2017 wardrobe mantra: "would I buy this again?"

unfrumped

Happy New Year!
January holidays are frequently my most productive wardrobe edit times.
I'm hoping to find some more effective ways to streamline my wardrobe for 2017. I have found some good tips but still believe I'm dealing with overall more than is right for space, ease of maintenance, choices.
I found the Kondo book very useful for a lot of things, but for clothing am still more blocked than I wish and " spark joy" less useful in this category for reasons that aren't clear. Maybe because of ticky proportions that make certain items seem useful even if not ideal, but I think also some still hanging on of the sunk " cost", not only $, but personal investment of some sort.

I have been trying out more of the test, " would I buy this again today " , combined with the basic first instinct/ joy concept.
Of course there are pitfalls for that " test" also and I'm not sure how that will go, but we shall see!

7 years ago

Inspiration

10 replies

Latest reply was from Bijou

Staysfit

Veteran

I found the Kondo method hard to do by myself because I couldn't let my first impression lead. When my DD was present, she handed me items one by one and she could instantly read my expression, and at the same time it didn't allow me time to let those thoughts about how much I paid for something, or fit issues to crowd my decisions. I started to feel my way through the process instead of think, and to recognize all the afterthoughts. Kondo is about your gut reaction, its primal. You need to toss out everything that doesn't bring you immediate joy with that first impression and stop second guessing. All those items with the afterthoughts need to go in the toss pile. Once I grasped this, I was able to clear my closet. It works. Really. It does. Of course, I like the question "Would I buy this again?" I haven't asked myself this about anything in my closet, and I wonder what results that would yield? I sense a new project in the near future.

7 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I really like that question and realized in reading it that it's a version of what I say to myself (or rather, feel) as I do my seasonal edits. I actually ask two questions:

Is it still in great enough shape to wear?
Would I buy it again?

The first gets rid of much worn and still loved items that are past their prime in terms of wear and tear, and prevents me from hanging onto placeholders. Note that I do make (rare) exceptions here -- for true HEWIS that are wardrobe essentials, I might keep a placeholder a tiny bit past its prime.

The second question helps me get rid of dated items.

You can refine the second question also and if the answer is "yes" you can ask yourself WHY? This helps get at your deep preferences. So you might discover you would buy item A again because the colour makes you so happy, and item B again because of the fit, but not item C because it's a bit scratchy and even though you love the cut you can't stomach that.

7 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

Stays fit, I sense you may be closer to the real thing. I believe I am fearful of the potential results of the gut reaction approach. Therefore it is probably the best approach!
Angie's " how do you feel in your clothes" also seems closer to what I need, when applied to particular outfits especially. ( not just" comfort" feelings- e.g., jammie's!- but about one's sense of self). This approach sometimes directs me away from YLF opinion, but not always, and is sometimes combination- specific- I might love an item worn one way, but not another.

I do think if anything is to change, it will have to be my approach.

I am teetering toward it.
What I forget is, I will still buy new things, to some degree, no matter what. I have not given sufficient thought to the good things that could happen if I did the " spark joy" approach and THEN filled holes with things that worked with the favorites even if some of them needed more partners.

You have given ME something to think about, too!

7 years ago

cindysmith

Veteran

This is a good question to keep in mind as I do an edit soon. There are some pieces that were bought in response to emotional traumas that I can't bring myself to get rid of. There are also pieces that were bought in response to poor planning on my part; and fir whatever reason, I still have an issue with poor planning and I still have pieces I don't like that were bought in response to poor planning. I gotta do better in the future.

Thank you for the motivation to do an honest assessment!

7 years ago

shedev

Veteran

I've done the would I buy this again edit. I need to do the is this too worn out to keep edit. I'm planning on editing my whole house, but I don't think sparks joy works across the board. I don't feel joy at looking at my mop, but I need it.

7 years ago

minimalist

Veteran

Thank you for posting this, unfrumped. I'm going through the clothing category today. I got tripped up in trying to separate capsules etc at the same time. Now starting from top, doing just the primal take StaysFit describes.

7 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

Shedev, the books deal with the " practical and necessary" ax not bring true " joy" but joy in their usefulness.
I think that is dn area that trios me up with clothing. Not winter coats in summer, but an item that might make other items work.
But, in fashion, there is always a New of modern version so I do think I'm overthinking and having FOLG- fest of letting go- because I could of course looks for a happier replacement. That's true of household items too if the " useful" item at domed level is not as functional as needed.

7 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I have had some success with the "would I buy it again" question; however, I sometimes temporarily fall out of love with an item, only to rekindle the flame a while later.

Moving forward this year, I think I will be employing my holding zone in a thoughtful way, shopping it instead of shopping the stores. And some of my editing will put items in the HZ instead of the donate pile. It might sound counterintuitive, but sometimes I've regretted a purge and then tried to find a new version of an item I once liked and let go.

7 years ago

Brooklyn

Veteran

I am like Janet. Sometimes I tire of an item that I once loved but, if I put it away for a while, the magic returns. The "would I buy this again" test works best for me with newer unworn or seldom worn items. That is, it helps me to identify a mistake that I am hanging on to because of guilt. I have quite a few older, well worn items, that would fail the would I buy this again test (because I am a bit tired of them) but I don't purge them because I enjoy wearing them occasionally (or I may do so after they have had a little rest).

7 years ago

Bijou

Veteran

I love the "would I buy this again" question in preference to the "joy concept". The reason for this is that basics rarely spark much joy in me and yet are essential to creating a look that works with the more interesting pieces that do spark joy in my wardrobe. Having a wardrobe that works holistically and sparks joy collectively is what I am aiming for in 2017 - I know that this is highly ambitious!
Taking a rest from certain pieces also works for me too. Often I will skip a season from wearing a particular coat/dress, only to find that it becomes my firm favourite the following year.

7 years ago

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