The Tamesis
Consider labels.
Maybe you haven’t had time to wear the item yet. That’s fine, but think carefully about why you’re not wearing it. You may want to take a look at your shopping habits. I have a few names for these shopping syndromes, such as “label mitigation” (you buy from the brand despite its flaws) and “price-not-so-bad” (despite its flaws, the price isn’t that bad). The list goes on. Maybe you’re one of those people and need to dig into your true feelings before swiping your credit card.
Think about why you associate yourself with certain items.
most likely a lot of The emotion here. Sometimes, there is a feeling of guilt. Did your mom give you an ugly shirt but you can’t bear to say goodbye? Is this a gift? I created syndromes for these situations too! Mom has hoarding syndrome (MIHS) and gift guilt syndrome (GGS). Try to separate yourself from the object. If things get tough, take Enya, beta blockers, and take a walk around the block. Remember: If the item takes up unnecessary space, it also takes up unnecessary mental space.
Deploy an expired heap policy.
With last resort, you have to follow some rules. First, put any items you’re unsure about in a pile (or neatly on a shelf or in a drawer), then wear and test it. Write or jot down your feelings in this article. If you like the way you feel, keep it. If you don’t like it, say goodbye! Don’t abuse piles! Be discerning.
Think about things that don’t quite fit.
This rule doesn’t apply to items that don’t fit due to large size fluctuations, but rather to items that never actually fit correct first. We all have those clothes: the blazer you bought at a sample sale with a friend who convinced you that the bloated shoulder pads made you look “confident” wearing Michael Douglas –wall street way, but actually makes you look like an out-of-work David Byrne impersonator. By wearing an ill-fitting garment, you will inherently give off a feeling of discomfort. How can you be 100% present if you’re pulling at your shirt or thinking about a button popping out?
Take it to the tailor.
If the clothes aren’t exactly how you want them but you still see some hope, take them to a tailor. Just don’t let the pieces pile up. My editor had a bunch of stuff on her front door that needed tailoring; I told her it wasn’t a solution, it was just another problem!
Start small.
Every item that appears is a step toward a clean closet, and a step toward a clean you. For anyone interested in closet cleaning, I recommend implementing a time rule: Give yourself 60 seconds once a day to find an item you can throw away. By the end of the week, you’ll have seven things to sell, donate, or throw away.
