Cleaning the closet

At the beginning of the year I made a pledge to myself that I was going to eliminate, reduce and cut back clothes.  I had way too many.  

I pledged to not buy any new clothes.  Running shoes and bras were excluded.  I didn't really need anything, based on my closet and didn't buy anything UNTIL my neighbor invited me to a charitable event at Chico's in October . . . I purchased a sweater set and shirt.  Then when I vacationed in Florida, I purchased a black sweater and black skirt from the Black& Whilte store.  Although I had pledged to not buying anything . . .  I only purchased 5 items . . . so I feel pretty good about that.

The clothes in the closet were piled high - they were jammed packed - they were on the floor  - they were put away in plastic storage containers under the bed and in the closet - they were packed into the dresser.  These next pictures are embarrassing - but I need to show you just how bad it was.

stuffed to the gills

shirts and sweaters on upper rack 

skirts and jackets on lower rack

sweaters and sweatshirts stuffed on shelves

and last but not least -tee shirts, shorts, shirts piled high on a small table and on the floor

The past couple of weeks I have been slowly but surely cleaning out the drawers and closet.  It started with a drawer an evening and then about a week ago, I started on the closet.  My plan was to finish it up with the 4 day week end.  Well that happened today.  It took a good 4 hours - hubby and I just finished loading it all into bags.  ;-(

Here is a summary of what was pulled out of my drawers and closet.  I admit there are still too many clothes left - but this is a good start.  I also have to consider that we have extreme seasons in Wisconsin and the sweaters that I wear in the winter to stay warm - have no use in the summers.

Item	Donating
Pants	29
Jackets	14
Shirts	53
Skirts	4
Sweaters	22
Jeans	3
Shorts	12
Tee shirts	52
O/S Jackets	5
Shoes	16
running tops	7
running bottoms	4
total items	221

During the cleaning process

Clothes and bags on the floor

The finished closet - upper rack with shirts

Lower rack with sweaters, skirts and jackets

Shelves that previously were full to the brim!

Table is now visible

All stuffed into 8 kitchen garbage bags!

It took 8 tall kitchen bags to fill up . . . seeing this in bags literally makes me sick.  I can not even imagine the money sitting in those bags . . . such excess . . . such waste! 

I feel conflicted . . . Happy that it is cleaned up . . . Sad that there was that much stuff to be cleared out. I will be heading to Goodwill tomorrow to drop off the bags full of clothes.  

I will be making another pledge for 2012 . . .  I wil try and not buy any clothes again for another year.  

 

How does your closet look?  

Enjoy the moment!