Saturday 9 June 2012

Farewell My Darlings

First of all, let me say thanks so much to everyone who commented on my posts about the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.  It was lovely to be able to share it with my pals in the cyber-community, and it feels great to know that people are reading my blog and enjoying it.  Hugs and kisses! 

Recently, I did my annual wardrobe swap-over, changing from one major season (winter, supposedly the cold season) to summer (supposedly warm, but in reality, could just be slightly warmer than winter.) When I did this at the end of May when we finally had some good weather, Gorgeous Husband said, (when I packed away my winter coats), "Are you sure that's wise?  Maybe you're rushing things."

Anyway, in the swap-over, I have discovered the following:

I have too many clothes.  (How I hate to say this!)
I really do have too many clothes.
I will have to get rid of some.
I really don't want to.


Now, don't call me Imelda, but these are destined for the charity shop and/or other homes. Unfortunately, it's not as though I now have no shoes.  I just have less. But not a lot less! The only reason these are leaving is because they are little biters, and I finally value my feet more than my shoes.

My problem with clothes/shoes is that I never tire of them.  And since I wear what I like, as opposed to what is the latest fashion thing, I'm inclined to love things to death. 

Does anyone else have this problem?  Or do you just have better storage space?

14 comments:

Unknown said...

Loving your willpower - I must do the same.... I have soooo many pairs of black boots.... x

Jean at www.drossintogold.com said...

You know I'm drooling over those wonderful white boots, and the green ones too...sigh. I have a gazillion pairs of shoes, many of them thrifted. I have the luxury of quite a bit of space, but it's still hard to find things!! I'm not set up where I can see everything. I've recently been thinking of doing a wardrobe challenge like Sheila at Ephemera, selecting a limited number of things for the month. I think that might be a good thing.

Good luck with your "downsizing"!!

Melanie said...

My space is full and I am in the process of winnowing out the dreck, just the mental warm-up stage right now, but soon to embark on the physical part. I know if I had more closet space, I'd have more clothes. Like Jean, I love your lime boots but go means go. Good luck!!! Vancouver cancelled summer this year.

Unknown said...

I'm close the point of letting shoes go when they don't feel like heaven on my feet, however, the cost to replace with shoes that do feel like heaven could really blow the bank ;-) I often wish we could take shoes home for one day, wear them for an entire day before buying them. I'd have a lot less shoes in my closet if it were allowed.
Have a fab week

Susan said...

I wonder if age has something to do with this. As I got older I realized I would never wear all the lovely outfits I was holding on to, particularly as occasions became more casual-dress. And my MIL gave me valuable advice about decluttering and paring down before becoming too old or infirm to do so. Finally when I was in my fifties I donated all but my most basic pieces to charity shops and my daughters-in-law. The test for any piece now is how much I will wear it and how beautiful I feel in it.

Susan said...

I forgot to add that your title on this post made me choke on my tea. I thought you were saying goodbye to blogging! Yikes!

allwaysinfashion said...

Shoes are infinitely easier to part with as part of the parting no doubt is the fact that they hurt your feet. They can also be irrepairably worn out— which means they did their job admirably and can be tossed without regret.
I do have a tougher time parting with clothes as I've learned last year's dross can become treasures in time. My trick is to stash the rarely-worn-but-still-beloved in giant plastic tubs and re-examine them every season when switching wardrobes. I say if you love it, keep it. If you don't love it— if it was a bad buy or just never felt comfortable or didn't make you feel beautiful— toss it wherever you toss things (a friend, a daughter, a charity shop, resale). Be very careful of tossing anything that hangs unworn just because you have nothing to "go" with it. Sometimes it takes a year for the solution to show up!

Kathleen said...

I have better storage space, and I choose to go crazy over one accessory. It used to be shoes, but now it is hats. My shoe collection is under a dozen. I'm glad you are donating shoes to charity!

Vix said...

What fabulous shoes, you are wise to get rid if they hurt though, nothing worse than sore tootsies!

Tamera Beardsley said...

I have also been working on purging some of my closet. With limited space decisions must be made...but it does feel like turning away dear friends! I try to calm myself by sending them to charity shops... so they may go on to new homes and find loving owners :)

The Style Crone said...

I'm looking at the yellow boots! But congratulations on downsizing. It's difficult, I know. I'm in the process of doing the same and organizing into categories so that I can find things more easily. Or even remember that I have certain pieces. Have fun!

Mrs. D said...

I try to get rid of things regularly (particularly here in England where with all the charity shops you just take your unwanted stuff and be done with it), but I am a hoarder by nature and once Î get free space I end up finding something to take it's place. However, I am a lot better now than I used to, I don't get attached to things as much as I used to.

Share my Garden said...

Shoes are such a problem. Why do they feel wonderfully comfortable in the shop but the minute you get them home they start to pinch, rub or not stay on the heel. They make me feel like one of Cinderella's sisters.

Megan G said...

What an amazing collection - so sad to give them up. I recently sold off almost every last one of my heels because I need to free up space and take it easier on my knees. It's very sad to part with them, but I feel better and have learned to be less attached to physical things. Sometimes I worry about missing something, but I've been alright since getting rid of them. The real test will be this winter though!