05 February 2012

Minimizing, but I love my skinny jeans...

I used to have a really hard time getting rid of clothing.

I kept t-shirts as reminders of events - first athlete I coached to the state championships, first meet I hosted as a head coach, first shirt I designed with an awesome quote on the back, shirts that were gifts from friends/family, shirts that I can wear to work since they are affiliated with the school.

I kept work clothing that I basically knew I would never wear.  But, they were trendy, or they cost more than I usually spent on clothes.

I kept clothes that might be getting too small, or that were too big.  Because, who knows, I might be able to fit them better one day if I start working out again.  Or I may get bigger if I continue not working out.

Last year around this time, I took part in Six Items Or Less.  It was awesome.  Six pieces of clothing that I wore for thirty days.  I did it twice.  No one noticed.  Even people that I told about it couldn't tell I was doing it.  I actually got a lot of compliments on my clothing since I was paying more attention to making sure I looked decent.

Since then, I have been on a mission to get rid of my clothes that I don't wear.  I got rid of a lot after that experiment, and have gotten rid of even more since December when I started trying to minimize my life even more.

It is still somewhat hard to get rid of sentimental t-shirts.  Even harder to get rid of my favorite skinny jeans that I adore, but that my thighs are not adoring at this moment (t-shirts are gone, some shoes are gone, old bags are gone, old wallets are gone, old hair accessories are gone, but the jeans are still in a pile just in case it was monthly water-weight gain and I can still fit into them later this week).

It feels good to get rid of them, though.  Each thing I throw out/donate/recycle gets easier.

It feels good to know that I am donating items to a store that will sell them and use the money for good.  That someone will buy the t-shirts and one day they will be worn as vintage by some youngster.

I'll double check the jeans later this week and see what's up with them.  It's harder with them since I know I will only have one pair of jeans after getting rid of the skinnys - and I don't feel like spending the money to get another really good pair, and don't want to buy a cheap, ill-fitting pair.

This was today's Stream of Consciousness Sunday 5 minute post.  Prompt was "Write about something that you unexpectedly had a hard time saying goodbye to."

Click the button to learn more, join in, and to read others' posts for today.






#SOCsunday

9 comments:

  1. It's like you're in my head today. I emptied out my closet on Thursday in preparation for carpet installation on Friday. I'm being extremely selective about what I'm putting back in because I simply want to live with less.

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  2. This week's SOCS is totally speaking to me! I have been taking the plunge and just saying good riddance to things I know I am not using, will never use and as hard as it was in the beginning it makes life a little easier.

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  3. @ all.things.fadra and @ Rachée - It is hard to get rid of things, but it really does make me feel like the things that are left mean more and that life is easier.

    Thanks for reading and sharing.

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  4. I find that I cannot get rid of souvenir t-shirts. I still have a t-shirt from my family trip to South Dakota when I was 13, and all my Spirit Week t-shirts from high school.

    Also, when I outgrew my Powerpuff Girls tank top, I had to wrap it up with my old diaries. I can't get rid of things with super-sheroes.

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  5. LOL. Y'all are making me giggle. I am not attached to my own clothing tho I am attached to certain outfits that once fit my now grown/almost grown children.

    I somehow missed NaBloPoMo. I wonder if I could scoop it up and join now?

    Anyway - enjoyed the heck out of your post. Well written, insightful and inspiring.

    Grateful to have found you via SOCSunday today.

    (and thank you for commenting on my post!)

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  6. I used to not like getting rid of clothes, but I'm pretty sure if I had to now I could without problem. At some point something weird changed with me, and I don't have the same sentimental feeling about objects. It's so interesting to see all the different things people grow attached to.

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  7. @ Erin - I used to always want some sort of "vintage" t's... perhaps Jem who was truly outrageous. I am sure I would keep that, just as I still have my old Cabbage Patch doll at my parents' house.

    @ Julie - Not sure how the site works, but if you can't join in, you can practice and then jump in for March. If you sign up, they will send you emails to remind you before the next month starts. Thanks for sharing the comment love.

    @ Victoria - People grow attached to so many things, hence the stuffed garages and need for storage containers in locations not even at your house. I am loving getting rid of things!

    Thanks all for stopping by.

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  8. I hear you on trying to get rid of sentimental things. There is a whole wall in my bedroom that contains posters from past plays that I was a part of in college. I don't want to through them away, but some of them are torn and it makes my room look messy.

    I have vowed to clean out my drawers come this spring. The problem is - I don't think I shop that much for clothes. Books, yes. Clothes, not so much. Maybe it's because I hardly ever throw things away...Hmm

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  9. @ Jayla - My brother found a person who does graphic design who was able to restore some old family pictures. Maybe you can do that with your old posters and make them look new again.

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