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Considering the closet edit

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I will have some quiet time at home today (hubs is going to go do some gaming with his son), and I’m in a mood lately to streamline...well, everything. My office, my studio, our holiday decorations, our storage space... I did some last year around the start of the year, and it felt good, but it’s time to take another round.

I perhaps have a touch of OCD, because I tend to want to tackle ALL the spaces and ALL the categories of stuff, but i tend to hit a point where one task overwhelms me and I get decision fatigue. So I leave that area halfway done and start on another. This only leads to a lot of half-done tasks left for later, and doesn’t help my long-term stress.

I am going to try to be methodical and disciplined, so I want to know if you all have any favorite editing strategies that help you get through the whole task at hand.

I know there are countless approaches and strategies to closet editing, so I’m open to trying some new or creative tactic(s), as long as they seem to make sense for me.

Have any of you had similar struggles? Are there strategies that have helped you?

Some of the categories I want to tackle:

- Coats - I’m reluctant to give anything away that fits well and is in good shape and classic, even if I haven’t worn it in years.
- Jewelry - I have a big collection, some of it old and sentimental, and I tend to think I will reach for some old pieces again when trends shift, but that doesn’t happen often.
- Jackets - again, I find it hard to let go if they fit and are in good shape. Some things I “like” but don’t wear. I find it especially hard to let go of good leather jackets even if the styles feel dated for me, because I think the style will come back around. Hmm, yeah, I have a 20 year old leather jacket that has still never come back around.
- Tops - I have loads. I am an easier fit in tops than bottoms so I always have way more closet space dedicated to dressing my top half. The truth is, I’m not excited to wear a lot of what is in there. Many of them are 5+ years old, and even though I “like” them, they don’t feel quite current to me (I suppose they were trendy then? Which would imply they’re perhaps dated for me now). I think I need to get brutal on a lot of these — everything from sweaters/knitwear to button-front shirts.

I feel like my jeans and pants are already fairly well edited (could probably stand to let go of a few), and I did a pretty good job streamlining my footwear last year. And I only have a very few skirts and dresses.

Any suggestions, ideas, or experiences to share? How do you psych yourself up? How do you overcome feelings of guilt? I welcome any and all inspirations and motivations!

I wish Angie lived on the east coast — I would love to have your help with a big closet edit, Angie!

General

39 replies

Latest reply was from Mainelady

kerry

Veteran

“I tend to want to tackle ALL the spaces and ALL the categories of stuff, but i tend to hit a point where one task overwhelms me and I get decision fatigue.” Me too! I’ve always thought it was just my impatience!

I think this is similar to my baby steps toward reaching a goal. Sometimes we’re just not ready to let things go and then seemingly all of the sudden, we are. I think too it’s like breaking a bad habit. It often takes many tries before the new behaviour “takes”.

When I have decision fatigue I know I’m not ready to tackle the situation. It’s when I’m fired up and feel like I have infinite energy that I know my efforts will be successful. In times of emotional upheaval, it feels like a good distraction to take on these projects but at the same time we might not have the energy to do so. Heavy emotions take up a lot of energy!

kkards

Veteran

Janet...honestly, the only way i could do it was slowly...like you i WANTED to tackle it all and all at once, but i know that i would have ended up getting overwhelmed with not much to show for it...so i tackled 1 category at a time. posted here so that i was held accountable and becuase it was the closest i was going to get to having Angie help me...and i put a lot of stuff into the "holding zone"....i found it helped to start with the hardest catogory (for me footwear)...
good luck

Anonymous

You are taking the words right out my mouth - or off of the keyboard, as it were. I'm looking at the mess and disorganization of a Christmas that only half-happened here (I was in a medically induced haze for most of it and coping with a broken arm) and wanting to be rid of the whole lot. Of course, blogs, instagrams, and online articles are also full of the usual January cleanse stuff, which makes us want to get going - now. I'm exactly like you in that I have 5 half-complete projects/edits going all over the house, creating even more of a mess so I'll be following along here for any tips on how to not get caught up in that whir of activity.

I too have too much outwear, too much jewellery, and still too many shoes and bags. If I can't see it, I forget what I have, and it's not right. My husband knocked over a necklace hanger/stand thing last night while trying to pull a set of fresh bedsheets from the top shelf of the linen closet and 40 necklaces came crashing down into a sad heap on the floor in front of him. Or course, rather than apologize, he snapped at me for having so much stuff to begin with, and not having anywhere "proper" to store it. It looked silly, this pile, as I bet I have worn none of those pieces in the past year. Shameful and wasteful. (we have spent a little too much time together of late and are starting to get on each other's nerves - lol)

Anyways, one small strategy I have used to success , and I wonder if you might connect with too, is to look at the things you think you can let go and know that if you really, really want to replace them in the future you can (you have the resources to do so, in other words) . That security blanket of an idea has helped me somewhat - and guess what? Most of those things never did get replaced and I was just fine without them. It's kind of like the cinnamon bun analogy I used to use when "dieting" (so 80's) : it's not like the world will stop making cinnamon buns - they will always be there if you really want one. You'll live quite well without them in the meantime........IYKWIM.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

I do sympathise.l can understand that need to clear out the old and welcome in the new at this time of year.lm not sure that I’m the best person to give advice on a closet edit as I also have “vintage”stuff in my wardrobe.l suppose I tend to employ the same tactic that I do for shopping .Put the garments in question away ,if you keep thinking about them ,keep them,if you take them out in 6 months and you haven’t thought about them since you put them away then maybe they can go.A trusted friends thoughts might help as well.As does taking photos of yourself in the outfits.somethings look better in the minds eye than in actuality but I very much suspect that you know all this already,maybe you are looking for support rather than advice?In which case you have come to the right forum.

SarahD8

Veteran

Janet, I really love the KonMari method. (I actually just reread both of her books because I feel the need for another whole-house round coming on.) I know some people find her kind of fruity but there are two principles that really have helped me:

1. Declutter by category, not location. (So, get ALL your coats together and go through them at once, rather than doing the main coat closet today and then going through deep storage later.)

2. Choose what to keep, not what to get rid of. It’s more positive! Actually I do a modified version of this when I’m decluttering with my daughter. First I gather a category and ask her to pick out three things she wants to keep. (Helps bc then it’s clear that she doesn’t have to get rid of everything.) then I ask if she can identify three things she’s ready to let go of. Repeat (you can vary the numbers of keep/discard) until you meet in the middle.

I know a lot of folks roll their eyes at the “spark joy” thing but I think the key is not the specific language, it’s accepting that the process is somehow intuitive. Helps let go of a lot of “shoulds.” (I should keep this bc it was expensive, it’s a basic/classic, it might come back in style, etc.)

As for wardrobe editing specifically, two things that are not from KonMari — actually I think they’re from Bridgette Raes:

1. Where am I going in that? (As in, do you conceivably have an occasion when you would wear this in your real life?)

2. For items in large categories, When would I choose this over [favorite item/s in category]?

Dealing with guilt, back to KonMari (and this is irreducibly woo-woo, but stick with me):

1. Recognize that objects want to be useful, so if an item isn’t getting use in your closet it’s better to set it free.

2. Thank items for their service. If you can be specific about this I think it can be really helpful going forward. Like if you can articulate to yourself “thank you for teaching me that I don’t feel right in tops with ruffles at the shoulder” you’ll be less likely to buy such tops in the future.

Sorry this is so long! I think I’m typing this out as much for me as for you tbh!

bj1111

Veteran

one category at a time is probably the way to go.

i feel the same way about my coats. so i put all the ones i wanted to keep in the coat closet. i hung the coats that i used that day at the back in an attempt to use the more of the coats. the ones that i kept passing over, i purged 1 coat at a time over a month or two. what helped is having my niece as a willing recipient of any of my cast-offs so it lessened the sense of waste. i also had a bag of "ready-to-donate" stuff at the back door making it easy to dump the purged coat. i'd like to send these to dress for success.

Runcarla

Veteran

Hah! I spent yesterday deep cleaning my kitchen and ended up pitching some stuff (chipped, stained) with a box of items to donate (orphaned pieces, etc.) I seem to be in a mood to tackle sentimental stuff (reduced my cookie cutter collection by 2/3). I still have a bit more work in the kitchen that I plan to tackle later today. This week the local Mission Thrift Store is coming by with a truck to haul off some old furniture prior to our rec room renovation. I think the reno has put me in a mood.

Janet, don't edit your closet too much. You are one who manages a larger collection of clothes very well. You are an artist who needs a big palette - IYKWIM. Also, let's wait for Angie's New Years post coming soon.

So, I'd say step away from the closet...maybe do paperwork and financial stuff? I like to start the year off with all the paperwork filed and the bills paid! Or the linen closet, bathroom drawers (beauty products), or fridge.

Anonymous

I say start with climate-since we have more or less the same. Are a lot of the things youre not wearing for mild weather (like light jackets, transitional shoes, short sleeves)-and not rain proof? In our 2 week or so twice per year of mild weather, it usually rains!
Add (wind proof) skirts and sleeveless dresses theyre the only thing comfortable from may-oct!
Can you layer under the coats, everything you want to layer? Are they suitable for the bitter cold windy days (mine arent-facepalm)?
Do you have things that are fussy, require layering under, missing a support act, require special care, etc?
Can you mix some of the older jewelry with pieces you currently wear, or redo them to feel more modern (like resetting stones, restringing)?
You seem to have a tight color scheme, but are there things in the closet that stick out like a sore thumb because they dont harmonize with the rest?
Are there things that would be better at the ranch, or vise versa?

Bijou

Veteran

I found the October closet edit challenge Angie set and the posts raised then to be very useful.

Doing the hardest categories first (when I was most motivated) was best. So for me, coats, jackets and dresses are always a bit harder to let go because they tend to still be in good condition and will generally fit. Knitwear is often a bit worn and jeans get dated - so for me, those are the easy categories.

Jewellery was a category that was unexpectedly easy for me. I don't accumulate much costume jewellery and have a small selection of favourite pieces - so saying goodbye to rarely worn items was easy. A few years ago I collected all my unworn real gold jewellery and had it made into a gold cuff - which I wear everyday.

Good luck with this and post those items which you are uncertain about. We know what amazing things you have in your wardrobe - so I am sure we can help you edit out the less than perfect items.

Elizabeth P

Veteran

No advice Janet, but many of your “issues” sound very similar to mine, so I will be following closely.

I’m a very all or nothing person, and find it very difficult to get started at all, if I know I can’t finish. Given how busy I am with work, kids, etc, I have to divide things up into bite sized pieces in order to do anything. Thus the reason my October purge challenge was only done on 3-4 categories.

Good luck!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

*toes tickled*

I’m giddy thinking about helping you with your edit! Wish we lived closer too.

Janet, one area at a time and one item at a time. Enjoy it and the results. Leave jewellery for a while. Start with coats and jackets, and move onto tops. We can help you if you like. Perhaps it’s time to move on from items that you haven’t worn in a while.

Fit all jackets and coats on. Assess how you feel about them NOW. Make a pile of the keep and pass on. Show us the items you are unsure of.

Next category.

Vildy

Veteran

I'd start with categories where you already recognize there are plenty of items you won't pull to wear because dated, etc. It *is* a variety of OCD to feel guilt over wasting. It's Material Scrupulosity. The best way not to feel pressured over that is to refuse it. I say kick OCD in the teeth, recognize these are your belongings to do with whatever you choose and take back your power from all those shoulds and shouldn'ts. What Marie Kondo advocates but omitting the idea that things have feelings.

anchie

Veteran

Apartment living has forced me to be minimal and organized. We don’t have basement, attic or spare rooms and closets to store anything extra than just what we need and use on regular basis. One set of pots, plates and silverware, just enough linens and towels to not have laundry bottlenecks, one box of christmas decorations, no extra blankets and pillows etc. You get the idea. I am really careful when bringing something new in our home, considering if I have a place for it, and if I have to get rid of something else to make space for it. I know that only about 10 coats can fit into my coat closet, and that is how much I keep at any given time, and I always have to do one in one out. So maybe you can start by grouping your items together, dedicating the limited space for your categories and selecting only your favorites to fill that space. Or you can pretend that you are moving and think of each item if you would bring it with you

SarahD8

Veteran

I’m with Vildy — start with your tops (maybe even sub-categorize) because you know you have a lot and want to reduce. That will hone your decision making skills for categories where you have a hard time parting with things . Everything up from the holding zone!!!

karen13

Veteran

Janet- I feel your pain. I was traveling in October so didn’t really get to participate in the YLF edit challenge and then lost steam with busy life and holidays. Instead I did an empty nest room reorganization (switching the function of 4 spaces which involved a lot of de clutter and furniture disposal/repurpose - DDks bedroom, guest room, exercise equipment, office and craft room) that I was gung ho about, but then lo st steam and am now waiting for the holidays to subside to finish. Meanwhile DH has been on a declutter tear too and it feels a bit overwhelming.

I can’t offe advice, only sympathy. But excellent suggestions here that I will also try.

nemosmom

Veteran

Your post is timely, Janet! I was just reading these tips (https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/116765017), as I too am feeling like a year-end cleanout, yet feeling a little overwhelmed. These two tips resonated with me:

6. Start Somewhere (Anywhere!)
You know yourself best: Do
you like to start with a bang, or would you do better with baby steps?
There is no one-size-fits-all way to start decluttering, so go with your
gut. Have tons of New Year energy? Devote an entire weekend to plowing
through several rooms’ (or closets’) worth of clutter. Feeling
completely overwhelmed? Start with your spice drawer.

and:

7. Keep the Pressure Off
Marie Kondo may advise decluttering all in one go, but in my experience that’s just not how it works: Your eyeballs can’t even see
all the clutter on the first pass. So instead of feeling frustrated by
your inability to completely declutter your space in one try, decide
from the get-go that there will be a round two. After capturing and
letting go of obvious clutter on your first round, you will be primed to
remove even more during round two.

One of the things that really helped during my early fall closet purge
was to REMOVE everything from it that I wasn't actively excited about wearing. You deserve to walk into your closet and feel happy, not overwhelmed. Do you have a spare closet or area you can dedicate to store those items you "like" but don't wear? As for whether those items "come around again", Angie said in one of her old posts that even when a trend comes around again, it's usually a little bit different. I will try to find the old post.

Also, the forum was really helpful in helping me decide some of those items I was on the fence about. Post them here and get feedback. It's great to have the hive mind's help.

Roberta

Veteran

I agree with several Kon Mari tenets: one category at a time, thank your things and send them on if they no longer work for you, embrace folding and rolling. I felt a little silly at first with the thanking, but the idea that my clothes might make someone else happy is very satisfying. I admit that the single category concept is much easier for me, because i dont have a three bedroom house and a full basement.

It's the time of year for reflection and moving forward with purpose, yes? I spent hours in my closet yesterday, measuring and rearranging and evaluating. I was planning to have the master closet "done" in 2019, but I was nervous about the expense; now I think I can redo it myself. I've only been in my place for a full year, and you can definitely tell in a few closets that I just threw things in and shut the door!

One of my useful decisions was to set limits on small spaces. I have one rack for bracelets and watches, when it became full, then I couldn't add anything without deleting something. Ditto for necklaces (one Shaker peg rack), and one small jewelry box. And everything i wear (within the season) must be visible, barring undercrackers and socks. No boxes of sweaters under the bed, because i just forget about them.

My wardrobe is only minimal by Imelda Marcos standards, but at least it isn't ever expanding. The wardrobe that ate Chicago.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Oh my goodness, what a wonderful set of responses! I love you all.

Vildy, your words of wisdom resonate with me. Oh, how they do! A lot of my emotional turmoil around this stuff is inherited from my mom (who, along with her many wonderful qualities, was most definitely a bit OCD, had hoarding tendencies, and knew a thing or two about inspiring guilt! LOL). And my mom-related issues have been kicked up big-time this week because of what we were going through with our sweet little Sophie dog. I’ve been feeling so much guilt, even though the hard decisions I’ve made — ten years ago, or this week — were made with love and compassion.

Nonetheless, letting go of stuff is not the same as letting go of a person or even a dog. But somehow there are residual emotions that get tangled up in the stuff. However, I know from past experience that once the stuff is out of the house, I feel better and don’t give it much of a second thought. Just a huge reminder of how stuff in no way comes close to actual living beings that we love and connect with.

anchie

Veteran

Janet - my mom has hoarding tendencies, she lives in huge 5 bedroom house, with additional outside spaces like garage, basement, sheds and utility rooms. Every nook and cranny of that house is filled to the brims with items many still unopened in original packaging. She is being living there for 50+ years and don’t think that she ever throw out anything, even broken and unusable items. She still has wardrobes full of office clothes in different sizes, even though she retired 10 years ago. Her health is not the best lately and we are discussing downsizing. I am dreading going through all this to help her move. Sorry for hijacking your thread. This is something that is often on my mind lately.

Vildy

Veteran

Janet, I'm relieved you read my words in the spirit in which they were written. I'm also heartened that you recognize for yourself that you did what you could out of love and compassion. We had to euthanize our 18+ year old dog about 18 months ago and there's hardly a day that goes by that the thought doesn't pop up, Could I have done more?

Though by the end he was blind, deaf, having seizures and I was cooking burger in water and feeding him by the spoonful. When he stopped eating even that and not wanting to drink, he told me it was time. But it's always too soon and it's losing a member of the family. Our grown son says he still comes home wanting to tell Louie about his day.

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Janet

(website)

Veteran

Oh Anchie, I know that’s hard. I did help my mom edit some of her “collections” from time to time, but it was a drop in the bucket compared to what she left behind, which my sister and I had to go through. It was a long task, made even more physically, mentally and emotionally draining by the fact that we were grieving. I think it’s so wise to help your mom with this as part of a downsizing/move! Good luck!

I have no intention of going anywhere anytime soon, but i don’t want my loved ones to have such a daunting task someday when I depart this world.

Barbara Diane

Veteran

I read a quote that was something like this: We own our stuff, it shouldn’t own us. If I find it later today I’ll add it.

I think one trick is to stop before the decision fatigue sets in. Allocate the time to put items back in the closet, in the car if you drive to donate, etc. Have a snack, get fresh air, etc. Then if refreshed and you have the time, do more.

When decision fatigue starts, ask yourself if there is an emotion behind that particular item or the process? If yes, see if it is something you can work through or if you need a break.

Don’t forget to stay fed and hydrated.

Jewelry-I have a lot. I keep almost everything because I find I do wear things after several years of passing them over. And I have the space.

Lots of useful ideas already suggested that I won’t repeat.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Vildy, it’s so hard, and yes, there is always some second guessing: “could/should I have done more?” But it often comes down to the fact that “doing more” doesn’t mean a definite positive outcome. In our case, it would have meant putting our little dog in the veterinary hospital for a few more nights amd subjecting her to more confusion and pain, separated from her home and those who love her. We just couldn’t see doing that.

A pug group I follow on FB posted this today and I’m glad I read it. My husband and I sadly agreed that every single bullet point applied to our sweet little girl: it was time. https://www.thesprucepets.com/.....et-3384831

Anonymous

There's only so much time I want to spend keeping house or maintaining "things" so I don't agonize too much over most decisions. I'm content to imagine that by letting something I once enjoyed but no longer need go, it will find it's next most appreciative owner.

I indulge the all at once pantry, closet, basement, etc because it refreshes me, and mitigates "decision fatigue". I just go deeper each time, and I do just what I have time for so that it's attractive looking at the end. Better is very, very good.

Vix

Veteran

Hi Janet --

Lots of great advice upthread, I agree the Kondo can get very woo-woo but people do get stuff out of their place using some or all of her techniques so...it works for many!

My quick adds:

1) Dress like you're leaving home, not cleaning it.

Usual hair/makeup whatever routine, good bra, base-layer pants/Ts, shoes so you can quickly throw things on for an impression. "Maybes" can go into another pile for truer try-ons later, when you're fresh. Love the advice to hydrate and keep blood sugar stable with nutritious snacks.

2) It's cold. People need warm coats and sweaters. Start with those, donate and/or consign or give away free, and know you're helping others.

3) Dedicated place / storage box) for sentimental stuff (note to self: get on this!). Jewelry / clothes / whatevs that you know you're probably not going to wear -- but it's easy to find if you want to do something with it -- photograph it, reuse it in some way, etc.

4) Give yourself a deadline for each category, seriously. X days of chaos then having a friend over, sending a pic of the "after" to someone....

Good luck! Tedious but I'm another who always feels better after. It's the beginning and middle that suck haha.

Anonymous

Isabel's statement "There's only so much time I want to spend keeping house or maintaining "things" so I don't agonize too much over most decisions" really hit home for me. How much time do we spend sorting, tidying, cleaning, deciding , deliberating and generally driving ourselves crazy counting and maintaining our "things". I know fashion is a hobby for most of us, but seriously - spending time fretting over a coat or a purse or a pair of boots that haven't seen wear in the past year? Crazy when you think about it. Off to continue my own organizing and editing.....:)

Jane

Veteran

Lots of great advice. I absolutely know what you mean about decision fatigue. I like what Isabel says, 'better is very, very good'. And also Barbara Dianne, keeping fed and hydrated. And then what Angie says about enjoying the results.

I wish you well on the closet journey and look forward to hearing more. I think I would take it slowly give what you've had going on over the last few days.

Vildy

Veteran

I don't fret too much over Finding Good Homes for my cast off stuff and I have a huge weakness for coats but I really like Vix's point about starting off by doing some good right now by donating warm coats.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I'm soooo with Vildy and Vix. Don't agonize over it and take it too seriously, Janet! Just do it. What you end up editing out will be good enough - until you run out of space and find better items. Then you have to pick and choose between the old and the new.

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