Cleaning out the closet

I’m in the middle of cleaning out our closets—my husband’s is already done; that went pretty quickly. :-) But when I look inside my closet, I figure I’ll have a few days’ work ahead of me :-))) ;-)) The best part is running into old favorites you had no idea even still existed ;-) But it’s a great feeling when there’s space and order in the closet again, and a lot of stuff got tossed out because it was just taking up space anyway. If you haven’t worn something in two years, you’re not going to wear it in the third year either, so it can go. Especially with my countless bags—which I sewed myself—I’ve done a radical clean sweep. Some are currently in the washing machine; they’re still in good shape, but I’ll never use them again, so they’re going to the local thrift store. Anything suitable for kids goes into the box for the children’s food bank, and the rest goes in the trash. It always feels good to get rid of old clutter.

Best, Inge

Decluttering sounds good....
I did that today too; I wouldn’t have thought my closet could hold so much.
Don’t you have any clothes you keep for “nostalgic reasons”?
I have a pair of pants that are over 30 years old; I’ll never fit into them again, but somehow I just can’t bring myself to throw them away....

That’s true—I’m going through the same thing right now. There was more to clear out here with my husband; his body shape changed drastically after his major surgery, so nothing fit him anymore. He still has plenty of shoes, but I left those alone because, depending on the condition of his feet, sometimes one pair fits and sometimes another. But with one of those closet hangers, I’ve now got them all neatly sorted—one grab and you’ve got what you’re looking for.
I actually keep my own stuff pretty well organized, so there wasn’t that much I had to get rid of.
I kept a few pairs of jeans in case the urge to sew strikes me again, but those have also gone into a box with the fabrics.
Bags… yeah, I haven’t done anything with those yet. I still tell myself I’ll wear them all again someday (which definitely won’t happen), but there isn’t a single one that hasn’t been used in over a year, so it’s not that clear-cut.
A whole bunch of underwear ended up in the trash—for some reason, a lot of bra straps get really saggy after a few washes, so I’ll have to go buy some more now.

Of course I have some nostalgic clothes hanging in my closet—for example, the dress I sewed 33 years ago for my wedding to my husband. It’s a size 42, and I’ll never fit into it again in my life, but it’s staying, just like a pair of pants or a blouse here and there that I’ve kept because I sewed them for a specific occasion. But over the course of my life, I’ve learned that every now and then you have to part with things you never thought you’d be able to let go of.
Over 40 years ago, I parted with all of my ex-husband’s jewelry and divided it equally among my daughters. Recently, I found a blouse with a brooch from his silver necklace still attached—it had sapphires on it. My middle daughter had received that necklace back then, and at Easter I gave her the matching brooch; I didn’t even realize I still had it. My feminine pride had forbidden me from ever wearing any piece of jewelry from that man again—not after the “War of the Roses,” never ever. My daughters accepted it gratefully.

Love, Inge

Haha, same here—I sold the jewelry my ex gave me right after we broke up; I never would have wanted to wear it again.

Yeah, decluttering and spring really go hand in hand.

For me, anything that’s still really nice and wearable goes to SOMA (the social market). They gratefully accept it and are always very happy to receive children’s clothes.
Though I really do hope my teens will stop growing at some point.

But when it comes to my own stuff, it’s not really shoes and clothes that end up there.
I changed my shopping habits years ago, and except for underwear and socks, I buy everything secondhand. And since I wear everything for ages, I can’t really pass it on with a clear conscience.

For us, it’s mostly “old stock” from my in-laws. It’s always amazing what you find in the basement—old dishes, books, and other surprises in the many, many cupboards.

Since these items are always in very good condition, I always find grateful recipients for them.
And don’t worry—nothing gets given away unless it has been approved. I wouldn’t be happy if someone gave away my things either.

Today I cleaned out my fabric shelf, and another 60-liter bag was sorted out. It’s full of little scraps that are just taking up space and will never be used again, so out they go!
In the picture, the lower shelf was full of them. Now I’ve sorted them and packed them into boxes and written on them what’s inside. If I want to sew something for the KT now, I just have to take down the right box and can get started. I’m always amazed at what accumulates over the course of a year, whether it’s pieces of fabric or tools :-)
At the bottom by the table, the covered part is my coverstitch machine. I always cover it when I don’t need it; I sewed the cover myself too.

Best, Inge