cabinet, for jewelry, hats, scarves, graphic tees, and workout gear. </p> <p>Well, now the big cabinet has been repurposed as my accessories storage, and the armoire is going to my niece! It suits the style of our room better, and it fits the space perfectly! I love when I can reuse something I love! It even holds a little more than the old cabinet, so my travel accessories are in there too. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293728 Fri, 02 Dec 2022 01:44:56 +0000 LJP 2293728@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Love it ! I relate so well to the “ I’m confident I’m not going back “ sentiment . </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293718 Fri, 02 Dec 2022 00:26:08 +0000 Janet 2293718@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Sal, I have I think one sheath dress left in my wardrobe, that I last wore to Lina’s wedding three years ago. It’s a lovely blue patterned lace and is good for occasions like weddings, so as long as it fits, it stays for now. </p> <p>By and large, my dress style has shifted — not much need for anything that reads “dressy” and I mostly only wear dresses in summer. It’s really challenging to find the right casual summer dresses for me, so I’m learning to be pickier and settle for a little less variety, which is not really a bad thing! </p> <p>In general, my dresses and skirts are now longer and looser than they were several years ago. Almost no pencil skirts — most are A-line or asymmetrical, long midi length, and flowy. That kind of fit appeals to me in dresses as well. I dread the higher hemlines that are surely coming back! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293716 Fri, 02 Dec 2022 00:22:16 +0000 Bijou 2293716@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Janet your recent acquisitions have been so stellar that I can see why you have less desire to wear any of the items in the holding zone, as it then limits the wearing of the newer clothes. Your style has never looked better and you have had a subtle shift in style direction, that going back to those older items is not likely. I am sure your niece and those who shop in thrift stores will be thrilled to get the items you had in the holding zone. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293713 Thu, 01 Dec 2022 23:59:13 +0000 Sal 2293713@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great work Janet!!&nbsp; I think there are years when a larger edit is helpful, I know some years I really feel a more seismic shift compared to others.&nbsp; My holding zone is also pretty small now (I do store seasonally due to old home's limitations, but aside from that there are only about 4-5 pieces).&nbsp;</p> <p>What did you decide about sheath dresses? I am trying to decide if I will go back to sheath dresses - I used to wear them for dressy occasions and they "suit" me - but currently I don't feel right in them.&nbsp; I think you also suit them really well but haven't been wearing them as much?&nbsp; I have three - only one has been worn in the last two years and only once.&nbsp; One has not been worn for about four years and one probably about seven (I purchased if for my 40th).</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293694 Thu, 01 Dec 2022 21:49:14 +0000 JamC 2293694@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>It feels so good when you let things go! Last spring we downsized to a small condo from our bigger house. We had to find new homes for such a variety of things we had for many years. We did it by reselling some items but donating most furniture, household items, clothing and toys (from my previous work with children). Everything now fits in the 2 bedroom condo and garage! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293693 Thu, 01 Dec 2022 21:44:32 +0000 Cardiff girl 2293693@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Well done Janet,it’s not easy letting go of stuff but you will feel benefit.lt sounds &nbsp;like you were ready to move on.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293689 Thu, 01 Dec 2022 21:31:46 +0000 Dee 2293689@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Well done, editing closets is such a chore but it sure feels good when you finally get around to letting go of things that just don’t cut it anymore. My closet is definitely calling out for an overhaul.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293678 Thu, 01 Dec 2022 20:53:42 +0000 Minaminu 2293678@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>5 bags, wow! very well done for tackling the holding zone!!! I should give it a go but have decided to wait for the Xmas break.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293671 Thu, 01 Dec 2022 20:22:20 +0000 Janet 2293671@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks, all! I know from past experience that I feel so much better when these things are out of the house and gone! Right now I have two piles in the dining room ready to donate, and the other stuff is in the basement for my niece to go through. I’m eager to get it all gone at this point. I have a firmer idea of what I want to wear at this point in my life, and increasingly I’m feeling less attached to older items that just don’t feel like where I am now — I guess I’m becoming more confident that I’m not going back. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293667 Thu, 01 Dec 2022 19:47:56 +0000 Roberta 2293667@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Good on you! I just took four coats to the food pantry yesterday for their coat drive. They either felt dated or were a bit tight in the chest and shoulders. So hopefully they will keep someone warm this winter.</p> <p>You are right, coats take up too much space to be "maybe someday" items. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293666 Thu, 01 Dec 2022 19:45:13 +0000 Angie 2293666@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>A fabulous feeling! Well done :)&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293663 Thu, 01 Dec 2022 19:06:03 +0000 MsMaven 2293663@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wonderful! I have a hard time letting go of clothes that no longer work and have a "save for now" closet that is getting full. I did take my 2 wonderful leather jackets to my niece on Thanksgiving. She's tall, slender, (the way I used to be) and was thrilled. She tried them on and looked fabulous. I kept trying to wear them last year, but my body has changed with age and realistically isn't going back.&nbsp;</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293661 Thu, 01 Dec 2022 18:59:14 +0000 Jenni NZ 2293661@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Well done Janet. I know I am not very good at it but all the Fabbers have helped me to let go a bit easier overall so my holding zone is now quite small.<br /> I gave many empty hangers to one of my daughters. Just hope she won’t develop the same too-large wardrobe issue I’ve had, ha ha! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293660 Thu, 01 Dec 2022 18:57:19 +0000 Suz 2293660@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>That's fabulous, Janet!&nbsp;</p> <p>I just popped a couple more items in my donate bag the other day, too....time to take it to actual donation, LOL.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293656 Thu, 01 Dec 2022 18:48:22 +0000 DonnaF 2293656@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>So very brave of you!!! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293655 Thu, 01 Dec 2022 18:44:42 +0000 Helena 2293655@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I bet that feels fantastic Janet ... there's nothing like a good clear-out; I actually always feel like I have more when I do this! Sounds like you've made wise choices that honour who you are now, and where you are in your style and life journey. x </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cleaned-out-the-holding-zone#post-2293654 Thu, 01 Dec 2022 18:43:01 +0000 Janet 2293654@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yesterday I had a fit of unplanned closet-cleaning. We will need to shuffle around a lot of our stuff in the coming weeks since the real construction work on our first floor begins in January. So I started by making room in a space that was getting a bit unweildy. The dreaded holding zone!</p> <p>Five big bags of things, from boots to bags to coats to neglected clothes…all going. My niece gets first right of refusal on the stuff that might fit her. A couple of nicer items will go to consignment. But mostly it’s just going to get donated. A couple of mistakes still have tags on, but in fairness they were bought right before the pandemic started and never got worn, and now they feel all wrong. Oh well!</p> <p>I’m determined to keep nudging the number of items in my wardrobe down, so the newly-empty hangers will be given away too (save for a couple of spares in case one breaks, which happens maybe once a year). </p> <p>The handbags definitely got a culling. My style in that department has become simpler. I don’t seem to be using the more colorful bags anymore, and I’m off of satchel styles, which I apparently once loved. </p> <p>Coats that continue to be a size too snug? Gone. They’re just too bulky to keep “just in case.” Our renovation will mean we have a new larger coat closet in the laundry/mud room in a couple of months, and my goal is to be able to fit all our coats in that closet. At this point we rely on the basement holding zone space for overflow, which I don’t like doing because I like to see everything at once!</p> <p>Now I think I need to get my husband to do a bit of editing — his shoes suddenly seem to be everywhere! LOL </p>