How to Move Past Outdated Clothes
It’s surprising how much emotion we can attach to what we wear and the clothes we have in our wardrobes. In practical terms, clothes represent an investment of both time and money that we don’t want to throw away, but there can also be a lot of sentimentality and happy memories involved. These factors sometimes cause us to hang onto clothes that we don’t wear anymore, or that we we’ve been wearing for way too long. If you know you need to do a clean-out but just need some encouragement, consider this your nudge in the right direction.
If you’re concerned about how much you could potentially be getting rid of, there are three things to keep in mind:
- When it comes to clothing, quality definitely trumps quantity, so having fewer items doesn’t necessarily indicate anything negative.
- Clearing out clutter can actually help you see all the good things you have, making it easier to create stylish looks.
- There’s nothing to stop you from buying new clothing, and in fact having some open spaces in your wardrobe can encourage you to make strategic purchases that will help you update your look.
It’s perfectly normal to have some apprehension when it comes to making decisions about what to keep and what to get rid of. Some people are able to get in there and be ruthless on their own. Others may prefer to have a friend or spouse weigh in on what stays and what goes. Sometimes it’s just a matter of holding items up one at a time, asking yourself if this is really something that flatters you and that you enjoy wearing, and making your decisions that way.
If you’re worried that you might later regret getting rid of certain items, a “halfway box” can be a great idea. Put the items that you’re concerned about losing in the box, store the box out of sight, and forget about it for six months. If you open it half a year later and are relieved to see a particular item because you can’t wait to wear it again, maybe it can be brought back into rotation with a stylish twist. If, on the other hand, you’d totally forgotten you even owned those items… maybe it’s time to sell or donate the contents of the box.
The best part of cleaning old stuff out of your wardrobe, of course, is all the future possibilities. Building a strong personal style is all about how the clothes you wear reflect who you are, and it’s a lot of fun exploring what that could mean in terms of putting outfits together. So look at this as an opportunity to construct a new, refreshed look, where the separate pieces are all part of cohesive whole. With the best items from your current wardrobe as a base, you can check out some exciting new style ideas, and next thing you know you’ll be looking forward to getting dressed every morning.