Working in NYC means spending long periods of time without my full wardrobe. While this may be frustrating for some, I’m looking at it as an experiment in utilizing a minimalist wardrobe. And so far, I’m really enjoying having less items to choose from on a daily basis. This is really inspiring me to get back into that Parisian Wardrobe goal of mine. And this also means more closet purging posts for you!
I have an idea for a flowchart to make to help you work through what to keep and purge in your own wardrobe. I’m working through the key decision points I’m finding I go through when I’m looking at my own closet. As I go, I’m also keeping an eye out for additional inspiration. Sometimes you catch a video that really inspires you to get into that closet and start decluttering. And sometimes you find someone who shares a tip you hadn’t thought of.
Ten Things You Don’t Need in Your Closet
I found someone who did both on YouTube when I stumbled upon Carly Cristmas. She makes fun, mostly fashion-oriented videos, including one called “Ten Things You Don’t Need in Your Closet!”. We share many of the same closet cleaning rules, and I loved hearing her perspective on them. Like:
“If you have a piece of clothing that you’re like, Oh my God, my aunt bought this for me six years ago for my graduation. I can’t get rid of this. Yes, you can. Yes. You. Caaaan!”
Plus, she introduced a new-to-me rule: you don’t need things with bad memories in your closet.
It seems so obvious, yet I easily thought of a couple things I’d held onto because they were good quality or liked them. And I also didn’t wear them because it reminded me of bad memories.
Recent Removals (Parisian Wardrobe Purging)
On a recent trip home, I thought I’d have more time to go through my closet than I did. I only had a little window of time, but I used it to pull a couple items. If clutter is built up bit by bit, it can be removed with the same idea. I really think every effort helps when you’re going in the right direction.
Closet Removal #1: Old Denim
I originally received these jeans for free from a brand that is, sadly, no longer in business. I actually really liked the jeans overall. They fit really well, especially in the booty, which can be a challenge. There was just one thing. The moto-styling in the knees didn’t fit right on me. As I tried them on again, I realized that some extra fabric in the knees made these points in the fabric stick out oddly. Not only did it seem obvious that there was something wrong with the fit, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. And who has time to worry about that kind of thing when you’re wearing jeans?
Finally, these jeans fit the age-old advice on frequency of wear. I probably haven’t worn these in at least 5 years. I’m way past the 1 year of non-wear guidance. It was time.
Closet Removal #2: Worn-Out Tennis Shoes
I pulled three pairs of shoes to recycle. They were pretty worn down. Two had no tread left on the bottoms. One had holes in the side area next to the toes. These were at some point some of my favorite shoes to wear to class. But, one of them has been reminding me of a toxic friend. No bueno. On the upside, the other two reminded me of many hours dancing with some of my favorite people in the world in dance fitness classes. We had a good run.
Have you purged anything recently? What helped you let it go?
More Fashion Videos
By the way, if you liked this video, here are some other great videos by Carly:
Thanks for stopping by! Happy closet cleaning!