It's really time that I do another declutter because my stuff is starting to become chaotic and disorganised. I admit that I hoard - clothes, jackets, trousers, skirts, dresses, shoes, socks, tights, handbags, jewellery, makeup. I'm an absolute pig with fashion stuff!
I also admit, I rarely buy clothing at full price, and my guilt goes completely out the window if I find an interesting item at a charity shop. As long as I can take it home and wash it, my excuse is: it's "different", it's not full price, plus I'm supporting a charity. And when I do declutter, it all goes back to charity too, so I suppose it could be called clothes-recycling. ;D
So I need inspiration to declutter once more and keep the piles down for good. I've tried to ban myself from shopping, but for some reason I find it therapeutic (ha ha) to look at clothes, just like my partner enjoys looking at cars and tools and antiques! I've tried the "one in, one out" technique, but that doesn't work because it takes a lot of effort to get into the mind-set of getting rid of stuff.
I've been forced to have some big clear-outs in the past, which I thought would sort me out. In the US, I regularly supported my father's tax return (lol) by giving him my stuff to donate every year, but then I'd collect more. I thought my huge decluttering for my move to the UK in 2005 would sort me out, but the fashion temptation was still irresistible. Lastly, I thought my decluttering for our move to a really gorgeous house in 2012 would sort me out and make me stay organised, but I've already had at least two huge clear-outs since moving.
I don't want to come across as a spendthrift, because I think the problem is that my purchases don't cost much at all, and stuff builds up slowly, but it's been a vicious cycle for years!
Anyone relate or have any tips for staying focused on keeping volume down once I do declutter again?
😀
Posted : March 23, 2014 10:18 am
I really have nothing constructive to add apart from this is EXACTLY what i do!! But when i have a clear out i stash most of it in suitcases incase i *need* it again!!
Hi my names stef and I'm addicted to charity shops!!!
Posted : March 23, 2014 10:26 am
Oh if you could see my loft!! I 'clear out' after I get annoyed that nothing fits in my wardrobe or chest of drawers but I don't actually get rid of it, it gets stored upstairs in case I want it again in the future 'because I probably only wore it once or twice' haha. Now I'm a big fat pregnant lady I have a LOT of stuff up in the loft which I've said to Sam that if I'm not back into any of it within 12 months it can be binned...I can't guarantee that I'll stick to this though!
Posted : March 23, 2014 11:13 am
I've tried the "one in, one out" technique, but that doesn't work because it takes a lot of effort to get into the mind-set of getting rid of stuff.
Isn't that kind of the point? You have to ban yourself from buying anything new until you've got rid of something, thus making you sort it out and get into that mindset. It only works with will power and that makes it hard 🙂
Posted : March 23, 2014 1:59 pm
I'm so glad I'm not alone, ha ha. Thanks, gals :-*
See, after I have a clear-out, instead of wanting to look at clothes, I want to start to look for ways to organise my stuff. But when I price new wardrobes or containers, that obsession starts to pass. I would love for organisation to become the primary obsession instead of retail therapy. 🙂 That way, I'd be super organised. Maybe someday.
I try different techniques, and one of those is to make sure anything I buy is unique, either a completely different style or colour from anything else I've got, and if I could create the same style with something I already have, then I don't buy it.
I admit I felt a bit justified when I visited my father and step-mum in the US, and she is totally into clothes and jewellery just as much as I am (in fact she is now providing donations for my father, lol). I brought my unique finds to wear on holiday, and she complemented all my outfits! I told her my purchasing choices always have to be something 'different', something you don't see everyday, and never pay for it full-price... and she said I've got the right approach!
I think the only way I will ever change is to keep getting older and hope the obsession starts fading.
Posted : March 23, 2014 9:40 pm
I am the complete opposite, I hand over/donate items I don't use/wear pretty fast and rather often, since I can't stand the idea of having items I wont use laying around while others I know or don't know might enjoy them!
Once in a while I remember that someitemhere could be neat with an item I have but it wouldnt justify owning it at all 😛
Posted : March 23, 2014 9:53 pm
Im terrible for this!! I used to go to a load of gigs (used to work for the band 🙂 got all my merchandise and tickets for free!) so used to buy a new dress for every gig x iv now.got dresses in mine and fellas wardrobe iv probably wore once and 1 dress iv worn twice but cant part with them the mother in law had a beatiful jumper dress she was gettin rid of and i had it off her never worn by either of us!!
So glad im not alone lol fella goes mad at me for havin loads of clothes but i still cant part with them haha cant fit another thing in any of my drawers or the wardrobe (3/4 of the wardrobe iv overtook haha) but not gettin rid of them lool 😀
Posted : March 23, 2014 11:08 pm
I used to be sooo bad for this, but then I adopted a rule where I'm only allowed things in 7's, 14's or 21's i.e. 3 weeks worth of outfits, with a few things reserved for special occasions :]
Posted : March 24, 2014 8:00 pm
I got the bug!
It's been building up for a bit of time... did some light declutter a couple months ago but knew there were more bits lurking. So, my partner rang tonight, informing me of some after-work commitments he forgot about, so I had the evening to myself, and I just got to it and trawled through my stash.
Filled up three bin bags to the max to donate, and I always learn something new when I psyche myself up to have a clear-out and just delve in. Tonight I learnt, given my horrible hoarding habits, it's interesting to go through some of the same 'piles' of stuff that I've been through before, and things I chose to keep last big clear-out, I was ready to get rid of this time. My tastes in style change, and items I thought I wanted to keep last time, I was ready to get rid of so that I could organise stuff a bit better.
I admit, my clothing obsession could easily be seen as a problem - and it probably is by most people's standards! - but finding new (recycled) stuff is probably one of the things I enjoy most and find so therapeutic, therefore it just means I need to deal with deciding on what to donate, and "just do it" when the stash starts to feel too much.
Not a hugely unhealthy habit, I'd say... could be worse. :-X
Posted : April 1, 2014 7:21 pm
I've always been terrible for hoarding clothes and buying things then never wearing them. But I found a cure for my obsession - I turned it into a business, now I run an online clothing store. I get to see all the pretty clothes coming in as stock, and only very occasionally keep something for myself! Problem solved!
Posted : April 1, 2014 8:01 pm
Mindi, that's brilliant! The closest I ever came to that was some eBaying when I was in the US. I find it so difficult to get into selling in the UK, without a car or easy access to postal services.
Congratulations for turning your 'obsession' into something so productive, and fun! 😀
Posted : April 2, 2014 5:14 am
I hoard clothes because I feel that you can never have too many 😛
Posted : April 6, 2014 8:45 pm
I was like this for around 6 years. Over the last 5 months I have turned into the opposite! I have cleared out SO much stuff, giving bags of things away as I just don't wear them anymore. Ive reorganised all my wardrobe and drawers so that my stuff is folded like this http://www.darkroomanddearly.com/2012/03/diy-organized-t-shirt-drawers.html and its loads easier to find things (especially when I have a lot of black stuff haha) I think I have gone the other way as most of my stuff was very vintagey and I just don't wear that sort of stuff now. My style and things I like have definitely changed.
I do buy new clothes a lot, but to be honest I do lots of online browsing, add the items to the basket and leave them there and log off...the next day i forget what I was even looking at which shows I really didn't care about the items anyway!
Shoes are a different subject though :S hehe
Posted : April 6, 2014 9:03 pm
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