SPRING-Clean Declutter - Need Help

[Former-Member]

Are you ok @Former-Member ? How are you going with it all yourself? How's MrDarcy? Was Chrissy ok?

[Former-Member]

Just had this terrible thought... If I lost  a my mind, had a stroke, 

Or broke my hip... &  laid up in hospital a while... I'd have to get my friend, or even worse 😯 my son  to bring in clothes for me.... It occurred to me I wouldn't want to be caught dead walking around in half the outfits in my drawers and wardrobe. ⚠️ Lightbulb moment... how could I not realise this before? Many clothes I love looking at on the hanger... but not comfe or attractive to walk about in. And so many I plan to alter SOME DAY :face_with_rolling_eyes:

Found this good article online to get me motivated. 

https://www.vogue.com.au/fashion/what-do-i-wear/culling-your-closet-makeover-your-wardrobe-with-our-...

Anyone else struggle with this?

[Former-Member]

I ended up with too many "gardening" clothes @Former-Member and underwear not fit for an ambulance ride.  I am finding unless I am intentional I can slip into old habits and my wardrobe is die for a bit of an overhaul again.

I agree with the article about decent clothes hangers and am still so pleased with the velvet non slip ones that are as cheap as from places like Bunnings, K-Mart etc. I told my sister about them and she was not convinced until she was sorting Mum's clothes and saw how nicely the clothes sat together using the ones I had bought her and rang to ask me where I got them from.

Went clothes shopping with a friend last weekend and came home empty handed as my comfort eating has gone to my hips and the assistant kindly mentioned the top I tried on would look better if I was wearing an uplifting rather than a "comfort bra" . I think she also thought the top was a bit snug on me 😵😵😵.

[Former-Member]

Had a shocking thought / vision of burning all my diaries / journals over decades. Was gonna start a thread about it then realised it's probably a declutter issue really. But toss my journals?!?! 😟 I went online and found this helpful article by a writer. Just had to share:

https://christihegstad.com/blog/burned-90-journals-still-journal-daily/

[Former-Member]

I KEEP BUYING CLOTHES 😭

Can't walk past an OP shop 😟

What to do???????

[Former-Member]

Can you manage a "no spend weekend"  @Former-Member ? See if you can resist temptation for  a short period, gradually increase time period, I'm aiming for a "no buy July".

Don't forget - one thing in, two things out 😁.

[Smc]

@Former-Member, possibly depends on why you're buying. It's fun to wear something different? You're not happy with what you've already got? The sheer fun of fossicking for "treasures"?

I know the last one is my biggest drawcard for going into the op shops, but I've gradually become better at looking at my finds and, for the most part, saying "It's nice, but someone else can use it more than me". So I might pick up five things and put back four.

I also consciously decided some time ago that if I looked after the clothes I had and did some home sewing, I could go without buying clothes for a long time, so I rarely buy any now. (And that's mostly because I haven't managed to kick into the home sewing thingy yet.) Younger (Teenaged) Daughter has other ideas, and acquires clothes at an incredible rate.... sigh. I'm not sure what people think about the fact that I constantly turn up in the same few "going out" clothes, but I've really stopped caring. 🙂 I'm comfy with it, if that's not their thing, that's OK.

Aaand the other thing that slows down my buying is the fact that we've got too much of most things, and a houseful of my parents' things still being sifted through. Often I'll look at something nice, but then think "no, I've got more than enough" or "there's probably one at Mum and Dad's place"... So I guess part of it too is being aware of how much "stuff" we already have.

Anne McCaffrey in one of her sci fi novels had people from a future race trying to go through the archaeological remains of our civilisation... and saying in frustration "The Ancients had so many THINGS!" Yep, I'm a fully qualified Ancient, and a descendant of Ancients. Time to set a new paradigm.

[Former-Member]

@Former-Member, that sounds like good ideas thank you. Think shops are an outing for me, and company. Gets so lonely at home.
My own fault this week, yesterday a friend wanted to drop in but I said no 'caus the house too messy / embarrassing... And today I'm ignoring two phone calls, need company but so tired of my own voice, and listening and conversation in general, weird, I've been desperately hungry for people to do the initiating, now... now I have lost the art of conversation I think. Never thought I'd say that. Wonder if people notice? Maybe it's just part of getting older, I donno. Shop company can't hurt you as much as family and friends maybe, and I can just walk away if not. Hope I can spend less. Thanks 💙💙💙

[Former-Member]

Hi @Smc, hats interesting pointers you made. "Being aware of how much "stuff" we already have" is key, I forget home when I go out I guess. Other thing is being disorganised and losing an entire basket of clean washing (in the spare room under everything else I check in there to tidy up for a friend's coming over). Out of sight out of mind so if I see something I FEEL I need, well, I need it. Then discover I got two. So stupid! The more organised (settled) I get, the more aware I am when I'm out and can say "don't need that"
Hope to remember these tips you guys have given. Gotta keep trying, hey. Thanks 💙💙💙

[Appleblossom]

Hearing you @Former-Member about your yes/no list.

@Smc love Anne McCaffrey

@Former-Member I have gone shopping to get out of the house and have company, but not for a long time.  I have worked in retail, and most recently at an opshop, which I milked for good bargains, but that was still over 10 years ago.  Yesterday someone offered me an old church organ, but another friend, helped me say no without giving offence.  He said I would lose space, and that was exactly right.  That fellow also amazed me by wearing 50 year old hiking boots.  Good Quality tho.

I have enough musical instruments, there is only a couple I would buy but I would need a good justification, and am in no hurry. I did pick up some masks and edging at hardware today.