project simplify week one: master closet

So, this week I was challenged to clean out my closet.  I sort of groaned at this assignment, because I just did several months ago and didn't think I had much to do.

 

Well, I was wrong.  A while back when I was "cleaning out" I set the number 20 for the amount of dresses to own.  I started out with 14 (enough for one week of summer and one week of winter) and then thought maybe I should have a couple of extra for each.  Maybe I should make it 14, but I just couldn't quite do it.  :)  Well, I counted my dresses, and yes, I already had more than the 20 that I had set for myself.  I can't quite decide how they add up.  When I made that number my goal, I determined to get rid of one if I got a new one.  What happened?  This week when I counted, I had 26.  So I pulled out 3 to give away, and 3 to trash.  The trash ones were fun for the kiddos, because they cut the buttons and zippers off for me.  I love to involve them in throwing away things.  I am NOT very good at it and I have a son who keeps EVERYTHING, even down to the confetti from one of my good friends wedding that he DIDN'T even attend!  When I was cleaning out his "personal drawer" with him one day, I picked out all the paper confetti to throw away.  He very sadly asked me not to throw it out, because it reminds him of Melanie's wedding.  I talked him into it after I told him that he WASN'T EVEN THERE!  :)  So I think throwing away things is an activity that we can ALL benefit from.

A few months ago when I made a rule to myself about how many dresses to own, I also made a rule about shoes.  Well, same story!  My shoes no longer happily lived beside my dear husbands in the closet.  There were a couple of pairs that lived under the bed and a couple of pair that lived on the shelves in the laundry room.  Well, how many garden shoes do you need anyway?  Is it really necessary to keep the pair that have big cracks in the soles just because the upper part is still whole?  I don't think so.  Even though it was HARD, I actually threw them away. :)  I threw one pair of my husbands that were in the same shape.  (i had been keeping them because i thought SURELY he could still wear them and since he isn't quite the "keeper" as me, he was more than glad to move them out)  I put 2 in a pile to give away, and now I am down to 9.  I am happy with this, since my husband's shoes and my shoes are once again living happily in the closet together.

Here are my before and afters:

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My closet before.  Joe's clothes on the right.

 

My pile of shoes before.

Ethan &; Elisa cutting buttons and zippers off one of the "trash" dresses

My closet after.  I like having more room between dresses so they are not squished and wrinkly when I'm ready to wear them.  (ironing is about the same interest level for me as trashing things that I think are perfectly usable)

My shoes after.  (i actually got rid of one more after I took this picture)

The finished project!  A clean closet and shoes all in order.

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I loved this inspiration.  Knowing that there were so many other out there doing the same thing gave me a little more incentive.  I hope that I can keep it up for a long time.

I'm a little nervous to find out what is next on the list.  I have some pretty raunchy areas in my house that are going to be embarrassing, but very good for me to clean out!

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On a more serious side.  We are so sad about all the destruction from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.  We are remembering the Japanese Labo students and chaperons that we met last summer, especially Yuka that stayed with our family for a time while she was here.  We will be keeping them in our prayers and hope to hear something from Yuka soon.