I'm the type that likes to hold onto things. As a nostalgic person, I'm very resistant to throwing things out. I hold on to old letters, redundant email addresses and ancient digital files. Those should be the easy things to trash but they aren't. Then there are the larger items, clothing, shoes, coats and books. You don't even want to know the age of my collection.
This morning I had a novel idea. I decided to pack things up and give most of them away. The nicer things I'd put on consignment. "Where's all that stuff going?" My husband asked as I carried bag after bag out the front door. "Away," I said, feeling as though my stuff had found a different place to live and was moving out.
When I reached the 25 pound weight-loss milestone I had what I thought was a clever idea. I began packing away clothing that was too big for me in chests and bins. Awaiting my attention was my clothing also packed away from leaner times. I admit now however that my efforts were lightweight at thinning out and packing away my clothes that were too big. Moreover, for what or for whom was I packing this stuff away so neatly? It took months to figure out the purpose.
I'm not a hoarder, still, since the "Hoarding: Buried Alive" TLC show is on the air, I had to check it out a few times just to make sure. I'm fond of my clothing. I carefully select each item in my wardrobe. Sometimes I'd saved up to purchase what I liked. Other times I'd go to thrift or consignment shops. Still other pieces were gifts. As I opened the door to the closet, I saw a lot of different elements of my life collected from over the past 20 years. I saw gifts from my mother, who has passed on. I thought, this is what I wore to that important job interview a couple of years ago. Oh, and that dress was for transitioning from pregnancy to post-partum. This outfit was for my son's graduation and so it went as I worked my way through the closet.
So, my closet isn't all the way here yet. There are somethings I'm still
clinging on to. Gradually I'll get here.
What sparked this movement, you may be wondering?
Why shopping of course. This time it was unplanned. I was out with a friend, set to have lunch but the restaurant we were going to was closed. So we went to the nearby consignment store.
Now, I've told you I'm nostalgic. This store was the perfect place for me. In it were all sorts of designer vintage clothing from the 50's and 60's. Instantly I was transported, to a time I mainly know about through my parents. I was very happy to be in that space. Low and behold I found the perfect outfit for the wedding I'm going to at the end of the month. A sheath--by Calvin Klein--in a watercolor print. In no time at all I had coordinated it with a vintage purse, bracelet and necklace.
The shocking part for me, wasn't just what I'd done. You see, I'm not exactly what you'd call a fashionista. No, it wasn't the savvy part of putting it all together. It was that I could actually fit the dress. Somehow I had gone from a size 22 to a size 8!
I guess you can see now, why this woman who holds on to things for dear life knew that it was time to let go. Time for the big transition and to embrace mindfulness not just in meditation and yoga but in my closet.
Just wonderful Stephanie! I'm smiling at the lightness of it all ... and among the mindfulness and yoga, gardening and seeding, the closet! Bare!
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely post thank you, and for sharing! :)
Just trucked my stuff off to the consignment and thrift stores. Feeling totally naked now, just like my closet! Thanks Susan.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the big changes in your life - the dramatic weight loss and the cleaning out. This post was serendipitous for me today because I began cleaning things out of my house this weekend and have been thinking about doing a major purge and overhaul of my house all morning. I also love vintage clothing!
ReplyDeleteCJ_Apple, it's so awesome to hear from you today. Indeed your comment and activities are serendipitous for me as well. I had put it out into the universe that I wished others would write in to this blog about their experiences with scaling down and purging their stuff. Thanks so much for sharing your experience over this past weekend. Vintage clothing is the best. So glad I found a good, new, local source.
DeleteYou and I are Birds of a feather! I've been trying to pare down my life through Craig's List. It's become a slow process now since the good stuff is mostly gone now. The treasure that's left is apparently perceived as trash by those perusing my listings. I keep putting the same stuff up in hopes that the right customer will see my listing and come to help me with my clean up process.
ReplyDeleteA simpler life with less stuff is a goal of liberation.
Lee
Tossing It Out
I detect some irony here and your humor did make me laugh out loud. Is the name of your blog a part of your mission? My brother is a huge fan of Craig's List and runs an entire business off it. I bet if you keep at it eventually you'll unload your stuff. Meanwhile the birds need to keep paring down using whatever means we can.
DeleteIt's hard to do but oh so worth it! Goodbye, stuff!
ReplyDeleteKaren, I heard that! I love your post on a similar topic on your blog.
DeleteThat's the best thing about losing weight--SHOPPING! So cool that you found a vintage outfit to wear. I love the 50s and 60s. The styles were so elegant.
ReplyDelete50s and 60s clothes do have an elegant simplicity that I love too. I admit it. I do love the shopping part. I just have to be careful not to do so much of it since I have a lot more weight to lose.
DeleteAh, I am a hoarder of the worst order. I dont do away with things at all. Like at all. It was nice to know about your transition of being fitter. All the best Stephanie. Enjoy the new you !!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jyotsna. Still licking my wounds over breaking up my hoarded stash of clothing. My lovely daughter replenished my stock for my birthday this past Monday. Now I have to shave off 5 more pounds to be able to wear what she bought...always a work-in-progress!
DeleteI popped over to see what you'd written for the Cephalopod Coffeehouse bloghop, but I guess you must have forgotten you'd signed up for it, huh? Oh well. It's nice to meet you, anyway.
ReplyDeleteI tend to hang onto things, too. Big time. But since my hubby and I went through the experiences of cleaning out our parents' homes after they died, we've been making a concerted effort to downsize some of our "stuff" so our kids don't have to deal with so much after we kick the ol' bucket. It isn't easy, though. (I mean, I COULD get back to a size two again... some day... ya never know...)
Count me in as your newest groupie.
Susan, thanks so much for stopping by. Oh dear, I did completely forget to contribute to that blog hop. I'm sorry about that. Thanks though for coming and for sharing about how you deal with your "stuff". So glad you like the blog and will see if it's not too late to participate in the hop.
DeleteMy dad always said, "Two moves is as good as a fire." LOL
ReplyDeleteIWSG #179 until Alex culls the list again.
Melissa, I can't say how much I appreciate your gentle reminder about the significance of today for those of us in IWSG. I don't want to be a part of the culling! I'll be over to read your post. Thanks for stopping by.
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