Only Keep It If You Absolutely Love It!

While chatting with a good friend of mine the other day, we ran into a subject that I had just been reading about in a magazine. An article by Jennifer Braunschweiger "Lose the clutter, find your style".  "I've always believed that clothing reflects who we are. But if we hold on to stuff, it starts to reflect who we used to be. How can we grow if we can't let go?" she says.  A surprisingly simple strategy for stepping into your best look now.  "My rule: If I put it on and then take it off, I have to give it away. No holding on to anything I won't even wear out of the house. If I wear it to work and feel uncomfortable, then out it goes as well. I have learned that forcing yourself to wear something is very different from tossing it on the "keep" pile. ...a closet isn't a museum or an archive. It should be a simple storehouse of clothes that reflect who I am today..." My friend told me that she was going through her clothes, item by item, and deciding once and for all if she truly loved it. If she didn't, then out it went. Since I had just read the magazine article and had been thinking of doing this myself I decided to post about it in case anyone out there is in need of the same kind of makeover. Okay, I have only begun, and have only put in the "out" pile about 4 things, but I am going to continue on! Hey, if the closet is empty, I guess that means I will have to go get more things I love to fill it back up! Ms. Braunschweiger did say that when it came to a very nostalgic item that she just couldn't bear to give up because it brought so many good memories to her, then she would put it in long term storage (like the attic) so that it wasn't taking up room in her closet. Take your "out" pile to a good will type place so that someone else can benefit. Or, take your good stuff to a consignment shop. Pennies on the dollar, but better than just taking up room. My BIG Birthday is one month from today.....I think I should have the goal of having my closet cleaned out by then......