Spring Closet Cleaning: Falling in Love with Simplicity

Earlier this spring, I was feeling so overwhelmed by my closet every time I walked inside. I was no longer feeling inspired by my wardrobe and getting dressed because there was too much going on. Simply organizing it wasn't enough—there was too much quantity, which made me feel flustered and unable to SEE what I actually had.

While I was doing the Philosophie 5 Day Cleanse, I decided it was good timing to also purge/cleanse my closet. I blocked out an entire day and got to work right after dropping the kids off at school. With a large Cacao Magic smoothie (with espresso added!) in my hand, I jumped in.

I started by taking EVERY SINGLE ITEM out of the closet and putting it on my bed and floor. The pile was HUGE.

I then separated it into even smaller piles:

1) things I LOVE and wear all the time

2) things I LOVE and wear once in a while, but couldn't possibly get rid of

3) things I like, but rarely wear

4) things to get rid of

For the items I love and wear ALL the time (workout clothes, tee shirts, comfy pants, jeans, flowy dresses), I kept and hung back up or put away in drawers. I was incredibly selective about this category since I'm all about less being more right now and simplifying.

Next, I put all things to get rid of in large garbage bags and immediately took them outside to put into my car for donation. This cleared space and allowed me to breathe.

The hardest part was going through the things in the middle—those things I liked, but didn't love, cost a lot of money, or were a gift from someone.

I really put my non-ego cap on and got real. What did I actually NEED? What actually made me HAPPY—in THIS moment?

Those are the things I kept. Everything else was something I was keeping out of guilt or some ego-ridden reason. The things I didn't keep from this category, I put in large see-through plastic containers and put in the garage. That way, if I end up actually missing anything, it's in there and I can incorporate it into my wardrobe. (For the record, I wanted to purge and donate all of these things too, but my hubby insisted I kept them for awhile since there was SO MUCH in this pile and it felt crazy to get rid of all of it!)

I bought a fun wardrobe rack for the things I absolutely LOVE and inspire me—things that define my sense of style, my brand, mySophie-ness. If it were a cloudy day and I felt sad, these items would make me happy to slide my body into. These beautiful pieces would make me feel beautiful and content in my skin.

It's now been over two months of this purging, and I have yet to go out to the garage to look for anything. When I walk in my closet, I can breathe and easily pick out what I want to wear. I still only wear 40% of it so I may need to weed out a few more items so it's even more streamlined. Simplicity is everything. Now I need to go through my underwear/bras, jewelry, and accessories! Cannot wait. :)

I still haven't bought a single new clothing item for myself, which is part of my challenge. I wanted to see how long I could go without purchasing new things, especially just to allow space to see what I actually NEED and what I HAVE and see where to go from here.

Sometimes I do feel the urge to go shopping for something fresh and new, particularly in moments where I compare myself or feel insecure and not good enough. Instead of running out to a boutique to fill that void though, I've been sitting with it: What is it that I want? What am I needing? Our style, after all, is defined by our creativity and beautiful items, not necessarily something NEW. 

I'm going to ride this for as long as I can—I'm going to explore and see what I actually miss and need instead of quickly filling up the emptiness with things. It feels scary, but it also feels GOOD. I am abundant. I have everything I need. I AM everything I need to feel beautiful.

What #myphilosophie spring cleaning tips do you want to share with all of us? We’d love to hear them on Twitter!