All things EARTH...

[MJC]

Sally, I just saw your picture. What a cute haircut! I have a pair of lime green sandals I am thinking of wearing with the brown dress. I used to always have a pair of red shoes in my closet... what happened to that? I don't know! :) That sounds like a fun idea for spring.

[MJC]

So, here I am in the teal dress, with gold shoes and those crystal earrings. You can see that the jewel things on the front show more at night when the light hits them, so you can't totally ignore them when choosing jewelry:

 

 

Here is the brown dress. The more I see it the less I think that it is a good shape for me, like it should be either a bit longer or a bit shorter. But, I'm happy enough for now. My hair ended up in a loose braid in the back that I twisted into a low side knot:

 

 

Here is the jewelry I'll wear with it:

 

 

Here is the new dress, I plan to wear it for our specialty dining night:

 

 

I am trying to decide between the green shoes and the black ones. I'm wondering if I'll even be able to see the bit of green in the pattern in evening lighting:

 

 

Here is the jewelry:

 

 

It has a lot of dark green and dark purple that look black in the pictures. It does have some black though. This dress just feels so nice to wear, the fabric is so soft and comfy. I think I will get a lot of wear out of it.

[laurspag]

Margaret, I was trying to post from my phone at lunch time today, but it wouldn't let me. We have concrete walls, and sometimes I just can't get a signal!

 

First off, the teal dress...wow. That is really a fantastic color for you, so I can easily see why you love it so much. The whole outfit looks so well pulled together. I will say that Alex Evenings and their crushed taffeta is not only stylish, but really comfy too.

 

I still adore your brown dress. I love it even more with your jewelry choices. Those earrings are just perfect for it. Although I agree that it might look better a bit shorter or longer, I think it is great as is. I love those sparkles in it.

 

Now, I didn't think I was going to like the last dress that much, to be honest. But it really is beautiful. Your jewelry choices really pick up the colors well too. I think it can be fun to sometimes do something out of the ordinary when it comes to shoes. I've thrown on those bronze sandals with a few things just for the fun of it, and I love how it ends up working. I like the lighter tone instead of the black, myself. I think though that you will get a mix of opinions here when you tally up the vote! But, you should wear the shoes you like the best. If you're like me, you are looking at the pictures you've taken, as you get to see the outfits as a whole.

 

Are you going to take your new brown dress? Is the fabric a jersey type knit? Those tend to travel so well. Plus they are comfortable.

 

I would like to do the same thing you are doing - try everything on together for pictures - dress, jewelry, shoes.

 

I wish my hair was more cooperative, but I'm going to try a few things to see how it all works.Sometimes, it's as simple as tucking my hair behind my ears and adding a little hair spray. Believe it or not, my hair won't stay behind the ear at all without something to hold it.

 

By the way, I love the ring you are going to wear with the brown dress. I've been trying to pick up some rings here and there. I really like to ether have jewelry as a set, or to coordinate everything so that it compliments each other....I was always focused on necklaces, but not I think a lot more about bracelets and rings, or earrings when I need a more laid back necklace.

[Anita Latte]

Margaret, I wish to express a very heart felt thank you for your postings. Twice now you have touched me in such a positive way. I absolutely love what you have written and your outlook on my circumstances in particular. I am so glad that your voice is a part of my life. Sincerely.

 

DH pulled a "me" and did a bunch of research and decided that we needed a recumbent bicycle. He narrowed it down and let me pick which one. It was delivered Monday. Pretty excited about that already...and now more so after what you wrote.

 

And you look Mahvelous. I love all your combinations of shoes and jewelry and dresses. I see what you are saying about the brown dress...it's gorgeous and you look beautiful, but if you really compare...there is something that isn't quite as flattering to your shape...I think the rib cage has too much fabric? You have more shape than is seen by the way that dress hangs. It's still beautiful though...the hem is lovely.

 

I might prefer the green shoe with the print dress. It's coming off more nude-like? And I like how your feet aren't featured...with the black shoes...every time I look at photo, the first thing I see is your feet. My eye is drawn there...but with the green shoes...my eye is straight for your face. I could see you wearing both though...

 

So I'm all done sorting all my clothing. Jewelry not included. But tops, bottoms, dresses, underwear, outerwear, socks, tights, belts, bags, shoes, hats, scarves, and exercise clothes. OMG.

 

It was very hard to begin. I couldn't quite get the dialogue with myself let alone with my clothes going. I was thinking to myself...how in the world do you figure this out? How do you really know what "sparks joy?" I did finally figure out the methodology that worked for me...

 

I had to smile at the item in my hands.

 

You know how you meet someone...and you may smile in greeting...and if the exchange is a positive one...and they give something back toward you in greeting...you may even smile bigger (or more real)...you might laugh even.

 

So this is what I did.

 

Smile at the dress. Smile at the skirt. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

 

There were times when the smile was just there from the start. And you take that item and you carefully place it in the keeper pile. Sometimes...I would flat out giggle...like I was a giddy school girl trying to talk to a boy she liked. OMG. And some things made you want to give them a little hug...hold them close before you put them down.

 

And for other things. It felt like my face would crack. Like, take the picture already I can't hold this expression any longer. Sometimes, I would even grimace or wrinkle my nose.

 

Interesting.

 

It really felt like a dialogue with my things.

 

I have greater understanding of the critique some might given of anything when they say, "it speaks to me" or "it spoke to me" or "it touched me." I get it.

 

And now. The keepers are still in the room. I dragged the bench in from the guest room temporarily to place them. And I feel like I'm going on vacation.

 

You know how you feel when you start to take out your clothes to prepare for packing for your vacation. All these happy outfits and articles are now out and in your space, waiting to be folded or whatever and packed to go to the long anticipated vacation. That's how my room feels. All these happy clothes are waiting now to be folded, or whatever, and "packed" into my chest of drawers.

 

It's really quite exciting!

 

Oh. Here's a funny. So this morning, I wake up and I'm getting dressed and I need some underwear so I go to my underwear drawer...keep in mind that there are piles and piles of clothes all over the floor...and I open the empty drawer. Sigh. Off to find the underwear pile. And I knew precisely the pair I wanted...it was the last clean one in a particular style. So funny.

[MJC]

Anita, thank you for what you said. Not only because it was kind and heartfelt and made me feel good, but also because it let me know that you really understood what I was trying to express. I was a bit concerned that I did not sound sympathetic enough -- I know how scary and upsetting an injury can be -- but you didn't seem to be in a "woe is me, my life is ruined" kind of place. You may have those moments, and I would understand that very well and be the first to sympathize greatly, but my impression is that you have a very sensible and nuanced approach to your injury and recovery. If what I say is helpful in any way at all, then I am very happy.

 

In return, thank you all for the shoe advice. I'm bringing the green ones, and I will also wear them with my new polka dot dress one night. I really didn't want to bring the black ones, so you all just made my life a lot easier. :)

 

Laurie, both the new dresses are a poly/elastine blend. Both fabrics are very soft. That ring is vintage 1960's, and I fell in love at first sight and made DH get it for my birthday. A small local jeweler carries some pretty neat vintage stuff, and I happened to spot it when I took my watch in for a battery. I like that it doesn't look like anything you would see in a chain store.

 

I am glad I took all the pictures. It helps me see in a different way. You know the process Anita is going through, with the smiling? For me, if I think about taking a picture to help myself with an outfit, and I really don't want to, that is a huge indicator for me that it isn't working.

 

I'm looking forward to reading the Marie Kondo book. I just met with someone about renovating our apartment, and my hope is that that process will provide an opportunity to go through all our stuff, rethink some things, and get rid of lots of unused items. We'll be replacing all our living room furniture, and I am looking forward to having a blank slate at least in that room. I hope it will reflect both my Style Statement and my EARTHy self.

 

I seem to manage my clothes pretty well. I go through my clothes and shoes each spring and fall to make sure I have what I need for work, and decide what worn out things need replacing. But, it's all the other things that I struggle with, the mementos and dishes and books and all the crap that fills up all our closet space. Ugh. I don't think that I could be a minimalist, though, because I am sentimental about too many things that spark happy memories. DH would be the biggest pack rat if I didn't keep him under control and if we didn't live with the constraints of being in an apartment.

[Anita Latte]

I think taking the time to take the pictures can really let you know how much you like an outfit...or any particular item that is part of the outfit. I agree that your reaction to the thought (reluctant or excitement) of the picture is the first indication of whether or not the outfit is really working for you...sometimes...just the thought of a picture is enough to know that, yeah, this outfit is NOT working at all!

 

I used to be an HGTV junkie. I do like houses...and I enjoy the process of decorating and arranging the furniture...figuring out the best use of a room. What I really enjoy are the transformations and renovations. That was one reason why we picked the house is Texas that we picked...it was ready for some reno and I wanted a house project. Our previous houses were all new construction.

 

I never met with anyone to talk about reno though because we weren't doing anything major. More cosmetic than anything else. Are you talking major? Moving walls? Or more cosmetic? Either way...exciting and sometimes frustrating stuff!

 

It will be a good time to go through your stuff. You'll want just the things you love to be back into your new space...the new space will be so fresh, you won't want to be dragging things that don't belong back into it. (Assuming you will have to empty it for the reno process.)

 

I am also sentimental. I have things that I have kept simply because of the emotions attached to the things. What I found interesting in the book is the idea that when you clear out all the other things from your space (begin with clothing, books, etc) and your momentos are the very last thing you do, I think Kondo wrote that most people do end up keeping a great percentage of their momentos. And the impression I get from looking at the before and after...is that these things are able to be appreciated that much more than before...they may come into the light (out of the closet and boxes) and become a visual part of your living space (in an uncluttered way, of course).

 

I folded everything that I thought might want to be folded last night. This is the default, as folded items take up less space than clothes on hangers. A lot more clothing is trying to live in my chest of drawers now...it is all fitting, but the things don't have the breathing room that I was expecting. Some things were struggling with being folded and holding their shape (technical fabrics, for example). Today, I'll continue with the closet and I may rethink some items in my dresser drawers.

 

The greatest difficulty that I'm experiencing emotionally right now with this process is the fact that I own so many things that used to fit and now they don't. So I have some current sizes and the smaller size I used to be living side by side right now...so what I am looking at for clothing options aren't all valid options yet. I can't decide if this is motivating or depressing. I used to empty all these things and bring them back when they would fit. I'm thinking that it SHOULD be motivating because progress should come now fairly quickly with my enthusiasm for getting fit being rekindled...so I'm leaving this mix of clothing for now.

 

All this weather...has anyone seen Madagascar? I am highly entertained by that series. Anyway...the giraffe character says "Nature! It's all around me! Get it off!" and I feel like "Weather! It's all around me! Make it stop!" We've had so many snow days. DS was home yesterday and today.

 

This area is doing it's best to avoid what we now call "Snowjam" from last year. The city has declared a state of emergency and the government is asking all parents to secure their children that might be in a school or daycare between noon and two...and for all employers to release their employees between two and four. They want a staggered release and for everyone to try to get off the roads by 4 pm today so they can do what they need to do to the roads without traffic. I guess we are expecting anywhere between 2 and 6 inches of snow/wintry mix.

 

I'm obviously in a chatty mood...I guess I better shut up now. I think I'll hit my closet!

[Joby]

What an interesting conversation you guys are having :) Anita, I just sent you a picture of a dress that seems to fit into this conversation. I didn't want to post it here yet. Is that an indication of my feelings???????

 

I bought the style book a couple of months ago and haven't even started it. Does that speak to some underlying issue--eeekkkk!

Edited February 25, 2015 by Joby

[Anita Latte]

You are so funny, Kim! I replied to your email. I think you have a fun project on your hands! At an OUTSTANDING price, I might add.

[awhfy]

We're safely in FL, good thing we left Tuesday, it's supposed to snow heavily for the next week in CO. We spent the day on the beach in Ft Myers. Toes in the sand & a cocktail in my hand (but only one [emoji41]). Weather is beautiful, yay!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Anita Latte]

Yay Melody! What wonderful timing you had! So glad that you are safely at your first destination! Wishing you a great holiday!

 

Meanwhile...it's been snowing off and on since 2pm today. Hotlanta indeed. And school was canceled tomorrow for what will be the 5th day in the past 9 school days. At least I get to sleep in again too! :)

[laurspag]

As you all know, I've made many posts about our weather here. Record cold, record snow...I'm used to those weeks in between where it warms up and some of the snow melts. That just isn't happening this year, and I feel so...claustrophobic. There are piles of snow everywhere. It's hard to pull off of a side street into a main road because you can't see. The shoulders aren't clear, the poor doggies keep holding their paws in the airs when they are outside, because the cold hurts them. It is so funny about the quote form Madagascar. I agree wholeheartedly!

 

I keep thinking how much I love your dresses, Margaret.

 

Melody, I"m glad you are in Florida now and away from the cold. It must feel so good!

 

I haven't yet looked for that book, Anita. From what you've stated, it seems to be about finding out what makes you happy? Just thinking about your post, and about what Margaret said about pictures has got me thinking already. Does it involve questions, like the Style Statement book? I ask because I have a Nook,and I love to download books as opposed to buying them. I don't want to do that though if I need to write in the book.

 

I'm kind of like Margaret with the clothes. I go through and analyze what I need and what I already have, and fill in the blanks. I'm just trying really hard to let my style show through somehow when it comes to work clothes.

 

Another thing too...have you ever noticed how when people wear a lot of black, we don't always notice the details? It really becomes a basic or staple of the wardrobe. If someone wears black pants to work three times in one week, I never ask myself if those are the same ones they wore the day before or whatever. Yet, I have had a person comment that I wear a lot of brown. One time, I nicely asked if I wore brown as much as they wore black and smiled. Nothing snarky - it was a nice conversation about how brown to me is like black is to others. It was very interesting to see how others viewed color.

 

I think what surprised me is how this person never really even thought about black as a color - just as a starting point of every outfit. I try to find some variety but it's hard to find earthy pants that aren't brown.

 

My husband and I are do-it-yourselfers. We've had big projects and small. Right now we are working on a smaller one. We're building a mudroom closet that is quite large. It will serve as a pantry, coat closet and more. It will have two really big French style doors. Prior to that, our last big project was a custom look base board molding that consisted of about 3 different pieces, and then we did the same type of layering with the crown molding. It was an enjoyable project to work on together. Our garage is an ongoing project, as it is huge!

 

We have added new curtains to our living room and dining room, and even though that isn't a big project, it was a huge change for the room. It looks so much fresher and more inviting now!

[Anita Latte]

Laurie...the Marie Kondo book doesn't involve any writing. There is no worksheet or any kind of questions presented by the book that you cause you to write in the book.

 

The only real question that Kondo proposes in the book is: WHY do you want to declutter/tidy your home?

 

It is insufficient to answer, because I was to live in a less cluttered space. Or because I want everything to have a home.

 

You have to ask yourself, WHY do you want to be in a less cluttered space? What is the perceived benefit of everything having a home?

 

She advises you to act like a toddler and explore the WHY reasoning underlying your responses to the questions for about 5 layers. The idea is that you finally start to form a tangible picture of how you envision your daily life. There is a strong example or two in the book. This becomes a sort of goal...and it is the achievement of this goal that forms the motivation for everyone to maintain their newly organized and tidy home. The fact that you have gone through a process that makes maintenance of your newly organized and tidy home something that requires minimal effort is also extremely helpful, of course.

 

So the book is really all about the process. She has a lot of suggestions for how to put things away and organize. She advocates using the simplest organization methods possible. She maintains that your home has enough storage for your things without anything fancy. She believes that your house should function in a single layer of possessions (that is, nothing should be stacked on top of anything else, anywhere, ever.) Vertical storage is the key to the ultimate goal of organization.

 

The ultimate goal of organization is not to make things easy to put away. It is to make things easy to get out.

 

A professional kitchen operates on a one touch necessity for grabbing any required tool in the kitchen. Reach with one hand, grab, and go. Do not need to lift anything with one hand while you get the thing you really want out with the other hand. No. Grab and go. This is how a professional kitchen is efficient and hard working.

 

Essentially, Kondo believes that your entire house can operate in this way. The only exception to this would be the use of things like trays (or shoe boxes functioning like a tray) that would actually mimic a drawer on a shelf. So, for instance, if you need to organize your cooking oils and vinegars in a cabinet, you might put them all in an open shoe box and you might slide that shoe box forward and tilt so that you can easily access one of the bottles in the rear on the shelf of the cabinet.

 

The key to it all is that everything in your house has a home.

 

And this is easy to do if everything in your house ultimately "sparks joy."

 

Sparking joy does not necessarily mean that you totally love what you have or that you don't ever wish to replace it. For instance, you can feel joy when you look at your KitchenAid blender. You can appreciate the hard work it does to make the smoothies and/or cocktails, or whatever, that you enjoy. Doesn't mean that you don't want a VitaMix someday...or wish that KitchenAid was a VitaMix right now. But the blender you have can still spark joy.

 

Case in point. I have a pair of trail runners. They are worn out. BUT...they totally sparked joy. Makes me think that I associate these shoes with the outdoors, hikes, camping, etc etc. and that I desire to do these things. So, I still have the trail runners but I know that I should replace them. And I know that it this would be something that I would actually care about replacing.

 

That was probably more information than you needed to know! LOL!

 

My compression socks came today. YAY! I was hoping that the delivery would be made before the weather hit. I put them on right away and what a difference wearing them has made. I walk better. How funny is that? My calf on my injured leg was kind of bothering me...immediately, it didn't after putting on these socks. I highly recommend! This is the brand and style that I got (I picked out fun colors that made me smile):

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0091OL3WK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I got teal, navy, espresso, and concorde. Love them all. And for anyone that is interested...I have wider than average calves and these fit me fine.

[Sailor_Sally]

Margaret , I love all your dress & jewelry choices . I also am crazy about the last pair of shoes . They just speak of fun !

[Anita Latte]

Hey Ladies...

 

Just wanted to share my newly organized clothing!! It's all very exciting for me over here. Today was laundry day and everything worked out beautifully. It was easy enough to put everything away...and everything fit where it was supposed to go (with a few minor adjustments).

 

So here we go...

 

My closet...(you will notice some definitely NOT EARTH colors in here...these are mostly exercise related clothing (which is where I freely wear whatever floats my boat, so to speak)):

 

 

 

Yes. I have a big gap under the lower bar. I'm wishing that I had another chest of drawers or a bookcase that was cubby hole style for my accessories. I don't love their current homes...but it works for now.

 

Here is the other side of the closet...which is DH's side. But we share the shoe racks at the end. I have 3 shelves and he has 3 shelves. (I used to have half of each shelf for clothes on the other shelf unit too...but I don't need that any longer.)

 

 

I'm thinking that once DH does his side of the closet, we may be able to rearrange the way those shelves are...that "bookcase" is actually 3 shelves all stacked on top of each other. Anyway...my side used to look a lot like his side:

 

[Anita Latte]

Here are some examples of what my drawers look like...

 

Tops I sweat in (the bright shirts are ZUMBA shirts!):

 

 

Casual tops...the left box has tanks/camis, the lower box has short sleeves, and the upper box has graphic tees...everything but the graphic tees are so Earthy!:

 

 

These are bottoms I sweat in (I do love my Zumbawear...even though I did get rid of quite a bit of it):

 

 

Casual bottoms...If only the technical pants I love weren't gray...otherwise...isn't this the Earthy-est drawer ever!:

 

 

This is my sock and tights drawer! Kondo compares the sock rolls to rolling your socks like sushi:

 

 

I wasn't sure about sharing pictures of unmentionables, but the picture is fun...so anyway...all those little drawers in the middle of my dresser are being used for undies and bras...here's one of my undie drawers! LOL!

 

 

I didn't work too diligently over the past three days on this project. I would say that the entire thing, start to finish took about 8 hours total. It would have been a much shorter time if I had made segregated piles in the beginning...and also, if I wasn't doing some of the folding in front of the television...and also, if I had gathered all the shoe boxes in advance and didn't have to go searching for them...

[mousey]

Anita,

 

I'm glad you are happy with the results you got from your doctor. I don't have an injury but I've made it my goal to get in shape and lose weight this year. I'm starting slowly and I'm sore all over but I feel good about finally doing something about getting my body in shape. It's going to be a long process but "I'm in it to win it" so to speak.

 

Wow, you really have gotten things organized and I hope it makes you feel great. It's one of the other things I need to tackle myself. In the last year I've made a big effort not to just buy an article of clothing on the spur of the moment. I've found that if I let myself think about it for a day I'll know if it's something I really love and if it is...then I'll go back for it. What I've found is that there are more things I don't go back for than things I end up buying. I'm very impressed with what you've accomplished with your clothing project.

 

Melody,

 

So glad you made it to FL and are enjoying yourself.

 

Laurie/Margaret

 

Love your clothing choices, I really enjoy seeing what you guys pick out.

 

Thank you all

 

for your suggestions about my jewelry. I'm over it now. The 3 rings were not irreplaceable and as a matter of fact I went into my jewelry drawer and pulled out three more silver rings to replace them. The bracelet though...I really miss...as the DH bought it for me on one of our Cabo vacations. But he said, "Not to worry." he'll replace it for me on our next trip to Mexico. Besides, none of it was something I couldn't live without and "lesson learned". I will not be taking anything expensive to the gym again! I think I was more upset with myself for forgetting my jewelry and with the fact that someone would keep something that wasn't theirs. You have to pass the front desk to exit the gym so it's not like a person would have to go out of their way to turn lost items. It made me sad...but I'm good now.

 

By the way, I too refer to my friends as "guys". LOL! :D

Edited February 26, 2015 by mousey

[Joby]

Impressive, Anita:D

[Sailor_Sally]

Anita , How did you get your t shirts into such tiny bundles . I fold mine flat & they take up a lot of space .

[MJC]

Impressive, Anita:D

 

I agree. Your closet looks like a shop in Soho, all that nice room between items.

 

I am such a clothes horse compared to you. I have two closets, the one in our room and the one in the guest room, and DH has his own in the BR we use as our office. It doubles as his dressing room in the morning, with hooks on the back of the door so he can stage his suit etc. the night before.

 

I haven't read the book yet but I have identified two organization issues already. One is that, like Anita, I have clothes that fit and clothes that don't intermingled. I'm in that awkward stage of being between sizes, so even among things that are the "same size," some fit and some don't, and dressing every day can involve trying and rejecting, trying and rejecting. The other big problem is I can't see my shoes! They are on the closet floor, and I can only see the front row. The off-season shoes are on the top shelf that I can only reach with a stepladder, and I swap them back and forth each spring and fall. I literally forget what I have. I easily have 50 pairs of shoes. DH calls me Imelda sometimes.

 

My current thinking is that, one I need to purge, and two, I should group them by type and take pictures, and post the pictures at eye level in my closet. Except for my work shoes, which I try to love if I can, most of my shoes make me smile so I don't want to get rid of them.

[Anita Latte]

mousey...making the decision toward health and fitness is a marathon event...not a sprint. I made that decision in Sept 2010 with an 18-month goal of my 40th birthday in March 2012. I was so sore after my first Zumba class! I cursed my two-story house and the stupid stairs...I crawled into my bed and cried because I couldn't believe the effect "dancing" had on my body...

 

This product is AWESOME!!!

 

http://www.amazon.com/MUSCLE-SOAK-Aromafloria-EUCALYPTUS-PEPPERMINT/dp/B001DEU9MQ/ref=pd_sim_bt_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=0PQYVMGG6JWYD7VT1VXA

 

There is also a bath salt in the same line. I got both. A lovely bath with the Muscle Soak salts and then rub that oil on afterward. It really made a difference. I highly recommend. I bought mine at Ulta, and I think the coupon worked for it...

 

Thanks, Kim!

 

Sally...this is the folding technique:

 

 

I worked somewhere where we folded the sleeves of any shirt first...alone, not like the video...so that you formed a mostly rectangle...then tri-fold the shirt so that you have 3 equal layers of shirt all stacked into a long skinny rectangle...then you fold in half...and then in half OR possibly into thirds.

 

Somewhere else on the web, I found Kondo saying that the goal was to fold your clothes so that they could "stand up" on their own. I found this idea just about impossible with technical fabrics. Too silky...no body. But most other knits could definitely stand up after folding. I found a quote by Kondo talking about the floppy folding some people do with their shirts, making large rectangles that have no structure.

 

I was already folding DS' shirts like this. His undershirts and sleeping shirts. My tanks/camis. Many things. It was a little bit of thrill for me to see that I was already doing this to a certain extent all on my own. Of course, I didn't have "filing cabinet" drawers...things were stacked still, but I found that the smaller the fold, the easier it was to move the stack to get what I wanted. It honestly never occurred to me to stand my clothes on end. But now, it makes so much sense!

 

Folding is something of an art in Japanese culture. Think about paper and the folding of paper. Kondo elaborates on folding in her book. It's not viewed as drudgery...it's different. Kondo talks about getting all the wrinkles out of your shirt (or whatever) and smoothing it out with your hands...to keep the fabric slightly taut as you fold...the way she talks...it's almost like massage or caresses for your clothing. She humanizes objects and gives them feelings and emotions.

 

Am I repeating myself? I've done a kind of rolling/folding methodology for DH' shorts for years. It seemed to be the only way to be able to maintain order in his shorts drawer. He has a man's tall chest of drawers...we call it a "tall boy". He has so many shorts...partly because he is a tennis player and has as much fun with his tennis apparel as I have with my Zumba clothes. I used to try to stack all his shorts in a deep drawer. What a mess as he would dig for the one he wanted. Especially the slinky technical fabrics. OMG. So sick of it.

 

So I put his shorts are in the shallowest drawer on the bottom half of the dresser. They are rolled and in a single layer. I place them by color in a "rainbow" in the drawer. I was talking with Mom on the phone about how much I was relating to Kondo and I opened DH's drawer to count the shorts currently in there. Keep in mind that the drawer must be all of 3" inches deep...19 pairs of shorts in there. These included swim and board shorts. But these were all his "what I sweat in" shorts. His casual shorts are in the drawer below. They roll into slightly bigger rolls. What is funny is my conversation with DH regarding this whole process...he shared that his exercise shorts drawer was his favorite drawer. He loved opening it and looking at that array of fun shorts.

 

I totally understand that feeling now. Everything is visible...nothing is hidden beneath anything else.

 

Margaret...the purging process is fun. Once you dial into interpreting your own emotions regarding your items...it's really quite interesting. There were things that I tried so hard to feel joy with...it just wouldn't happen. There were things that I double, triple, and quadruple checked that I did feel joy with because it was so unexpected...I almost couldn't believe it. One item is the blue sequence covered dress. It's not an EARTHy blue either...but man oh man...I love that thing. I'm wondering if there will be some sort of occasion in my future that the dress will be just perfect for...and I'll still have it. LOL!

 

I am not a clothes hound. No indeed. I've always had something of a hard time clothes shopping actually. I've always found it very difficult to make up my mind in the store. I'm not naturally attracted to any particular style...I buy things for a reason. And I generally try to evaluate how appropriate the item is for it's intended purpose. And it has to have a purpose. An intended use. Not just for "someday."

 

I don't enjoy window shopping at all. I need a purpose for that too. Even if it isn't my purpose. For instance, I could enjoy going into a store and seeing what color options are there and reporting on that (I think I did that once or twice when I lived so close to the mall in Houston.) But to just go browse for no reason...torture. I don't love the mall environment...I'd rather be somewhere else.

 

It's one reason why I could so easily grab onto this color theory. It was the greatest criteria for getting rid of clothes. Especially since the success of my purchases were very random...and I had bought many things that ultimately were failures...living in my closet and never seeing the light of day.

 

My work uniform is exercise clothing...so I might have more exercise related clothing than the average person (and you wouldn't believe the pile for donation...you saw what I kept!). I don't need business clothes. So, for example, I recently had to purchase pants that I would call "slacks"...I needed a fancy outfit for cold weather...and so I now have ONE pair of slacks. I don't need any more than this for my life.

 

Laurie has often talked about her business clothing needs...the conservative attire she is expected to wear. For these instances, Kondo would say that even with these clothes that aren't what she would choose to wear, given freedom in choosing...some will spark joy because her heart will recognize their value and how hard her clothing is working for her, to be what she needs it to be. But likely, she has made some decisions that may not be working as well for her, for whatever reason, and some of her business attire may not spark joy at all.

 

Kondo maintains that you should not worry that you will not enough clothing left for your purposes when you finish the process. In her experience, you will have enough...no excess...just...enough.

 

Your extreme weather in the north translates to a need for many shoes. And as a working woman...who does exercise...and travels...you have needs that are fulfilled by many shoes. I was able to purge many shoes...some were just worn out (Zumba shoes) but I just hadn't let go yet. I now have 21 pairs of shoes...this includes a pair of golf specific shoes? Like I said...I've worn them 3 times maybe? But they sparked joy! Again and again. What? They were something of a mess before...but clearing out really opened up the space for them...I can see them all now...and they are in a single layer. It might be helpful to just rethink the way you put them away...vertical thinking really helps.

 

I can tell this is another famously long Anita post...the little scroll box is so small! OMG.

 

Today...I hope to begin with my jewelry. This one will be interesting. Most of my jewelry was given to me, either gifts or inheritance. I sorted it well before moving and I haven't added much since. So we'll see what happens here.

[awhfy]

The most energizing closet clean out I ever did was after I retired. Same as Laurie, I wore very conservative clothing for work. Always a suit during the day & very formal attire for evening functions (I was an Air Force protocol officer for 30 years, which is basically an event planner). I only kept a black suit, a navy pinstripe & a brown tweed suit. I donated over 150 silk blouses & over 75 suits (yup, pure clothes horse) & tons of Ferragamo heels (most with matching purses). My local Dressed for Success was very happy. I no longer have anything in my closet that isn't for fun [emoji6]. Melody

 

 

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[Anita Latte]

Jewelry is all done! Piece of cake. I did lose what feels like maybe 40% by volume?

 

I had a blanket laid out on my bed. I emptied my jewelry boxes...three boxes...don't ask...and laid out all my jewelry like a display, but somewhat grouping things together...necklaces here...bracelets here...etc. I had things in boxes and in little special jewelry bags...everything was emptied and "displayed" on my bed.

 

Then I grabbed a shoe box top "tray" for collecting the non-keepers. I used other containers that I have to temporarily collect the keepers.

 

I almost hit a full blown panic when I couldn't find my wedding ring. It WAS in the first place I looked, but unfortunately, when I had first looked there...the minute men had forgotten my ring was in that drawer (anyone ever see that episode of the Twilight Zone remake?). Anyway...ring found, I decided to begin with the rings...

 

I felt like a kid in a candy store...I'll take this one and this one and this one. Big smiles...happy feeling. Then I would hit the decision makers...jewelry that perhaps I haven't worn as much? I didn't immediately want it back...

I repeated this process easily for all the categories. I even played a little bit and discovered a new way to wear something that has been a bit difficult for me to figure out...I love it...it was just a challenge.

 

Turns out that I don't really love flashy jewelry...or large jewelry. I know everyone is super surprised by this revelation. And like all rules...there are a few exceptions...super flashy and borderline gaudy pieces that make me laugh!

 

I was able to fit all my jewelry into one jewelry box. The one my Grandmother gifted me with when I was a young lady (which has definitely seen better days) will be donated. The one Mom gave me is now in the guest room...available for guests to use (you'll feel right at home Mom!). And the box that I inherited from Grandmother is now the one that I use.

 

It has two double doors that open to four pull out trays. The trays have different dividers. Everything found a happy home. I told Mom that my box actually resembles a treasure chest, the way that the necklaces wanted to live. The family must have loved pearls...I have 8 strands of pearls of various lengths and sizes and styles! That particular row is very, very treasure chest like...

 

And it turns out that I can now identify what this one necklace is from our conversations here. I own an Aurora Borealis necklace!! What to wear it with...I have no idea! It's so exciting to actually see all this jewelry that I love...so easy to see. I think I might start wearing it on a regular basis. :)

 

Now I'm wondering what to do with a few of these non-keeper jewelry pieces. IDK if anything would appeal to anyone here? I think I'll take a picture to share...

[mousey]

Anita,

You seem so happy to be getting all your things sorted out and organized. Your posts about this project have been very upbeat...that's very inspiring. Good for you!

 

To All,

 

We are going to be downsizing in a couple of years when the DS is done with college. He's very independent so I don't see him living at home once he's out of school. I think as soon as he gets a job he'll be out on his own...probably living with some of his buddies unless he meets someone special in the next two years and moves in with whomever that would be. So, the point is, I will soon have to be doing some organizing and downsizing of my belongings myself. The DH keeps asking me to "Get to it as time goes by really fast." But I must admit, I'm not looking forward to it. And here's why...

 

Our walk-in closet off the master bedroom is huge! The DH has 1/3 of it for his stuff and the rest is mine. I have tons of shirts, tops, blouses, sweaters, coats, jackets, sweatshirts, t-shirts, skirts, pants, jeans, shoes, boots, handbags, belts, and hats in there (not to mention a gazillion scarves). There is also a cabinet in the closet with four shelves that are filled with baskets of costume jewelry and hair accessories. Like Margaret, I also have multiple closets and all of them are full too. I just love fashion...what can I say?:o

 

In my defense, I'm very generous with my things...I donate stuff twice a year to my girlfriend's charity and I give my SIL, Mom, and friends back in FL handbags every time I go back home and they love it. I also give away things to my local friends whenever they need anything for a specific occasion, for example, recently my BFF was going to a "hoedown" and he knew he could come to me to put an outfit together. I gave him a cowboy hat and a leather vest. He was thrilled. I also recently gave my neighbor's daughter my old 60's, fringed, leather jacket for a photo shoot she was doing. Still, I do have a lot of stuff. The hard part is that I love my stuff so giving it away is going to be really hard. Growing up I wore all hand-me-down stuff and things my mom made for me (that wasn't too tough as she's an awesome seamstress). We only got new clothing on Easter, Christmas, and a few new things for back-to-school. So once I started working and making money...I blew most of it on clothes. I did say I love fashion right! LOL!

 

So that's my story...I've got a really big project ahead of me. Today, inspired by Anita, I cleaned out the two plastic bins at the bottom of my master closet and unearthed three beautiful leather handbags that I hadn't used in a couple of years...I was overjoyed because they're beautiful...then the DH said, "Honey, you're supposed to be "downsizing" not "shopping" in your closet. Then he laughed and said, "You're hopeless...we're going to have to get a professional in here to help you clear out all this stuff." And I said, "Over my dead body." LOL! I really am hopeless!

Edited February 27, 2015 by mousey

[laurspag]

Anita, the whole process is really interesting. I'm not sure how I would feel about it overall....

 

I have this theory that I apply to things. I have my closet organized. All pants are on hangers (slacks) and I have them in order by color. Then with my shirts, I have all the long sleeved shirts together, all jackets, sleeveless, etc. Those too are organized by color. When I get dressed each day, I can readily see what I have, although it is packed in. My husband and I share a closet, and it is not a walk in. It's a nice sized closet, but it holds everything for both of us.

 

I will purposely pick up a shirt if I haven't worn it in a bit and ask myself why I'm not wearing it. Does it fit right? Is the color wrong? Is it a bad style for me? Do I just not "feel it"? Then I ask myself if whatever is wrong is something I can fix. If it can't, it gets donated. That is my own sort of purging.

 

I openly admit that I don't like one single jacket I have, with the exception a Dressbarn jacket with 3/4 sleeves, that fits perfectly. The color is described as tobacco. There is another jacket, also from Dressbarn, that is a coral color. It's more fire than earth, but it's washable and a sateen type fabric. As a result, it's fading a bit and is beginning to look rather muted. I can't wear either of these now, it's much too cold. What I'm trying to do is decipher what it is about these jackets that I feel makes them okay. (I don't love them, but I do like them. That's saying a lot for a jacket, in my case) I'm thinking that the more I can pinpoint what works, the more I can apply that to my shopping. The main thing is the sleeve length, and the fit that seems to go along with something styled like that. I mean, it actually fits and looks like it fits.

 

I too have clothing that fits and doesn't fit mingled. But, I have nothing that is too small, those were donated a good 6 years ago. I am really happy that some of my things are too big due to weight loss. However, some of it is too big simply because I'm mentally saying "I need a 16 or XL" even thought I don't. Having my daughters shop with me is a good thing, because they stop me from doing this. If I don't try it on in the store and I get it home and it is too big, they make me exchange it.

 

So, getting back to my point...I was online yesterday and read a sample from the book, but I was struggling. I need to read more of it. I am certainly keen on the drawer technique, because I can't organize those the way I do my closet.

 

One thing I feel strongly about is jewelry, as you know. It truly makes me happy to choose something to go with my outfits. I do apply the closet theory to my jewelry, in that if I'm not using it, I shouldn't have it. I'm very excited that I saved up for a jewelry armoire, which I am hoping will arrive in the next few weeks. I am anxious to organize and sort, and to be able to better see what I have.

 

Anita, I'm sure you enjoyed the process of why something sparked joy. Do you think it will help you wish future purchases too? My style statement did, so I am thinking that even if I'm not 100% behind this book, I know I will benefit.

 

I am so intrigued by the drawers. I hope things don't wrinkle too much. That is an issue for me.

 

I love shoes too, Margaret. Once again, if I'm not wearing them....

 

Which brings me to a pair of shoes I bought last year. I know I'm not going to wear them. I'm mad that I purchased them. I'm not frivolous, and I had no reason to buy them. I will have to go back to find the picture, as I did post them here. They were a brown satin with a bow.

 

Anita, thank you for describing that book so well, by the way. I didn't realize it, but I had asked you about it twice, and I think you patiently explained it twice. I never know when I will have a busy day or a slow day. Sometimes, I just need a mental health day...a slow one where I can toy with things and post away and take pictures.

 

For those you that have gone through various organizational stages, how does it work with your significant other? That sounds silly, doesn't it? I mean, I can go through my clothes, but my husband has talked about going through his for ages, and I can't seem to really get him to set aside time to do it. At this time of the year, he will often have events that require overtime, so some days he is gone from 7:30 AM to 10:00 PM. On the normal days, we are working on a mudroom closet and so forth. The real issue is things within the house. I feel so stumped as I have very little that I have inherited. My husband on the other hand, has sooo many things. I'm in the den right now, and there is a bookcase with all sorts of books that belonged to his family. There is a model of his 1970 Dodge Challenger. A Hogan's Hero mug. I think you get the idea.

 

Anita, do you readily see what attracted you to certain jewelry that you are keeping? You mentioned pearls, and I think there is something very special about pearls being handed down through a family. I wore a necklace of my husband's mother, and it was a three strand pearl choker. We don't think they are real, as she didn't have much. But what I got out of wearing them was absolutely priceless. I wear a few of her Avon rings too.

 

You seem to really enjoy this project, and I think that I may too, but at a different level. Maybe I really do need to read this book, and see where it takes me.

[Freeling]

Sorry to interrupt here, but I use an idea that may help. Years ago when we had wooden wardrobes I bought men's tie racks to screw on back of doors. One was for necklaces and hook earrings, the other for belts/slim scarves. When we moved, I unscrewed them and we put them back inside our walk in closet. Post pin earrings went on a piece of foam vegetable box inside a small cardboard box.

You might find these timber backed swivelling tie racks at men's stores.

Hope you may find this of interest.

PS; Looking at my wardrobe, it shows that I am Earth, and had previously purged non blending impulse buys. Enjoying this thread, thanks and good wishes to all.