Out with the Old and in with What You Need

Out with the old and in with only what you need! Though we won’t celebrate the New Year until December 31, September is around the corner and it is its own kind of New Year. It’s the start of a new school year, a time for new schedules; it’s a new season, etc. It’s a mental new start, and a great time to get rid of clutter and start with a clean slate.

Don’t wait until the night before school starts to see what still fits your kids from last year. The same goes for you. Check out the fall clothes and see what still fits. If you have summer clothes you haven’t worn all summer, get rid of them or donate them if they are in good condition.

Go through the winter clothes now too. If you didn’t wash them before storing them for the summer, start washing now so you are ready to go when the cold season starts. If you didn’t wear an item last season, get rid of it now. If you are still waiting to lose 20 pounds, the smaller clothes you are waiting to fit into again need to go out now. They make you feel guilty for not losing weight, and chances are good that they won’t be in style by the time you do lose the weight. When you do lose the weight, congratulate yourself by purchasing a few new items. Use your local discount stores, thrift stores, and coupons to get great deals! Think strategically about what you buy and what you have room for.

All of this requires work, but will save you stress in a couple months when the temperature drops and you are left with nothing but tank tops and flip-flops at your disposal! Plus, research shows we wear only 20% of our clothes 80% of the time. That means we have way more than we need or wear. It’s time to pare down and allow our closets to hold just the clothes we really wear. Maybe clearing out will even create room for all of your clothes in one closet!

Out with the old…and in with just what we need. Clearing out also reacquaints you of what you have. You are now in the perfect position for back to school/fall shopping. By knowing what you have that works, you can make a reasonable list of what you need to get, and buy only what you need. Don’t fall into the trap of just buying clothes, without knowing if you really need them. Obviously my frugal side is showing, but my words come from learning the lesson myself. I’ve bought clothes because I thought I needed them; thought they’d go with what I already had; thought they were a good deal. And months later, I find I’ve never, or hardly, worn many of the new purchases.

Let me know what you find that you forgot you had…and what you were able to let go!
Until next time…Missy