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Talk me down off this wardrobe ledge

cindysmith

Veteran

I'm still living in the RV because the house isn't finished. RV storage is minimal at best, and ludicrously comical at worst. I recently ordered new undergarments and some workout clothes, and they're starting to arrive. Getting dressed each day has become a nightmare of digging through microscopic compartments, cleaning up the clothing avalanches that result, and exhaustion at the end of the process.

I've spent the last 8 years ruthlessly purging when the storage situation gets like this, and it has resulted in a fairly streamlined wardrobe and a lot of shopping to buy replacements for things I purged in the heat of passion. Through the few wardrobe audit posts I've done to get feedback from you wonderful folks, I have come to realize that my perception has been skewed by my insane storage situation; I really don't have an excessive amount of stuff, it just seems that way because my storage is so nonexistent.

Help me figure out how to make it a couple more months until we can move in to the new house, please? I'd pack away my winter clothes, but the weather is still too crazy for that. Anybody got any ideas that might help me cope? I really am ready to pull out my hair, take all the clothes & pile them in the yard & douse them in diesel and have a weenie roast. Or something.

Thank you in advance for any tips, tricks, or even moral support you can give!

15 replies

Latest reply was from cindysmith

tanstaafl

I know the weather is too crazy to pack up all the winter clothes, but could you pick out your favorites that are easy to mix and match and pack up the rest?

How much longer will it be until you can move into the new house?

Cardiff girl

Veteran

Don’t burn the clothes cindysmith! I totally understand the temptation to do so when swept up in storage rage but you d regret it later.Hang in there and soon you will be in a fabulous new house.l really do hope that you have prioritised yourself a fabulous closet in there.In the mean while ,what can we do to ease your storage problems?I use big cheap plastic boxes under my bed can see everything in them when I pull them out.Also vacuum pack bags are good even if you don’t use a vacuum just squeeze the air out before you close them.I try and put groups of clothes ie all jumpers in one etc.I also put less worn clothes at the bottom ,more frequently at the top to minimise rummage time and so I know where everything is.Hope this helps ,others may have good suggestions too,so step away from the firelighters for now.

cindysmith

Veteran

I'm hoping only a couple of months, but I've been being told "a few more months" since late last summer

jussie

Veteran

What about storing some clothes in a suitcase in the back of your car?

tanstaafl

Do you have anywhere besides the RV to store things? If so, could you approach the next few months as mini capsules and keep only things in the RV that you expect to wear in the next month, then switch those out for the next month, and so on.

Don’t despair, and don’t throw out your clothes! Think about when you’ll be in the new house and able to spread back out. I bet you find clothes you had completely forgotten about.

Gail

Veteran

Pick out your faves that will get you through the next few weeks and pack up the rest of the winter items. Do you have a friend that could store the packed up items for you its only for a few months? I would certainly have no problem doing that if a friend asked me.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

Could some friends with houses store some stuff for you?

Anonymous

Gail's solution is a good one. I too would have not trouble storing a friend's wardrobe for a few months.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Pack up the winter stuff! I know it's been a cool spring there (I just got home from Tyler), but I think it's turning, and you can layer in the meantime. Put anything away out of sight that's not immediately useful or that you're dying to wear. It's just temporary.

It seems like you cycle in and out of moods where this situation drives you nuts -- am I wrong? Like sometimes it doesn't get to you TOO much, and then all of a sudden you feel overwhelmed again. I find that when I'm feeling that way, it helps to get out and do something completely unrelated to the source of stress. A long walk, a trip to some museum or park or something I'd like to visit, a yoga class, anything to get me out of that environment and headspace. I don't know if that helps at all, but I wish you luck! I'd store some stuff for you if I lived closer!

Mainelady

Veteran

Don’t throw out your clothes! How you feel right now is frustrating, but temporary! I suggest keeping out a few of your warmer pieces and pack away the rest. The cold weather won’t last much longer and those pieces tend to be bulkier and take up more space. Use whatever space you have. If you have extra tote bags, put your new exercise wear and under garments in those and hang them from a door knob, or hook if you can. Roll whatever you can, like you would if going on a trip. You can still see what you have and it will take less room. I do like the idea of packing some things in a suitcase to leave in your car. You can get to them if you need them. I hope your house is done soon. I am sure it will be well worth the wait. Hold off on the weenie roast.

LaPed

Veteran

I have done a car-trunk holding zone before. Just take a couple boxes/trash bags of your bulkiest stuff (or lowest-use stuff) and tuck it away in there for a while. It'll always be nearby if you decide you need something. Only problem is you might be tempted to dump it all at the Goodwill once it's in your car!

Other thought: is there some other sort of item you could pack up and "borrow" that space for your clothes for a couple months? If there's anything in the RV that could go into an outdoor storage box (you know, one of those big resin things people get to put the patio furniture cushions in...), maybe you could clear a little extra space that way.

As a last resort, renting a very small storage unit for a couple months isn't that expensive -- certainly cheaper than replacing all your clothes after purging them in a fit of passion.

Joy

Veteran

This time of year with unpredictable weather is the worst in the closet. I put away the heaviest warm items and woke up today to a snowy winter wonderland. Hang in there. You might encourage getting the house built by threatening to buy a whole new wardrobe each season until you have closet room, then do it.

DonnaF

Veteran

Packing cubes. They will enable your clothing to take up even less room than rolling. Amazon sells their own brand for a good price. The nylon compresses and the mesh on one side enables you to see what is inside. You can buy a set with a variety of sizes which might be the best for your current needs. For my travel, size PS clothing and small suitcase, the smallest sizes work best. But you could stuff your winter wear in the largest ones and find yourself some cushions.

Anonymous

I think we are pretty much in the same weather zone, Cindy. I’m in the midst of switching over seasons. I kept a cardigan and a denim jacket in my bedroom closet to wear over summer clothes. So far it is working fine. I don’t know if doing something similar would make sense for you? It is only 10 days until May. This can’t go on that much longer - right?

cindysmith

Veteran

Joy, that is absolutely brilliant and just might work LOL XOXOXOXO

Janet, yes, I go through cycles where it overwhelms me then I'm ok again for a while then weenie roast time again LOL, thanks for pointing it out. Now I can dig into what might be triggering it because it happens in my kitchen, my bathroom, my living room... it's no way to live and that was very insightful. I'll try an outing or something; if nothing else, it will be an escape for a few hours. Thank you <3

Everyone, thank you so much for the suggestions. Y'all should have seen my face when I realized my truck could serve as more than just a holding zone for goodwill donations.. I hadn't even thought of taking the bulkier stuff that is for coldest weather and stuffing it into the holding zone. It would free up quite a bit of space for the workout gear and underwear.
Mini capsules are a good idea, too. I've noticed that I tend to reach for the same few garments for my work life, so definitely some of those could go in storage. My neighbor has one of those sea-can shipping container things and that's where my couch is hiding until the house is done. I could stick some clothes in there too. Those packing cubes or vacuum bags would help it take up less space so that the neighbors don't feel overwhelmed when they go in there looking for something.

Thank you all for your suggestions. They make so much sense that I'm sittin here wondering why I didn't think of them. I guess I couldn't see the forest for the trees LOL. Im grateful beyond words for such a wonderful group of wise people to help me get through this last bit of inconvenient time before I have a decent clothing storage situation. I'm getting the smaller side of the closet in the new house, but it's still way bigger than what I have so i'm looking at ways to maximize storage in there so I don't feel crowded in the least. I'll have room for some folding storage for sweaters& workout gear, room to keep matching sets of undergarments stored together, a place to keep hats/scarves/arm&leg warmers, wall space to display jewelry, and enough room to hang all my clothes I love to look at as I'm choosing which thing to wear.

You guys are a blessing, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!