Clearing: Parting with Fashion Mistakes

It's never too late -- in fiction or in life -- to revise. ~ Nancy Thayer

Oh crap. Today's the day and I just can't do it. The drop cloth is down, paint cans around and all blocking my closet doors. How do I get dressed in the morning if I can't get to my clothes? I hardly wear what's in there anyway. Most are in a pile on a chair in the corner of the bedroom. I've got my hands full painting the bathroom and even more so is the daunting task of tossing all those bad choices, and money! Being spring is the perfect time to do it, but spring time for me is not clearing out but cleaning up, with paint and decorating. I guess my home means more to me than me. Sprucing up the inside of the house rather than the outside of me.

This chapter only asks for 2 hours to find take everything out of the closet and put it on the bed. Step one. Step 2 is to go through item by item and try everything on. Keep only things you love that you look your best or feel your best. The rule of thumb is to save only items one size smaller than you are now, so you have a realistic goal of fitting into them again. It's going to be tough letting go of all the size 6 dresses I wore back in 03 when I first moved here. I wore them for a while after a few months of Herbal Magic in 08, so maybe I might keep them (3 sizes smaller than I am now) for just a while longer, to see if I can lose this quit smoking weight. If you haven't worn something in a year, consider parting with it.

Sarah writes about a Laura Ashley dress that she can't bear to part with, just as I have one I am saving for my daughter. (see photo---->)
Even if she never wears it, it still brings back memories of outlet shopping in Maine and some day, some one else will cherish it as much as I do. All the rest of the clothes will be given away to someone who needs rather than keeping it myself because of my wants. Visions of tv shows like "Buried Alive" and "Hoarders" come to mind. After a few episodes of that, I immediately gathered up pretty much all of the chachkies around the living room and packed them away to give them away. They never made it past the other room. I really must learn to let go, but for now, I must learn to step away from the keyboard and pick up a paint brush! Another coat awaits!