I was off work yesterday, and I had a very productive day. A man came round and inhibited the central heating system (that’ll teach him gallivanting with no clothes on – the system, not the man), I completed the first FO of 2013 (more on this later) and I finally got round to unpack my suitcase from Christmas and put it back in the cupboard.
When I say finally, it’s taken me about ten days. The last time I went to Italy it took me 6 weeks to unpack – in fact until I flew out there again. So I’m not doing too bad.
Since both suitcase and cupboard are in my bedroom, I used the time to also have a wardrobe clearout. Only this one was a clearout with a difference: inspired by this Colette Patterns blog post, I made a (much-less detailed) list.
I listed every single garment I own and every single garment that I put in the bags I will be taking to the charity shop later this week. I left out items clearly marked for refashioning, underwear and hosiery, accessories, shoes and coats, since I feel I have 357 more days to go through this.
Why? I have come to the realisation that my work / exercise / leisure routine is fairly established and I don’t see it changing for a good few years. There is no reason for me to struggle to find something work-appropriate to wear in the morning, something that still happens a little too often. I also want to be prepared if I need to move again.
How much? On to some figures. When I woke up this morning I had 131 garments. Now I have 103. I got rid of 21% of my clothes. It’s a start:
What’s there? Aside from a triathlon suit and underwear, I last bought clothes in January 2012. I had another clearout last March before I moved, and again last August. Even without the level of detail of the Colette post, some of this is hair-raising:
Edited highlights – I own 20 tops that I feel are only useful for sleeping in. That’s 20% of all the clothes I own as of today. Is that right? Not for me it isn’t.
In this instance, “Sleeping tops” is mostly t-shirts that I acquired one way or another (gigs, volunteering and so on) that are not fitted. These days, I will not be seen dead in something that doesn’t emphasise my waist, but alas I can clearly be seen sleeping in it. I need to find something to do with them.
At the other end of this very unbalanced spectrum, as of tonight I only own one pair of non-denim trousers. I would only wear such a thing for work, and I haven’t used them since September or thereabouts.
Do I miss wearing trousers like that? Not at all, so much so that two pairs went into the charity shop bag today. That’s a rounded-up and very impressive 67% of all the non-denim trousers I was in possession of this morning.Incidentally, I also own two triathlon suits, a shortie wetsuit, three evening gowns and a lace petticoat. I am a thoroughly modern woman.
What’s missing? As mentioned, I currently own 103 garments. I don’t really care whether that’s too many for some or too few for others.
Nor do I care how many garments other people own, since it opens the door to all sorts of judgmental to-ing and fro-ing that I try hard to stay away from.
As far as I am concerned, I have no idea how many garments I want to own, and I have omitted that column from my spreadsheet. If I woke up to a 61-garment wardrobe tomorrow it will still feel like too many, in the same vein as when Dag tells his Mum “I don’t want stuff” in the run-up to a Christmas visit.
I always feel I have too much stuff, not because of lack of self-worth (Goodness knows I have too much of that, too), but because I have too much stuff. End of. I have always been more keen on spending money on experiences, or purchases that facilitate experiences, rather than possessions.
I am not after asceticism – far from it. But I am after the correct ratio between the different types of garments, one that reflects my life as it is now and makes it easier.
I am after a set of clothes that serve different purposes: stopping me from getting arrested, avoiding a telling-off in the office, helping me run faster, looking good enough that I forget about them, not driving me insane with mess.
What happens next – I make things. I take my usual longest time ever to decide what I am making, but I make things, and I make sure I make them from my stash.
I might also do a few more blog posts during the year, along the lines of accessories and shoes, outerwear and underwear. But I am not entirely sure about that, sorting out normal clothes already seem like enough of an undertaking.
Don’t forget there’s a giveaway going on next door!
Congrats on having the time to sort out your collection and knowing what you have. How you proceed is up to you because your the maker:)
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