*whimper* It's not just canned goods....

[vanillafluffy]

This morning, I had a thought: Prune my wardrobe down to 100 pieces. That wouldn't include things like underwear, accessories and shoes, but basic stuff like tops and bottoms and dresses and jackets. I figured that would allow me to keep a good selection of the winter and summer weight stuff that I wear most, with a little wiggle room for things that I love but wear less often. I'd be getting rid of the stuff I wasn't enamoured of, no big deal.

And then I went out to the garage and started counting. OH. MY. GOD. I have slightly more than 100 pieces JUST hanging on my tops and bottoms rack in the garage. That doesn't include the rack with dresses, the stuff in piles on the dryer and the floor, or, for that matter, two closets and more piles in the rest of the house. *whimper* Holy cannoli, HOW can I have so many clothes?!

Mind you, the stuff on that rack isn't 100% keepers. There are shirts that I probably haven't worn more than twice since I've had them. I could probably pare it down to 80 items without undue agony. Which barely makes a dent, considering the vast quantities of stuff elsewhere. Even assuming that I only import 20 pieces---there's still...I'm going to say an equal quantity to be disposed of. *twitch* Possibly MORE. Even if I don't count outerwear or the handful of sentimental items that I'll never wear again, it's a daunting task. Help!

I can safely say it isn't going to happen overnight. Maybe by New Year's, if yuletide doesn't eat too much of my brains time. I'll just have to be ruthless and get it down as much as I can. At least what's left will be the best of what I've got, the stuff that's in the ballpark of fitting, give or take a size.

I'm just in shock...and I still haven't found my "thin" jeans or my cranberry chenille sweater.


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Comments

[pwcorgigirl.livejournal.com]

I read somewhere recently that the average American has 88* pieces of clothing, which does not count underwear, socks, swimsuits, accessories, so 100 is a nice number to shoot for. And just think how much easier it will be to keep the house decluttered when you don't have 400-plus garments to store.

*I'm hoping that 88 does not include coats because I have six of various weights, but then it's some kind of coat weather here almost six months out of the year. :D

[vanillafluffy.livejournal.com]

I think "coats" depends on how you split hairs. I have two heavy garments, one full-length, one 3/4 length, suitable for winter. I have a plethora of jackets, as in suitable for coolish weather, that midrange zone between A/C inside and frost outside. A plethora being...*counts of fingers* about ten, that I can think of off the top of my head, about half of which is denim of various lengths and styles. (That also includes things like blazers and suit-jackets.)

I have a feeling it's going to wind up 100 for Florida-weight stuff and maybe another dozen or so pieces for winter. Remains to be seen.... I was just emailing with GK about this sitch, and her take on it was, keep track of what I bring in and get rid of a like number of items in the furture. Which is good advice, don't get me wrong, but the overwhelmingness of right Now is overwhelming. (And redundantly repetitive.)

[ultraviolet9a.livejournal.com]

Oh, dude. I feel for you. Incidentally I did a closet clearance today (my closet is the typical garden variety one, you know, about 2 metres width, and it seemed to be bursting at the seams) and till i actually managed to convince myself i had to do it... *shakes head* The good thing is though, that once i started it all flowed. Very zen. :D

Good luck with your clearance!!!!

[vanillafluffy.livejournal.com]

My eventual goal is to transform one of my bedrooms into a dressing room---meaning I need to be able to fit all my clothes and accessories into a 10'x12' space in a tidy and organized manner.

Right now, I just want to have room to turn around.

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[ruric.livejournal.com]

*high five*

I have an ASTONISHING amount of clothes. I ten to wear the same 20-30 pieces regularly but that doesnlt stop me having two chests of drawers crammed with shirts, tshirts and vest tops, one small wardrobe full of skirts and trousers.

And that's just in the bedroom.

In the attic I have two canvas wardrobes full of "thin" clothes. My plan is to hit up the gym over winter and have a massive clean out in spring. *G*

Good luck with yours!

[vanillafluffy.livejournal.com]

I have *some* stuff that's awaiting weight loss, no pun intended, but was persuaded to get rid of most of the way-too-small stuff a few years ago. I'd say the "hope" items number about two dozen, not an outrageous amount, IMO. No, my surplus is more in the other direction, stuff that droops on me and makes me look like a deflated parade float. Baggy jeans, limp tops, skirts that would fall off if I shimmied...and that's GOOD, I'm just boggled by how much of it there is.

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[joker-satx.livejournal.com]

That's a lot of Freakin Clothes! OMG! Me? I am do to go shopping for my next 10 years worth of clothes.

[vanillafluffy.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and you'll go, grab a few things from the rack, get 'em if they fit, and go home. None of the agonizing about, "Will this go with my blue skirt? Do I have shoes that will work with this? Oh dear, my ass looks a mile wide in this!". Just, "How much for a freaking pair of jeans?!"....

[ang5fam.livejournal.com]

If you run across any size 18 pants that need a good home, holler!

[vanillafluffy.livejournal.com]

I haven't been an 18 since...1989?---for about ten minutes. But I'll keep my eyes open while I'm out and about. Any particular colors? Neutrals?