Shopping (but in your own closet)
So how are the New Years Resolutions going so far?!!
I really haven't come up with any just yet but am working on a few but instead of things like losing weight or not cussing (bc let's be honest that's never gonna happen) I'm trying to be more thoughtful about my resolutions. I want my resolutions to be more meaningful and something along the lines of being more compassionate and patient, not jumping to conclusions, giving people the benefit of the doubt and being more giving.
I was thinking about all these things as I was driving over to help my mom clean out her closets yesterday. I try to do this with her once a year but given a busy 2010 and 2011 it had been some time since I have been able to help her do this. I thought about how important it is to not only clean out your physical stuff but it is also important to clean out your emotional junk.
Here's the thing I don't understand Hoarders, do you? I mean I'm fascinated by them and watch the shows that chronicle people living in complete and utter chaos.
I just could never do it and don't understand it! In fact I am constantly cleaning out closets, drawers and cabinets in our house. It cracks my husband up until he has to get involved! After three years he finally let me clean out his closet and drawers. We should have videotaped the process as I found several shirts from when he was 17 (he's 33 by the way) including one from the store BRITCHES!! Good lord that's a separate posting all together.
Back to Hoarders and specifically the fact that my mom and husband who are both very neat, non-hoarding, and even particular people insist on keeping things in their closet they will never wear again! Here's the thing with me if I haven't worn it in 6 months it's out of my closet, period, full stop. I know I'm a bit different and extreme about it but here's the thing the reason I do it is so I can see what I actually have.
Here's the thing men build and design houses so they don't often think about things from a woman's perspective. My husband is in the building industry and built our townhouse so he gets to hear me bitching about stuff all the time! Like the pantry shelves and the placement of the garbage disposal switch.
But nothing and I mean nothing gets me going like the design and layout of our closet and for that matter most closets. I understand builders/developers are trying to give us more room but I absolutely hate my clothes not being at eye level! One rack in my closet is above my head so I have to stand on tippy toes to reach and the other is low so I have to squat down to see what's what.
One day (a long time from now) I will have this closet and I will be able to see everything I have! I won't forget about a cute scarf or necklace or jacket because it will all be out and at eye level.
Or maybe it will look like this
But until then I'm stuck in my current closet predicament. So I clean out a lot and organize and color code my clothes to help me see what I have and also because it gives me a sense of control.
My favorite thing is when I'm organizing and cleaning out and I find something I forgot I had or something I use to love to wear and haven't worn in forever!! I call that shopping in your own closet. In this lovely economy and with the hubs putting me on a new budget for 2012 I have a feeling I'm going to be doing a lot more shopping in my own closet :)
I taught my mom this lovely concept yesterday as we sorted through sweaters, turtlenecks, suits and pants. She kept giving me the same look that and asking me "do I really, really have to give this up?" To which I always responded "When was the last time you wore it?" If she took to long to answer it got tossed because let's face if you can't remember the last time you wore something you aren't wearing it!
I also color coded her closet so she could see what she has and that in particular she doesn't need anymore white shirts! I could still tell she wasn't sold and that me cleaning three huge trash bags out of her closet wasn't her idea of a good time.
But I got a call this morning that she loves her newly organized closet and that she was wearing a sweater she completely forgot she had because it was buried behind another sweater.....SUCCESS!!
In these winter months when we are all in the house I encourage you to clean out your closets literally and figuratively. That's what I'm doing at my house with my own closets and my own New Years Resolutions.
CHEERS!!
I really haven't come up with any just yet but am working on a few but instead of things like losing weight or not cussing (bc let's be honest that's never gonna happen) I'm trying to be more thoughtful about my resolutions. I want my resolutions to be more meaningful and something along the lines of being more compassionate and patient, not jumping to conclusions, giving people the benefit of the doubt and being more giving.
I was thinking about all these things as I was driving over to help my mom clean out her closets yesterday. I try to do this with her once a year but given a busy 2010 and 2011 it had been some time since I have been able to help her do this. I thought about how important it is to not only clean out your physical stuff but it is also important to clean out your emotional junk.
Here's the thing I don't understand Hoarders, do you? I mean I'm fascinated by them and watch the shows that chronicle people living in complete and utter chaos.
I just could never do it and don't understand it! In fact I am constantly cleaning out closets, drawers and cabinets in our house. It cracks my husband up until he has to get involved! After three years he finally let me clean out his closet and drawers. We should have videotaped the process as I found several shirts from when he was 17 (he's 33 by the way) including one from the store BRITCHES!! Good lord that's a separate posting all together.
Back to Hoarders and specifically the fact that my mom and husband who are both very neat, non-hoarding, and even particular people insist on keeping things in their closet they will never wear again! Here's the thing with me if I haven't worn it in 6 months it's out of my closet, period, full stop. I know I'm a bit different and extreme about it but here's the thing the reason I do it is so I can see what I actually have.
Here's the thing men build and design houses so they don't often think about things from a woman's perspective. My husband is in the building industry and built our townhouse so he gets to hear me bitching about stuff all the time! Like the pantry shelves and the placement of the garbage disposal switch.
But nothing and I mean nothing gets me going like the design and layout of our closet and for that matter most closets. I understand builders/developers are trying to give us more room but I absolutely hate my clothes not being at eye level! One rack in my closet is above my head so I have to stand on tippy toes to reach and the other is low so I have to squat down to see what's what.
One day (a long time from now) I will have this closet and I will be able to see everything I have! I won't forget about a cute scarf or necklace or jacket because it will all be out and at eye level.
Or maybe it will look like this
But until then I'm stuck in my current closet predicament. So I clean out a lot and organize and color code my clothes to help me see what I have and also because it gives me a sense of control.
My favorite thing is when I'm organizing and cleaning out and I find something I forgot I had or something I use to love to wear and haven't worn in forever!! I call that shopping in your own closet. In this lovely economy and with the hubs putting me on a new budget for 2012 I have a feeling I'm going to be doing a lot more shopping in my own closet :)
I taught my mom this lovely concept yesterday as we sorted through sweaters, turtlenecks, suits and pants. She kept giving me the same look that and asking me "do I really, really have to give this up?" To which I always responded "When was the last time you wore it?" If she took to long to answer it got tossed because let's face if you can't remember the last time you wore something you aren't wearing it!
I also color coded her closet so she could see what she has and that in particular she doesn't need anymore white shirts! I could still tell she wasn't sold and that me cleaning three huge trash bags out of her closet wasn't her idea of a good time.
But I got a call this morning that she loves her newly organized closet and that she was wearing a sweater she completely forgot she had because it was buried behind another sweater.....SUCCESS!!
In these winter months when we are all in the house I encourage you to clean out your closets literally and figuratively. That's what I'm doing at my house with my own closets and my own New Years Resolutions.
CHEERS!!
That's funny about your mom's white shirts. I remember my mom saying, "You can never have too many white shirts"!
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