Welcome to Week 4 :)
How are you going with your clutter?
A reminder: you don't need to do everything that is presented. What is important is that you do something. Even the tiniest thing will create an energy flow and will lift the stagnation.
Clutter is most overwhelming when it gets no attention and continues to build. By giving it a small amount of attention, the stagnation lessens. It is the stagnation and the perceived enormity that can prevent you from dealing with it all.
The aim is to cut through that and this is easily achievable by simply going there and doing something - be it big or small. Big changes may be needed, but if that is too much for you, start with small steps and if you make them regular you will see big changes soon enough. A tiny bit everyday and you will begin to notice a huge difference.
For the last couple of weeks we’ve focused on shared areas of our home – the entrance way and the kitchen. These areas are open to everyone. Anyone who enters your home passes through the entrance way and our kitchens are often a place that brings people together. Everyone sees and shares the kitchen and entrance way.
Today we’re moving to something a little more personal and something that is yours alone....
How are you going with your clutter?
A reminder: you don't need to do everything that is presented. What is important is that you do something. Even the tiniest thing will create an energy flow and will lift the stagnation.
Clutter is most overwhelming when it gets no attention and continues to build. By giving it a small amount of attention, the stagnation lessens. It is the stagnation and the perceived enormity that can prevent you from dealing with it all.
The aim is to cut through that and this is easily achievable by simply going there and doing something - be it big or small. Big changes may be needed, but if that is too much for you, start with small steps and if you make them regular you will see big changes soon enough. A tiny bit everyday and you will begin to notice a huge difference.
For the last couple of weeks we’ve focused on shared areas of our home – the entrance way and the kitchen. These areas are open to everyone. Anyone who enters your home passes through the entrance way and our kitchens are often a place that brings people together. Everyone sees and shares the kitchen and entrance way.
Today we’re moving to something a little more personal and something that is yours alone....
We’re going into the bedroom and heading for the wardrobe. This can be equally as fun as it can be daunting. Make some time for this one. It’s personal and it is all about you. Even if you have a walk in wardrobe that you share with your partner, your share of the wardrobe is yours. So make yourself a cup of tea and find an hour you can devote to this.
 | Before we start, there are a few things to consider... The aim of the wardrobe declutter is to get rid of the clothes that you don’t actually like wearing. If you don’t feel amazing in it, then it’s up for review. We’re trying to move towards a wardrobe that inspires you when you get dressed each morning. |
Stopping and feeling into what you want to wear is a beautiful way to start your day. If your wardrobe is cluttered up with old clothes, too many clothes or clothes that you don’t feel you in, then what can be a simple and loving process in the morning becomes something that is not as fun as it could be.
I’m pretty sure everyone has clothes in their wardrobe they haven’t worn in a while. If you’ve never worn them, then let’s review them too. But we can keep some clothes that don’t get frequent wear. We may not have been to a wedding or a formal function this year, but we may in the future. So hang on to some items that fall into this category.
Are there some clothes in there that don’t fit? Did they fit once and you felt amazing in them and so you’re hanging on to them in case you do fit them again one day?
How much did it cost? This is a common trip-up. If you paid $300 for a French designer jacket or suit that you’ve never worn and each time you try it on, it just doesn’t feel right, well that might be harder to get rid of than the $10 singlet. Again, come back to how you feel in that jacket.
A note for the men here - don't presume this is just for women. All of this is relevant for you too. Your wardrobe may or may not be as extensive as a woman's, but how you feel in your clothes applies to you too. As a man it can be easier to block this feeling, but the way you feel is still there. How you feel each day in your clothing is worthy of your attention.
I’m pretty sure everyone has clothes in their wardrobe they haven’t worn in a while. If you’ve never worn them, then let’s review them too. But we can keep some clothes that don’t get frequent wear. We may not have been to a wedding or a formal function this year, but we may in the future. So hang on to some items that fall into this category.
Are there some clothes in there that don’t fit? Did they fit once and you felt amazing in them and so you’re hanging on to them in case you do fit them again one day?
How much did it cost? This is a common trip-up. If you paid $300 for a French designer jacket or suit that you’ve never worn and each time you try it on, it just doesn’t feel right, well that might be harder to get rid of than the $10 singlet. Again, come back to how you feel in that jacket.
A note for the men here - don't presume this is just for women. All of this is relevant for you too. Your wardrobe may or may not be as extensive as a woman's, but how you feel in your clothes applies to you too. As a man it can be easier to block this feeling, but the way you feel is still there. How you feel each day in your clothing is worthy of your attention.
| So, start going through your closet. If you need a place to start, start with what is hanging. Take it all out. Sort thought it all item by item. Try it on if you need to. Or if you need something easier, pick a drawer. What is important here is that you stop and feel. Don't rationalise, go with how you feel about the piece of clothing. Try to differentiate how you feel in the clothing from how you feel about the piece of clothing. There will be plenty of clothes that you like and that are beautiful pieces of clothing, or feel that are 'good enough'. But we are focusing on how we feel when we are wearing it. |  |
Start some piles. Place the keepers back in the wardrobe. Make a pile of what’s going and another for what you are not sure of. Once you’ve finished you can go through the not-sure-of pile and review again. The pile that's going can be divided into op-shop and giveaway if its what you feel like doing. But getting it out the door is the main thing. If you are brave you could start a 'to sell' pile but be very cautious of this. It can slow down the process, it’s time consuming and leaves a huge opening for the clothes to be reconsidered and end up back in the wardrobe (for more on this see the blog Garage Sale vs. Giving It Away).
Don't forget to take this detail and awareness to your underwear too. Our underwear is mostly for ourselves, despite what many may think! Not many people see it but you feel it all day. Check in whether it is time for some of it to go.
And socks - it is safe to throw out the ones with holes that you will probably never darn. And the odd ones.
This entire process may be one that needs to be done a few times. Do the first and obvious layer today. You may find in the coming weeks that now that you have opened up your awareness to how you actually feel in your clothes that you will discover more and more of what you don’t want to be wearing and more and more of what you do want to be wearing.
Don't forget to take this detail and awareness to your underwear too. Our underwear is mostly for ourselves, despite what many may think! Not many people see it but you feel it all day. Check in whether it is time for some of it to go.
And socks - it is safe to throw out the ones with holes that you will probably never darn. And the odd ones.
This entire process may be one that needs to be done a few times. Do the first and obvious layer today. You may find in the coming weeks that now that you have opened up your awareness to how you actually feel in your clothes that you will discover more and more of what you don’t want to be wearing and more and more of what you do want to be wearing.
 | As you place your clothes back in your wardrobe and drawers, take your time. It makes quite a difference to how the wardrobe feels if we have lovingly placed it all back as opposed to just shoving things back in drawers. Take your time with the re-hanging and folding and next time you come to your wardrobe see if you notice a difference. Fold things and place them in the drawers. Group the hanging items together. |
You may be a colour coordinator or you may want to group pants with pants, jackets with jackets….but giving some order to your wardrobe will do exactly that – it will feel ordered. By being ordered it is no longer overwhelming.
And while it’s all out, why not vacuum out the bottom of the wardrobe, wipe some surfaces and spruce it up a bit. The extra touches will clear away the dust and give it a sparkle.
This process is for you. There is no need to hold onto old things that no longer serve you. Enjoy what you have got and make way for the new. The way we dress is such an expression of ourselves.
And while it’s all out, why not vacuum out the bottom of the wardrobe, wipe some surfaces and spruce it up a bit. The extra touches will clear away the dust and give it a sparkle.
This process is for you. There is no need to hold onto old things that no longer serve you. Enjoy what you have got and make way for the new. The way we dress is such an expression of ourselves.
