Thursday, October 1, 2009

Purging

Winter is fast approaching here in Nebraska and about the middle of September I started pulling out winter wear. (It's like fall is just a passing thought more then a nice, enjoyable season) I love to do this because I get all kinds of surprises as I see things I bought on end of season clearance that I'd forgotten all about.
This year, it was the great brown cords I bought for Brennan at GAP this past spring...for five dollars! And...depending on how the pirate jon jon {made by Groovy Gurlz of etsy} turns out, they just might be the perfect pants for our family pictures we are having done at the beginning of November.
There was also the smocked monkey jon jon that was Jackson's when he was two that I am thinking will fit Ethan just fine this winter.
Oh, and that cool new navy blue jacket for Bart...he is going to look so...HOT in it.

Anyway, pulling all of the winter clothes out at once creates lots of washing and folding and sorting.
It also awakens in me a desire to purge the closets of all the things we just don't need, didn't wear, or looks ugly. I've gone through Ethan's room, pulling out the really cute items from last winter that I saved to sell this fall and posted them on craigslist...I've already made $30 from that. (Too bad they cost me wayyyyy more then that) I've pulled the ugly tees that I thought were cute/a good deal out of the boys drawers and closets, adding to the Goodwill bag...I may have even sneaked into Bart's closet since he's out of town and taken the ugly pair of black pants and the pair of pants with a missing button and added them to the bag as well.
Then, I got to my closet. I've recently become aware of the misshapeness of my clothes. I love a plain black or white tee, but they don't love me. I look super fat and pregnant in them (which I am not nor never will be again...) so I decided they need to go, along with a few other shirts I'd noticed the same thing about. I pulled them out and then put them in a bag. Then. Then I left them there.
Why is it so easy to purge the children and my husband's ugly, outgrown, misfitting clothes, but not my own?
I pulled out a sweater from the winter boxes that I have not worn in five years. Five years, folks...what makes you think I am going to wear it this year? It NEEDS to go in the bag. The bag needs to go in the car. The car needs to drive to Goodwill, pull up to the drop off window, and start a new life.
Yet I'm hanging on to that bag.
Today, as I was sorting laundry (see behind Jack in photo above), I decided to get rid of the bag. So, I did. Well...I did as much as I can considering I plan on going no where but to get Bren at 3:50 (yeah, school gets out at 3:45, but it is rainy and windy and I am not walking, so my new plan is the leave the house at 3:49 and get there in time to miss the mass chaos and just wave from the car and have him run down the hill.) Tomorrow, when I go to sell the bag of Ethan's sweet baby winter clothes at the mall food court I'll run by Goodwill first.
Because really...if those dress pants have not been worn since I taught school...I'm thinking they are never going to be worn again...unless I recycle and allow them to bless another's life.
I can do it.
I can even get rid of that bag of tee shirts that just are not flattering, right? I deserve to look nice. I can look nice. I will search clearance racks at Ann Taylor, Gap, JCPennys (I really like ANA brand ONLY) and Target to find shirts that fit nicer and flatter my body shape better.
I will get rid of them...even if that means I am purging my closet of over half it's content.
But hey, doesn't that just mean there is more room for NEW stuff???
***********************************************************************************
What do you do to switch out the clothes each season? Do you have a system or do you just throw it all out?
I used to have a system, but now that there are three kids, I just put all the past season's clothes in diaper boxes, store them in the boys closet, and then have a big box of surprise come spring.
And purging...do you go through your closets? Clear out the old? Jamie girl...you know my addy if you purge yours. :)



3 Words to brighten my day:

Lori said...

I'm the same way. I just can't seem to let go of certain things, even though I certainly haven't worn them since Madeline. And now that I have discovered that I don't have enough clothes hangers for everything I own, I really think I'll be doing this in about a week. Good for you for actually doing it.

Lexi said...

My rule: Toss or give away anything you haven't used in a year. What that means is if you didn't use it last winter and you know you're not going to use it this year either, get rid of it.

Kids things are a little different though because you can get some good use out of them.

And it helps when you move frequently too!

Sarah said...

I do the same thing Jessica! I pack up clothes that look horrible on me---put them in a bag....and then. And now--I have 3 bags full of clothes sitting in my dining room!! UGH! I need to make that trip to Goodwill as well.