https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-closet-purge-part-two Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Wed, 06 May 2026 06:27:45 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-closet-purge-part-two#post-179002 Sat, 03 Jul 2010 03:04:20 +0000 Lisa 179002@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks every body, there are a lot of good points here and it's nice to see I'm not the only one who struggles with this. Plus I'll admit all the encouragement does help! And it IS a lot easier to pick a t-shirt out now. Sort of makes me want to do another section. Hmm...weekend project? :)</p> <p>Kate and Louise-That is a good idea, since I am in a 4 season state, I can't expect to make decisions on clothes that are not in my current season. </p> <p>Taylor-Yes! And I had NO idea! Though when I stop to reflect, as much as I love the snuggle factor of fall/winter clothing, I am usually frustrated with the lack or bright colors available. I don't consider black, brown and gray color variety.</p> <p>AJ and Angie-Thanks! *beaming* </p> <p>Vix-You hit the nail on the head, if I purged in one day, I'd be in the mall the next day struggling to replace everything. I like the organizational shows too. They always make me want to clean...</p> <p>Tarzy-I'll be curious to see how you make out in 6 months. Maybe put a date on the box and/or on the calendar so you know how long the box has been there and when it is due for getting passed along. Least the box get forgotten and other's piled on top of it.</p> <p>St4rrgrrl-That is a good point, though I notice I often use the word toss, I really do one of two things-1-donate to Goodwill or a local church (when they are open for drop offs) or 2-pass along to a friend of mine with a VERY large family, they can always use clothes. The funny thing is, I've often seen tops I've wrestled with passing along on her and they will look 1000% better than it ever did on me. And I'll wonder how I ever though I could pull it off to begin with.</p> <p>MNsara-Yes, I am loving the matching hangers. It brings a sense of calm to the closet. I went to Target and bought a couple of boxes, the thinny thin hangers are the BEST! NOTHING falls off of them, even the very silky soft items. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-closet-purge-part-two#post-178934 Sat, 03 Jul 2010 00:32:51 +0000 MNsara 178934@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great job so far, Lisa! It IS tapping into our psyches as we do this :-\ But I hope the great results of your t-shirt section are encouraging to you. </p> <p>Some days are easier to see our possessions objectively than others. So, if you are in an ambivalent day, don't even try. . .</p> <p>P.S. I am rejoicing in your matching thin hangers See how you were able to get rid of the wire ones? That is one of my closet goals - ALL matching thin hangers (matching color too) because I am SO visual and that would be such a reward Well done! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-closet-purge-part-two#post-178911 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 23:33:01 +0000 florida 178911@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Lisa, I have trouble with closet-purging, too. Once I'm actually in the throes of it, I let stuff go easily. It's getting myself to that point. I tend to hang on to stuff for a really long time, just because it's in good condition. I put off the purge for weeks, months, years even, until I'm like, "I just can't take it anymore!!!" and then I just do it.</p> <p>I think that the reason it's so hard for me is because, when I was in college, I was pretty strapped. I paid my own way through, and never had much money to spend on clothes. I tried to be very careful to take care of my clothes so that they would last. I would plan pretty much to the penny how I'd spend a $50 gift card from a relative. (I also had to walk five miles uphill, both ways, in the snow but that's another story--just kidding!!;-)</p> <p>College was a long time ago (I'm in my late thirties now), and I can now buy the clothes that I need, when I need to (within reason, of course--I'm still quite frugal). But that experience did influence my tendency to hang on to things waaayyy beyond their expiration date I was thinking about this quite a bit last weekend when I was doing my big closet purge.</p> <p>One thing that I try to remember is that I'm DONATING my clothes, not throwing them away! My donated clothing is all in good condition (bad condition stuff I tear up and use as dusting rags, bedding for my dogs, etc.) and I just remind myself that my trash could be someone else's treasure! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-closet-purge-part-two#post-178892 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 21:26:20 +0000 taylor 178892@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Tarzy...that takes strength..stay strong:) When we emotionally attached to things it is difficult to let go, no matter what it is...even if it is clothing worn to the bone!! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-closet-purge-part-two#post-178866 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:45:42 +0000 tarzy 178866@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Lisa - congrats on facing the challenge. It sounds (and looks) like you're doing it just right.</p> <p>I've been attempting a purge too, and I've become more and more aware of how emotional I am about clothes. For instance, I have a jacket I've owned for over 10 years. It's one of the LL Bean "field" type jackets, like you'd wear at a campsite, or for long walks in the woods on a crisp fall day. I live in Los Angeles, miles away from any woods, and have been camping once in the last ten years. But I am having anxiety letting it go. What if I NEED it for something? I have so many things like this, that are perfect for one, specific activity (most of which I never do.) Meanwhile, I have only about three tops that I really wear for every day life. Ridiculous!</p> <p>I think I'm going to take the advice you got and pull those other things out and put them in the garage for six months. If I can live without them, then I'll donate them. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-closet-purge-part-two#post-178772 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:33:05 +0000 Vix 178772@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Agree -- sounds like you have made a lot of progress! </p> <p>&gt;If I went ahead and donated the remaining 26 tops I'd probably have a nervous breakdown. Apparently I am very attached to my clothes. I'm betting after going years and years of not having too many, I've now gone off the deep end.</p> <p>Last night I was watching a DVD of one of those organization/clear out shows and almost ALL the featured clients expressed something like this. </p> <p>And all the pros brought into help said the way you are doing tackling the "too much stuff" thing is the smart way -- thinking through it, trying to match up behavior to WRITTEN goals (aka "to have an organized closet where everything fits, flatters, and works for my lifestyle" or whatever).</p> <p>If one just dumps everything willy-nilly then usually other stuff comes in to replaces it.</p> <p>Given your science background, sounds like the photos were a great tool to help you stay objective. Since you know you have a strong response to removing items, it might not hurt to have a process-oriented flow chart or "list of desired outcomes" posted as motivation. </p> <p>The "After" shot looks great...good luck as you move forward! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-closet-purge-part-two#post-178741 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:21:31 +0000 Angie 178741@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yay! Well done, Lisa! Looks great. </p> <p>And what Kate said. Give yourself a little more time and a big pat on the back :0) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-closet-purge-part-two#post-178707 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:16:43 +0000 AJ 178707@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Any progress is great progress in my opinion! It's OK to baby step your way with your closet purging. Take your time and feel good about your decisions rather than rush through the process and regret it. Great thinking to have your husband take the donated items for you! Thanks for keeping us posted. You can do it!! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-closet-purge-part-two#post-178647 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 07:41:17 +0000 Louise 178647@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>The tops look so much more managable now and organised. I'd also give it 6 months before you donate stuff, as the seasons change you may regret it and then give up on purging totally x </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-closet-purge-part-two#post-178606 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 04:16:57 +0000 taylor 178606@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>sounds like great progress, and you learned something very important to your personal fashion persona...you love color!! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-closet-purge-part-two#post-178584 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 03:31:43 +0000 Kate 178584@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You might feel like it isn't going well, but from your post it sounds like you've made a lot more progress than you're giving yourself credit for! Donating 6 t-shirts is a lot of progress, and it sounds like doing things slowly and in small pieces will be more manageable than getting rid of a whole lot of clothes all at once. </p> <p>Also, I would wait at least another month or two to donate the items you haven't worn yet. I've given myself 6 months to see what I have and haven't worn, and it means that I was able to wear a lot more of my clothes, and feel confident that I really wasn't wearing the clothes I donated. There are certainly clothes that I don't wear every month that I do wear, so give yourself more time before donating all of your unworn clothes.</p> <p>Keep up the good work! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-closet-purge-part-two#post-178578 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 03:12:31 +0000 Lisa 178578@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hi,</p> <p>Not only am I amazed at all the closet purging going on lately, but also in awe. I am one month into my purge/tracking of worn clothes and it is not going too well. As mentioned in the first post <a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-closet-purge-part-one">here</a> I had flipped all the hangers and am flipping them back as items are worn. In one month I have worn 20 non t-shirt tops including 2 jackets, 5 dresses and 1 skirt. This is out of 46 non t-shirt tops, 13 dresses and 1 skirt. At least the skirt part was easy. </p> <p>If I went ahead and donated the remaining 26 tops I'd probably have a nervous breakdown. Apparently I am very attached to my clothes. I'm betting after going years and years of not having too many, I've now gone off the deep end. Every time I put something in a donation bag, I have to take it back because "it cost money!"</p> <p>I decided to work on a small section, the t-shirts at least. In one month I wore 12 out of 20 t-shirts. There was a great comment on a previous post to try on every item in the wardrobe. I went ahead and paired up every t-shirt with my 2 pairs of shorts to see which looked the best. If you are bored, here's the <a href="http://s798.photobucket.com/albums/yy264/lduncanz/T-Shirts%20for%20Shorts/">album</a>. (pw is ylf_2010, if needed)</p> <p>I kept 14 t-shirts and donated 6 of them. I had to ask my hubby to drive them to a donation bin before I took them back. I also reorganized the t-shirts by color. Previously they were intermixed with other items in the wardrobe.</p> <p>Here's the <a href="http://i798.photobucket.com/albums/yy264/lduncanz/The%20Closet%20Purge-Part%20One/IMG_3342.jpg">before</a> and the <a href="http://i798.photobucket.com/albums/yy264/lduncanz/The%20Closet%20Purge-Part%20One/IMG_3348.jpg">after</a> One thing I learned, I really like color! Who new crayola crayon was my fave? And just in case you were wondering, yes I have a science background and observing and recording is a habit, hence the detailed count of everything. :)</p> <p>I hope to make more progress for the next month. We shall see what happens. Thanks for reading along! </p>