"experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted." -randy pausch

Friday, January 7, 2011

exciting me.

i just threw out goodwilled 3 pairs of pants and 5 shirts.
great?
good.
just ok.
seeing as i only wear the same 5 shirts and 2 pairs of pants every week.
yet when i go to goodwill my closet of all of the stuff,
i can't seem to part with it.
i start from the back.
work my way forward.
oh, i like this one.
forgot i had this one.
that one's cute.
that one is exciting.
that one makes me look really cool.
that one doesn't make me feel very cute, but it looks exciting.
i'd be exciting if i wore this shirt!
i'm the cool mom in the store when i wear that one.
these are the thoughts going through my head as i sift through the masses.
that one's from high school.
those are good for summer.
those are for when i'm skinny.
wait, i am skinny, at least i think i am,
so that counts,
but i'm still not wearing those jeans i swear i'd wear when i was skinny.
same thing with that striped shirt.
weird.
that shirt might make a good maternity shirt.
yet i never wore it when i was pregnant.
both times.
but maybe next time?
i'd hate to get rid of it and want to wear it next time.
and then there's the pants.
those are from high school.
out of style,
but hot dog they're from high school.
and i never wear them,
but they're in there.
then there's the pants from before i was married.
the ones from when i was engaged.
the ones i wore for work.
the ones i got half off.
diesel.
what a great deal.
can't get rid of them.
such a great deal.
but i never wear them.
is this what happens to you when you go through your closet?
so i guess 3 pairs of pants and 5 shirts is a success.
but why does it feel like i have nothing to wear when my favorite 5 are in the wash?
sandie told me you wear 20% of your clothes 80% of the time.
or something like that.
and then that you go out and buy more of the same stuff.
nothing different.
but if i hang onto the exciting stuff.
the stuff i'm emotionally attached to,
does it then make me more exciting?
more emotionally restricted?
i really just love a long sleeve shirt and jeans with uggs in the winter.
and a comfy lightweight shirt and shorts in the summer.
a rocker shirt here and there.
b/c then i'm cool,
you know;)
how much of what i wear is an emotional attachment to my childhood issues?
my college days?
what will i be thinking in my closet when i'm 40 about the clothes i'm wearing now?
probably the same as i'm thinking now.
i'm pretty sure i had these same thoughts at 15,
just less complex.
or more.
whichever.
this is what i was thinking this morning as i sifted through each hanger in my closet.
and don't EVEN get me started on my shoes...
and i did get rid of the diesel ones.
even though i got them for a great deal.
wish i would have saved my $117.
when i was 19.
...
click here to see the EXTRAVAGANZA winner of my ROD WORKS frame:)
suze is one lucky chickadee.

11 comments:

Camillia said...

My closet is the same way and I think the same exact things every single time I "try" to clean it out. I'm so happy you blog... it makes me smile every time I read it. :) Also, SO happy to see your moms blog link on here - I follow her now too!

Amy said...

I go through my closet about every 5 months. I get rid of what I don't wear. But I do hang onto some clothes. "For when I am skinny again." I wish I could just let go and buy new clothes when I am skinny, but the closet cleanse can be so hard and cruel. :)
Good for you getting rid of some.

Jennifer Lucita said...

I am the very same way with my clothes and even worse with my shoes, so no worries.... I saw on an Oprah episode once that you should turn all the hangers in your closet backwards and after something like 6 months, the ones that are still backwards are the things you aren't wearing and should get rid of. Makes sense, but I'm not brave enough to try it. Lol.

Macey said...

You basically just pulled that whole thing out of MY brain. Sounds like me sans the "i'm skinny" thing. lol

Emmy said...

So so so true!! I do the same thing! I seriously always complain about how much I hate all of my clothes and that I have nothing to wear, but then when I go through to purge my closet I don't get rid of anything!

Maybe we should go through each other's closets and throw stuff out for each other like they do on What Not To Wear

Rebecca Talley said...

I'm just like this and I'm over 40, so, yeah, you'll probably think the same things when you are. It's hard to get rid of my 80s clothes, what if they come back in style? Ha. Yep, that's what I think too.

stacy said...

haha! I've been thinking I should do a closet clense again. I tell myself I have to get rid of 5 shirts, then once I do I say "that not so bad" so I bump the # to 10. It gets harder. I did great when we had our yard sale. It was almost addicting getting rid of stuff. We made over $500 off our yard sale and it was mostly small items like clothing, household decor, items, jewelry. I agree with what sandy told you. I've realized that I love every whites shirt with black stripes on it out there and every time I see one you'd think the concept was a new phenomenon for me, but no. I made a section of my closet where I put shirts I'm not ready to give away but know I haven't worn for the past year and then if I don't wear them the next 6 months or season I am supposed to throw them out. I have cycled a few back in but have probably worn them once. Shedding any amount of stuff is good, even better is not bringing in more stuff (that's where I have work to do). Funny Ryan just made the observation the other day that I am NOT a shoe girl. I hardly ever buy shoes, probably because the ones I like are more than I'm willing to spend. I do buy sandals in the summer months (they're cheaper). So, since then I've been paying attention to shoes more and just finally ordered some adorable boots. I'm thinking he's eating his words about now. That's probably why I have an allowance this year. LOL!!

jen said...

I can tell you EXACTLY what you're gonna be thinking at 40 (41, to be exact). None of this would look good at my age. I'm too old and saggy. Plus, I'm too old.
Enjoy it while you can. Looking cool and all.

Fiauna said...

I still have the AWFUL costume from my days in high school show choir. I keep thinking about sending to the DI, but I'm sure even they don't want it.

Lauren said...

Loved this post. Just last week Will came to me and said, "Lauren-- you have got to go through the closet and get rid of stuff. You've had some of it since high school!!"
I have a hard time throwing things I love (or loved) away. Recently, there was a girl I had babysit for me who's fam doesn't have much $, so I asked her if she wanted some clothes I was going to give away. She picked out the stuff she liked, and I got rid of a bunch of stuff that I still love-- but don't/won't wear-- and felt good about it because I knew someone else LOVED them too!
Sorry that was so long!

McVal said...

I need to do that too and be as ruthless as possible... Sometimes I save clothes just because I like the fabric and may someday want to make something out of it. But then there it sits...
Good for you!