Clothing Redux - Update (June 2015)

Remember my grand plans of returning in early June with a newly-organized closet and a capsule wardrobe? Well, vacation and having fun took precedence, but I wanted to share a few thoughts and some of the clothing that may not make the cut.

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up: Clothing Redux (Part I)

Recently, someone commented on my video on working The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up on my clothing in November 2014. The person wanted to know if I'd maintained my new stasis, or if I'd rebounded and amassed more clothing.

Interestingly enough, I have done a bit of shopping, and my cousin gifted me with a huge bag of clothing she'd purged from her closet. So... did I backslide?

Using What You Have - Multiple Uses

No matter if you are becoming a minimalist, just de-cluttering a bit, or attempting to get your spending and/or shopping under control, I am willing to bet that you will unearth multiples of the following:

• food (pantry items)
• paper products (kitchen and bath)
• bath & beauty products

I am willing to wager because I was guilty of this in the past.

If you're hesitant to donate your excess, here are some ideas for using up bath & beauty products.

1. Soap can double as shampoo and as detergent for hand-laundering bras, tights, etc.
2. Shampoo can double as shaving cream and as detergent for hand-laundering bras, tights, etc.
3. Conditioner can double as shaving cream and as cleaning agent for your sink and shower (in-between deep cleans, of course)
4. Body lotion can double as a leave in conditioner

What are you double duty ideas?

Simplifying & De-Cluttering - Getting Started

Start Small

I am fully invested in The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, but if the idea of gathering ALL of your clothing and sorting it in one go is too daunting, start with your socks. 

Perfection Paralysis

Sometimes, it isn't feeling overwhelmed that stops us in our tracks, but perfectionism. Do not allow the desire for perfection to paralyze you and to keep you from starting the process. Seeking perfection is an exercise in frustration, and it immobilizes you. It keeps you from trying something new or from starting on a new path.

Crush Compromise

While you don't want to be a perfectionist, you don't want to abandon your ideals and desires completely.If you have a very specific idea of the type of bookshelf that you want to buy, wait for it. The books can remain boxed up for another month or two. Just don't let those boxes hang around forever.

Stop Storage

How many areas of your home serve as a storage unit? Attic? Garage? Basement? 

Do you know or need what is in those boxes? What binds you to the contents? If it's guilt or fear that you'll need it someday, forget it. I've been donating and de-cluttering for 20 years, and in that time, I've regretted purging ONE item. One.

Is your house a home, or is it a storage unit for you, your kids, or your friends? If so, give them the incentive to remove their possessions: a deadline to retrieve or an invoice. Assuming that it is wanted, saving grandma's vintage vanity until your child finds her/his first home is fine, but storing 15,000 albums for a child is another story.

Double Duty

Recently, I read Skin Cleanse, and it made me re-think my relatively streamlined skin care regime. Why not use extra virgin olive oil to remove my mascara? One product, two uses! Think about secondary and tertiary uses for products that you already own. Use an expired lip balm to soften your cuticles and to polish leather shoes and handbags.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up - Tiny Tweaks #1

What do you do when you have finished -- or nearly finished -- with tidying up?

You make tiny tweaks!

This past weekend, I discovered an expired face mask in my small bath and beauty product collection. This prompted a full-on investigation of the expiration situation of my bath and beauty products.

One small tweak: For sanitary reasons, set up a review schedule for the perishable items in your home. Review pantry and refrigerated items at least once a month. Review bath and beauty products on a quarterly basis.

If you have streamlined your possessions, this review should be rather quick and painless. Pitch anything that has expired. If an item seems "funky" in spite of its expiration date, pitch it!

Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up - Electronics (Komono)

I plunged into The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up as a way to really streamline my possessions before moving house. Since moving, I have done a bit of tidying up (aka de-cluttering) in the komono categories. I even broke the rules and tidied me mementos before finishing all of the komono because I knew it would be a quick win.

However, it has been far too long since I focused my attention on tidying, so I pushed myself to tackle my electronics today. Thankfully, I am not a big geek when it comes to electronics and gadgetry, and it was stored (except for my Kindle) in a small/medium paper shopping bag.

More Quick De-Clutter Ideas

Last week, I was inspired to do a quick de-clutter, and I am always keeping my eyes open for quick-hit opportunities to simplify.

Two quick ways to simplify:

1. Swap items with friends and/or co-workers of a similar mindset.
2. Take advantage of retail trade-in and/or upgrade offers.

Quick Exercise - Letting Go

Recently, both the Minimalist Sparrow and Sharry Berry uploaded videos on the topic of 10 items that can be tossed quickly and easily. Sharry was inspired by Nora, and Nora was inspired by Courtney Carver.

Some of the categories included: abandoned craft items, old, scary cosmetics, excess dishes, mis-matched Tupperware, duplicate items, and clothing that do not wear.

Given that I have worked through the bulk of my my possessions courtesy of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, I do not have much to address. However, when it comes to simplifying, I believe two things:

1. That small bursts of simplifying and de-cluttering are ways to keep your home under control while working through your de-cluttering method of choice
2. Clothing is a category that needs regular attention

After a mere 15 minutes of digging in my closet, I gathered more than 10 items that I am ready to consign and/or donate.

More Life-Changing Magic

Since the move, I have focused more on creating a comfortable home than I have on tidying up (aka de-cluttering).

Given that I have been walking the de-clutter path for a number of years, my purge categories may well be smaller than the average bear's. Which makes for an interesting dilemma: I have a strong desire to re-visit several of the completed categories. At first, I dismissed this as an odd exercise in procrastination.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that while Marie Kondo's rules are excellent, the rules may need to be personalized and/or broken.

The main goal is to create a home and a life that feels right and simple. Thus, you may need to:

• work in smaller sub-categories, rather than one large category
• re-align sub-categories to make more sense to you
• realize that you already did as much work in one category as you needed to do
• realize that you did not fully work one category as you should have

Working jewellry as komono, rather than clothing

Make the rules work for you -- or break them!

Jump to a category that is easy and/or relatively completed