Jenni NZ - You are correct. If I had an $80 item and only wore it twice the CPW would be $40. I might edit the item despite the CPW only half the price.
If an item is sitting in my closet for a while, the CPW is not going down, and it’s not a special occasion item (beach wear, formal wear etc) that takes a long time to get a low CPW, I’ll consider it during a closet edit.
Items that are good for everyday use but have a high CPW because they are not worn often are a signal to me that there’s something off about the item. Could be the fit, the color, I have something similar I like more, not fitting into my current style, etc. Many times removing the item ends up being a relief because I’m able to make room for something else that can get a low CPW.
Years ago i thought I wanted a small sized wardrobe where everything could have a low CPW. When I tried this I hated it, To get a low CPW fast I had to wear the same items often. I was bored and uninspired. I felt forced to keep and wear things just to get a CPW under $1. Keeping an $80 item until it’s worn 80 times for a $1 is not fun if you realize along the way you don’t love the item. Now I accept that some pieces in my wardrobe may be edited at a higher CPW and that’s okay.
Combining CPW with one in/one out makes me think harder about new additions. If I do a big wardrobe refresh many items will have a high CPW because they are new. Then I usually pause for that capsule. If I try to add more I’d be editing a lot of high CPW items. That’s not my goal. I prefer to edit low CPW items.
But if I did a big refresh and an item does not have a CPW going down, but the rest of the new items do, it’s a sign that the straggler item may not be working in my wardrobe and should be considered during a editing session.
I hope this answered your questions.
