Things are Changing

I’m happy to report that since I started my voyage to minimal clothing, I’ve lost weight. A LOT of weight. I’m 37 pounds lighter than I was. Now this is great news — except that it’s played havoc with my wardrobe.

I’ve been extremely busy with work and we have moved the office and our apartment and haven’t “had the time” to be as careful with keeping my clothes in check. I’d find something at a second-hand shop that fit, and I’d throw it in the buggy. My mother knew I needed clothes, so she would buy me something or a couple somethings.

I pulled some clothes out of storage that I’d kept just in case I lost a couple pounds (most of those were too big), but I didn’t have time to sort, so I stuck them in my closet until I had the time. I wasn’t sure if my weight was going to fluctuate, so I kept multiple sizes.

You get the idea.

The Drudgery Returns

I noticed that I was spending more and more time standing in front of my closet trying to find something I wanted to wear. I even fell back into the habit of trying on more than one pair of pants or shirts, until I found what felt “right” for that day.

I’m not a primpy girl. I don’t fuss with such things and after being all “simplified” and not having the problem for many months — it frustrated me even more for this irritation to creep back into my life.

A Quick Fix

So, I took a Saturday morning and asked my Mom to come over and give me her unvarnished opinion on each and every article of clothing. Thankfully, she was willing to donate her time to my cause.

If she said, “It’s great” and I liked the way it felt on me, I hung it in my closet. If it was merely “ok” or if it didn’t fit comfortably, it went in the donation pile. If it was still a little snug, but I liked it, it went into a box with my winter clothes to try again in the fall (if they don’t fit in the fall, they will be donated too!)

Completing the Task

I immediately took the bag of clothes to Goodwill. The result is that my closet is back under control and I’m back to one load of clothes and one of linens per week. Two loads total. Some weeks, if I’m too lazy to strip the bed, it’s just a single load.

I still need to buy a couple “replacement” items (like another pair of jeans in the proper size), but I can make do for now — and keep eating my simple food to see if the weight loss continues.

If you are on the simple path, remember that changes will require you to rededicate yourself to remaining simple. Take the time to do so. It will save you time, money, and much frustration!

A simple wardrobe is such a joy. I’m so glad to have mine back! *Thanks, Mom!*