Cleaning out Closets

This morning I got up, put on nice clothes, and loaded the kids up for Parent's Morning Out.  I was SO excited to head out and have a couple of hours to do some shopping without kids in tow.  THEN I opened the garage door.  I knew it was raining, but I didn't know it was miserably cold and raining hard.  It was one of those days that umbrellas were completely useless.  After dropping the kids off and grabbing a drive-thru breakfast, I headed back home.  I broke the Thursday morning rule.  The rule that says I can't come home and do anything domestic or school related. 

I don't regret it one bit.

I came back home and put the COMFY clothes on and attacked a much overdue task.  I consented to finally giving in to the fact that winter is quickly coming and unfortunately will be here to stay for way too many months.  I finally moved out the spring/summer clothes and brought in the fall/summer. 

The best part of the task is that I FINALLY did what I had been wanting to do for a VERY long time.  Instead of just hanging up the right season and putting the "old" season in their appropriate Rubbermaid totes, I actually went through EVERYTHING with a very critical eye.  If I didn't LOVE it, it got boxed up for charity.  That means if it didn't fit properly (even if I WANTED it to), if I didn't wear it last year, or if it didn't make me feel good wearing it....it went in the charity box(es). 

What I found is this:  it brought GREAT freedom, but it was EXTREMELY hard.  I realized just how much emotional attachment we as women tend to have with our clothes.  I had to push past the "but it was such a great bargain" and the but "I wore that to....." 

I've been wanting to head towards the minimalist closet for such a long time, but just now took the plunge.  I kept only things that were multi-functional.  Gone were those things that I would NEVER find a match for or that limited me to one choice of outfit.  Now my focus can be on making completely new outfits by just changing out accessories and scarves. 

First round of purging...this pile grew after going back through another time or two

Going through pants with a critical eye



One section done!



My closet may contain about a third of what it did, but what I found is that I now actually have MORE clothes than before.  Even better:  I can find it!  I can visually see what I can change up.  I even have a list of missing pieces to purchase.  Now, if I head out to consignment stores/Goodwill/etc..  I won't just be buying anything that fits and is affordable.  I will just be in search of specific items.  When I find something that I might have normally bought, I can have the freedom to say "I like that.  It's a great bargain.  Yet, someone else can gather that treasure!"  Aha moment!

Something else happened as I went through each and every piece of clothing.  I began to think of how God wants me to do the same thing on a different level.  Of course this wouldn't be my blog if I didn't have some kind of spiritual twist to add!  :)

Some items were HARD to get rid of even though I knew they would just hang there passed over for another year.  There are things in my life that God wants me to get rid of, but yet I find myself still hanging on to them.  Some things were EASY to get rid of because I had no emotional attachment to them.  There are things that I need to get rid of in my life and truthfully it won't be hard.  I just need to do it.  Some things in my life need to go, it's just a matter of taking the time to do it or making the commitment. Some things in my closet didn't get tossed on the first round or two, but I eventually boxed them up.  I think God has some of those things for me to get rid of in my spiritual life.  Those kind of things that on the surface don't seem so wrong, but when you dig deeper I KNOW they are.  The kind of things that the world says are OK, but in my heart I know aren't.  There were a few things in my closet that I held onto that maybe I shouldn't have.  I just couldn't break that attachment.  I know there are things in my heart that are the same way.  Hopefully, I'll find the strength to let them go in both closets:  the one in reality and the one in my heart! 

(As a reminder, don't forget to enter the current giveaway here before Sunday night....especially for homeschool moms!)