Two Bags Down, One Closet to Go

Maybe it was the extra hour I gained by forgetting about the time changing over the weekend, or maybe it was my overall sense of helplessness regarding my wardrobe, but on Sunday I attacked my main closet and my dresser with merciless zeal. And I feel like I have a whole new wardrobe.

It's really funny how throwing out all the junk can highlight the good stuff. When I got dressed on Monday morning, I really felt like I had options. There wasn't the panic figuring out which shirt I wanted to wear, and then realizing it wasn't ironed (because I ironed frigging EVERYTHING) or digging through the closet looking for something I know does not exist. I was reasonably pleased to find that I have a practical, if not exactly stunning, wardrobe for work. It was cleansing! It was freeing! I even found a really cool vintage blazer that I bought as part of a suit at a thrift store years ago. The skirt got tossed, and thanks to Fashionista, I realize I can now wear the blazer with jeans. Sweet.

I unloaded two kitchen garbage bags full of stuff that is either too small, too ugly, or too impractical for me to wear. My other closet (these are tiny closets, by the way, lest you think I'm like Alicia Silverstone's character in Clueless) is mostly filled with dresses (including my wedding dress, which I seriously need to get preserved), so I'll have to dig in to that one later.

This may be obvious to most of you, but it's a big relief to me to have my iron and ironing board in the room where I actually get dressed. I moved it this weekend, and I'm sort of wearing an idiot-genius crown over it. Before, it was in the basement laundry room, a place where no one wants to spend time, and a place which for the last month has been behind pet gates thanks to our renovation down there. A full two floors beneath the guest room where I keep all my clothes. No wonder I haven't ironed properly in months. The guest room is right next to my husband's office, too, so that means I can hang out near him while I press and steam. There is no need for ironing to be such a lonely pursuit.

I was poised to write here about buying a new pair of boots, but yesterday I made the startling discovery that I have only $4 in my bank account. My husband and I save quite a bit, and I have my biweekly budget that I put in that account, but this time it went ridiculously fast. Maybe the discipline I'm developing with my wardrobe will bleed over into my finances too. I hope so, because I need me some new boots!