Take Two, Day Two, In Which We Examine the Success With Clothes

I told LS I wouldn't blog tonight, but I found myself a little disappointed at not taking stock of the day's activities and today I felt so comforted after writing last night that I have decided to go ahead and say a little something anyway (sorry LS, you know I love you!).

So as reported yesterday my plan was to implement the first step in the KonMari method of clearing out one's life, and that's exactly what I did. As soon as I dropped off the kids and TR, I raced home (with a quick detour to the cleaners, I finally dropped off the shirt that had beer spilled on it at the wedding) and pulled out all my clothes from every nook and cranny I could think of, spread them out on my bed and sorted my heart out. I tried picking up each item, handling it and seeing if it gave me a spark of joy, as the book directed. It didn't happen exactly as I thought it would, the first thing I noticed was that with many items, I had made my mind up before I even touched the article, it seemed to happen especially with the shoes. I made myself slow down and consider each item that I was holding. I think I got rid of a fair amount, especially considering that I have just cleaned out my clothes about a month ago.

I found that if I replaced the 'does it spark joy in you' with truthfully considering how I felt wearing the article in my hands, I was more likely to put it in the discard pile. So many things I own(ed)were kept because I felt obligated to keep them or I hoped I would change my physical body and it would fit better or be more comfortable. I was very mindful to let myself be thankful for the job the article had done for me, if it was something I bought on a vacation, I fondly recalled the memory and was thankful for that trip, if it was a gift, I appreciated the person that gave to to me. The author was spot on (for me at least) that by acknowledging the part in my life each item had played, it was easier to let it go and become someone else's happiness. I will confess that several items remain that I know I will never wear again, but the emotional tie is strong enough that I am still honoring that (like the hand painted tank top G'mpa bought me on one of my last visits with him before he died).

Here are the before and after photos:

All the clothes

and the shoes

ready to donate!

sweaters to felt

All done, ready to be put away

The biggest change and accomplishment wasn't that I cleaned out the clothes, it was that I didn't put the bags by the door to deal with on another day, I took everything out right away. I swung by the consignment store first and they took, pretty much nothing, as usual. Then the rest went to Salvation Army and I can't change my mind now. It feels kind of liberating for the things to be gone and I cannot wimble at all about it.

I think the hardest things to part with were the sweaters, every one I picked up I told myself I might wear it, if the weather changed, if I lost weight, if I became someone else. I finally decided that anything stained or torn was out. That took care of a fair number, I seem to have kept tons of sweaters with stains on the cuffs. So off they went. I am down to one drawer and two shelves in the hanging storage thing I have.

The saddest part of the effort is that you can't tell anything has changed when you walk into the room. It's all about the inside, hidden parts that no one looks at. There's a metaphor in there somewhere, I'll have to put that in tomorrow's post.

Anyway I have pared down and tomorrow's endeavor will be to finish the book, write down the order of clearing out she suggests and I'm going to see the new baby!  That's it for now, goodnight.

Japanese Tea Garden GG Park