It’s time for the change over of seasonal clothes and an opportunity for the simplest decluttering of all: Decluttering without even trying. When you get your clothes out of storage (or, in my case, when I stop using the lower hanging bar [hot weather] and start using the upper hanging bar [cool weather]), turn all the hangers backwards. At the end of the season, anything that is still turned around the wrong way is something you no long wear. Congratulations! You just decluttered your closet without even trying.
The Weekends Mini Missions
Saturday - Declutter something from your basement, attic or garage.
Sunday - Sunday is reserved for contemplating one particular item, of your choice that is proving difficult for you to declutter. Whether that be for sentimental reasons, practical reasons, because the task is laborious or simply unpleasant, or because the items removal requires the cooperation of another person. That last category may mean that the item belongs to someone else who has to give their approval, it could also mean there is a joint decision to be made or it could mean that the task of removing it requires assistance from someone else. There is no need to act on this contemplation immediately, it is more about formulating a plan to act upon or simply making a decision one way or another.
My Gratitude List for This Week
- I am grateful for the book I just finished reading. (The Shack by William P Young)
- That my daughter is home.
- That my daughter has been cooking for me all week.
- That I learn new things everyday and hopefully am becoming a better person for it.
- I am grateful to be free to explore my own possibilities.
Cindy, I have already decluttered my “winter” clothes as I have lost enough weight that most of them no longer fit. I have decided to wear the ones I have until they no longer fit and then should be down enough that I can wear the ones I got from S before we took the rest to the New Life Women’s Shelter. I like not having to buy clothes while in transition.
Colleen, I loved the book, The Shack. I’m glad your daughter is there and cooking for you. One less thing for you to think about and do. It’s lovely.
Deb J – well done on the downsize!
Woohoo congrats on the weight loss Deb! That’s the best & funnest way to cull the wardrobe for sure!
Thanks Jane! Yes it is fun. I just hope the weight keeps coming off.
Fantastic Deb!
My Goodness Deb J you never cease to amaze. You make great strides in your decluttering, you convert your mother to the cause, you do what you can to help others in the process, then you start helping your friend to declutter and on top of that you are also loosing weight. It is just Karma that you could receive S’s clothes so you didn’t have to buy any during the transition.
I think the big fella is on your side and you deserve it.
I am glad you have read that book Deb. I really enjoyed it. It very much reflects my belief system.
And yes it is nice to have my baby girl around for a little while before she enlists in the Air Force next week.
Thanks Colleen. I sure hope God is going to help me get this weight off and feel better. I’m off almost all my insulin and disbetic meds too. That’s a real blessing.
I know how great weight loss feels. the best thing about it has nothing to do with looks, but how about you feel. and if you can feel your body “improving”, getting healthy and fitter, you literally feel the weight taken off. like feeling lighter in every way. a healthy body is the best treat you can give yourself.
Hi Lena, way to go. Looking deeper into the benefits of behaviours rather than just the superficial give way more incentive to keep it up. This is how I feel about decluttering. It isn’t just that I can see the benefits I can feel the freedom of less, of not being the prey of consumerism and better about the effects my actions are having on the environment.
Lena, the thing about what is going on with me is just like you say. I started this new way of eating because it was suggested as a way to help my IBS, diabetes, etc. The fact that I am doing so much better in these areas is the biggest plus. The fact that I am losing weight is an added bonus that I am very thankful for.
Look at it this way Deb J, eating less and local and fresh is also good for the environment so win win. There is another incentive to keep at it. I am so glad to hear that your health is improving because of it. Good for you.
That’s incredibly exciting news Deb!!!
Deb,
You are really an inspiration the way you just plug along tackling one challenge after another. God has definitely blessed you through each persevering step. Congratulations!!!
Di, thanks. Some days it isn’t easy because you can’t just easily go out to eat or grab something if you are at someone’s home.
Dayna went thru her wardrobe last weekend and delivered a basket to the garage for me to sort and distribute. From school on Monday she text me not to get rid of them just yet as a couple of friends wanted to check them out. Since then I’ve had several of her friends coming thru ‘shopping’ and as some items dated back to pre-decluttering days and were hardly worn the parents have been saying ‘can I give you $10 for that?’ or ‘$40 for that pile?’ – somehow we ended up running a clothes sale. Wasn’t a huge money maker but a nice bonus for Dayna. I was going to donate them all to goodwill as I couldn’t be bothered listing on Tradme, so I’m pleasantly surprised. BUT here’s the best part one of the other girls has announced she’s going to be doing the same thing from her garage next week.
That’s great. Don’t you love when things like that happen?!
Moni, I’ve heard of folks having clothing swap parties. Someone hosts the event & invites a bunch of their friends who bring clothing & accessories to swap at the party. Of course refreshments are served & there can even be mystery grab bags exchanged. I understand there are rules that go along with these events to ensure an even swap but can’t be to hard to find out about with a Google search.
Jane – my BFF lives in another town and we have always been exactly the same size (no matter which way the scales go) and exactly the same size feet, so clothes and shoes, especially for events like weddings or dressy casual go back and forth between us. Not much lately as we’re in Spring now and for Winter clothes she lives in a colder part of the country than me.
My best friend (since 5th grade/age 11) is a waif of a thing. She’s always been scrawny-small. The only clothing we could swap/share as teens was handbags!
Well done Moni, your enterprising ways to declutter are obviously rubbing off on Dayna. Is it Dayna who is saving for camera gear at the moment? Clever her getting her friends in to buy the clothes. And now she in influencing her friends to also be more proactive about getting rid of their outgrown stuff.
I just spend yesterday morning holding a garage sale with a friend of mine. I didn’t have much stuff, as you can imagine, but I did manage to sell a few things and come home with $90. One particular thing fetched $50 and I was very happy to see it go without having to list it on ebay.
Colleen – yes, Dayna is at the $490 mark in the bank, $250 to come in this week from selling two sets of books (that I thought she would never part from) and just today sold an outgrown set of school uniform for $100, so she’s getting closer all the time. I think she is surprised at how much money is tied up in redundant items.
I don’t think she set out to sell her clothes but once she mentioned she’d had a clean out of her wardrobe, her friends wanted them. She’d have probably given them to her friends but as several of them wanted the same items it sort of turned into bidding war and next thing parents were turning up with daughters to try on and cash in hand. I think it is because she is hour glass figure, and 3 of her friends are the same, and finding something flattering but age appropriate can be tricky, hence the stampede, plus she is quite good at sewing so alters things a bit if they need it.
I have suggested that she keeps going with the selling things as it has certainly sped up the outgoing stuff and the incoming cash is always useful for teens with their big ticket wishlists.
What a nice bonus earning $90 from a morning’s work. Yes, ebay great for moving stuff out of the house but there is work involved and success fees to factor in.
This is awesome!
Love the idea to help declutter the clothing. I also have all of my winter and summer items together in the same closet, so this should be easy to do. I do have a few dresser drawers that house my workout gear but that is decluttered for the time being, so no work needed there.
I have recently been working on my basement and my husband got rid of many items. Items that I thought he would not ever part with, so needless to say I was very happy because he did so without any prompting from me. It is a start in the right direction.
I have not read The Shack yet, but it is on my list of books that I want to read. I have heard that it is a great book.
Hi Jen, good luck with your clothes decluttering. This is a really simple way to go about it. I dare say not much will be decluttered from my closet as there really is anything I don’t wear.
A big pat on the back for your hubby. I hope this is a sign that your efforts and great results are starting to have a positive influence on him.
I really did enjoy The Shack but you have to be a spiritual person to enjoy it I would say. The approach to “religion” in this book very much reflects the way I feel about and approach it. I am not one for ritual and structure and prefer to believe and follow in my own way.
I have gone through much of my clothing and wear practically everything I own, also. I know there are some pieces that I am hanging on to that are just wishful thinking on my part. Time to let them go.
I do think that the decluttering way of life is catching on at my house. Certainly seemed like it when my husband let go of many of his items that were not being used in the basement. It is invigorating to know that your efforts are getting attention even when you may think that they are not being noticed.
Thanks for your take on the book. I look forward to reading it.
The clothes hanger trick is great! I’ve been doing that for a couple of years and find it quite revealing about my clothes wearing habits.
At first when I read the Saturday declutter idea, I thought, “No garage, no attic, no basement. I’m good.” But then I realized that I have a small shed. I’ll look in there tomorrow.
Mhh, I decluttered a plate today (or rather had it decluttered by a little guest) … but I assume that’s not what you meant 😉
The delight of de-cluttering is an emotional journey. It’s about letting go of things you can do without and the freedom of starting over in a new, clutter-free home.
I couldn’t have put that better myself Cathyhaden. Welcome to 365 Less Things.
Hi Colleen this is an absolutely unique and Great Approach i ever come across Keep it Up.