I have been bitten by the purge bug...

LOL. I am in the middle of the seasonal clothes swap and I am purging too. So I wanted to write down a few observations before I forget them and repeat my mistakes next year !

1. "Make do" just won't anymore. Even for my essentials, like t shirts and camis. No.

2. There are things that I loved and wore to death last year, that I no longer do. It is ok, it is not betrayal to the striped Ts. IT was simply a one year stand...and we both knew it.

3 . Absolutely no uncomfortable shoe, what-so-ever. Even if I love it, I will let it go on to be free, or at least dirt cheap, to someone at the Salvation Army.

4. I was surprised that a couple of pieces I wore over and over again, I just don't like on the hanger. I had to keep myself from ripping them off the hanger and saying, " You just don't work !" But they do. What is up with that ?

5. There are colors that I have been pretending I love and are an absolute must have in my neutrals. But the hard truth is that I don't even like those colors and I didn't know how to get out the relationship.

And on the next program, Isabel has a fist fight with her pullover sweater while her cheeky cashmere cardigan eggs her on. Tune in to Jerry Springer.

12 years ago

ClaraT

Veteran

This post made me laugh, especially the 1-year stand remark. I am with you, especially on 3. Life is too short to wear shoes that hurt!

deb

Too funny, on with the purge!

Peri

I'm going to print this and read it before every purge! Especially #1 and #2, I love those. I have always made do. And I do feel that I'm betraying old favorites to not like them anymore!

Thank you for this list!

dakotacheryl

Good luck Isabel !!

I just bagged up 46 items, and 5 pairs of shoes to go to Goodwill. My closets are looking so good !!

Scarlet

I am here to egg you on too! Good work, Isabel! But now I am just dying to know what colors have you been forcing on yourself all this time?

jayne

Hilarious observations...so true so true

Isabel

Dakota, wow, that is so impressive. I just did an enormous purge last year, so I won't have as many. But it sure does feel good. Congratulations !

Scarlet, it is the color below, Ovaltine and milk ( the drink below ). I used to wear about 90 % black. And it felt too heavy in the summer, so I did this color in sweaters. I know. I know. I tried soooo hard to make it a spring and summer neutral. I told myself that I loved it. The truth is that I never did. Though the hot drink in the winter during blizzards as a child were divine. I guess I couldn't separate the two.

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Suz

(website)

Isabel, you are hilarious. And smart, and brave! Good for you for getting rid of the stuff that was never right -- especially the shoes!!

unfrumped

So funny! Great timing for fall wardrobe editing.

Glory

Isabel my purging sister! I have purged up a storm today and on my post Peri alerted me to your purge.
After reading this I went back upstairs and purged a few more "make do" items! I like that.
I really struggled with purging unworn, nwt items. But there are many people out there who will love it.

Glory ! High five right at ya !!!

It IS hard. I don't know why. I put in the donate bag three articles with tags today and one pair of shoes. One of the items was a lightweight wool, wide leg trouser in a faint gray window pane design. My favorite type of piece of all time : a menswear inspired piece. But the legs are just a tad too wide, the waist a tad too snug. So I kissed them good bye, literally.

I like to take a page from the Native Americans after they killed a buffalo and then took time to thank it's spirit for it's sacrifice. I think of my clothes that way. I think of all the hands it took to make it and get it to me...from farmers or chemists ( lol ) to the truck drivers to the seamstress to the sales clerk. "Thank you for the time that you have given me in your life cycle. Now go free ! To someone else. " I send them out with good wishes to whomevers' behinds or toes they land on. LOL ! I know it sounds kooky, but I started doing that 18 months ago when I had to let go of almost my entire wardrobe after a weight gain due to cancer meds. Somehow, it brings me peace.

Keep us updated !!!

annagybe

Last week I did a big garbage bag of stuff to Goodwill.
Yesterday I tried to take some shoes to the consignment store, but they were unexpectedly closed.

Lyn D.

Great job and a fun and smart read!

Anonymous

You are funny, smart, and wise. Purge on!

Caro in Oz

Great observations

#4 is really interesting I think it's called hanger appeal (or lack of it). It is amazing how different some things look on a body.

Deborah

You are a very funny woman... and a wise one:)

Love your observations and agree wholeheartedly with them. Having purged like a mad woman for the past 2.5 years I am now enjoying a moderate sized closet and wearing most of it.

Kristin L

You almost made me spit my tea on my computer!

Good luck with your purge.

froggiebecky

I love this! I need to print it out and keep it with me during purges as well.
You are very right: a girl can't get where she's going in uncomfortable shoes.

Sveta

You go girl! Your purging rues are golden and have to be written in gold in YLF annals!

Jaime

Oh I can't wait for the next episode! Words to purge by!

Caro, it has never struck me before how true what you say is : sometimes it doesn't appeal on the hanger but turns out to be so great ! So how can one figure that out ? I really hate shopping and hate trying things on even less. Maybe this is a question for Angie. My two purchases were accidental. One was that I wanted a tank to wear at Nordstrom to try something one and the sales associate just grabbed the nearest thing off a clearance rack nearest to the fitting room. I left the top but bought the silk tank.

Becky, I have never heard that before. I LOVE it !!!! Thanks for that.

Funny, wise and wonderful advice. Thank you for writing and posting your purging insights.

Ovaltine brown so pleased for you that you have set yourself free.

Love your goodbye rites. I really do hope that some of our castaways can bless someone else.

Lantana

This was fun to read, which is good because this purging business is damned hard work -and serious.

Laura

I am envious ... I love a good closet purge. Out with the old, in with the new! Think of all those empty hangars you'll have!

Nova

Active Member

So funny! Thanks for the wise words.

Elly

Hilarious! And I can relate. I have a tendency to have avoidance issues with purging, but I like how you put it. I need to release it into the world before it gets unusable if I am not going to use it. Mistakes are a learning process, but it does help me think long and hard over purchases because I hate them sitting in my closet mocking me.

Mochi

You so funny, Isabel. Let me know when you figure it all out.

I'd say you need to accidentally try things on more often

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