Project Simplify - Week 1

Project Simplify is a five week decluttering challenge.  Week One started yesterday, so it is not too late to join in.  You can read all about Project Simplify by clicking on either one of the links.

Week One's project is your wardrobe and/or closet.  This is something I had been working on since last Summer, slowly weeding out clothing that I never wear, that no longer fits, is out of style, was a case of buyer's remorse, etc.  Slowly getting my closet down to things I actually wear.  So I had a good head start on this project.

Here is the "before" photo of my side of the closet.  And considering all of the weeding out I had already done, my closet didn't look too bad!

Unfortunately, I didn't realize when I snapped this that half of my sweaters were downstairs hanging in the laundry room.  And I had already pulled a bunch of stuff from the closet before I went and got the sweaters!

And this is the "After Photo" overall view of the closet.  Minus several pair of shoes.  That bag of clothing is summer shorts and pajamas.  That will be reevaluated when summer gets here!

"Before" close up of the clothing, not including the sweaters that were in the laundry room.

"After" close up of the clothing.  Things are sorted by how often I need to get to them.  Right now Winter sweaters are near the front.  When the weather changes, the summer tops come forward and the winter sweaters go to the back of the closet.  In the far back, in bags - my wedding dress and all three girls christening gowns.

I found it very serendipitous that at the time this closet exercise comes up, I am reading this in Simple Abundance:  "Until you make peace with who you are, you'll never be content with what you have." - quote from Doris Mortman.

In fact, the next several days of essays are about how you look, the image you project, and being authentic.  And the tips for implementing the closet exercise on Project Simplify play right into this.  One of the questions was about your best colors - my closet is full of my best colors.  Any guesses what they are? 

I have also learned what colors are not my best colors.  For instance, with work clothes I always thought I needed/wanted variety.  Basic dress colors - black, grey, navy, brown.  But when I pull pants out of my closet to get dressed for work, I always choose black or grey.  On the rare occasions that I've worn navy or brown, I feel really uncomfortable.  And since I am only in the office one or two days a week, I really don't need many choices.  Hence this:

These were the clothes I added to the Goodwill pile today. Dress slacks in navy and brown, a dress jacket in brown, a bunch of blouses I haven't worn in at least two years.  Despite all the paring down I've been doing, I was still able to find more that didn't need to be taking up space in my closet.

A couple of other projects I've done within the last few weeks:

I tossed a lot of makeup that was old or that I didn't use.  This is it now.  All the makeup I own in this one little organizer!

I also pared down my jewelry, getting rid of a lot of costume jewelry that I never wear.  Aside from a couple strands of pearls, this is every necklace I now own... hung on the dresser mirror where I can actually see them and choose from them each day.  The hooks are the Command Hooks by 3M that come off cleanly - the idea was Sarah's - it is how she organizes her jewelry at school!

A close-up of some of the jewelry that survived the cut.  Since many of these have sentimental value, having them displayed this way really makes me HAPPY!