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Post by ohblondie on Sept 17, 2014 10:35:14 GMT -5
It was easier getting rid of the dated clothes. I also got rid of solid color tshirts that I e oukd wear under sweaters and such. Pants that were like new. Pant and jacket sets that were of a looser construction and linen like. I need more tailored to look thinner.
Still need to attack shoes.
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Post by hiding on Jan 7, 2015 1:22:52 GMT -5
Reading about clothing struggles of a newer member reminded me that I want to start writing on this thread again. I wish I could say that I have clothes hoarding conquered but that would be a lie. I'm better but the problem is still there. I'm fortunate in that one of our local thrift shops will take any clothes I give them. Some shops are much more particular. Anyway, I don't take advantage of my shop by taking them items that should be tossed. I only take clothing that is not stained and is in good repair. A few times I have taken them brand new items that I never wore and never would wear.
I have thrown out several things too. Amnesty!
So what's the problem? I buy new clothes occasionally. And I think, worse, I spend way too much time online window shopping for clothes. I don't have that time to "waste", yet I seem to do it as a form of entertainment and relaxation. Even if I have no intention of buying.
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Post by ohblondie on Jan 7, 2015 8:34:02 GMT -5
hiding I think "online window shopping" can be a necessary distraction. It helps us take some downtime and relax. But I find it helps me be more critical about what I bring into the house. I no longer buy just because it is on sale. THough I do go straight for the sale racks. I continually ask my self if it is a flattering cut for my figure, are the colors right for my skin tone, are the materials or the construction of the garment decent. I am hoping it makes me more of a discriminating shopper. Online window shopping also forces me to clean out more. If I see something I like I forst have to answer the above wuestions. THen I have to get some things OUT of the closet to make room. THen I have to wait for it to go on sale. So bringing in one item actually translates to 3-4 items out the door. A slow tedious process but it is working. I think it will always be a problem for me. On a positive note - -I bought a beautiful white shirt. It layers well with several pieces htat I have. A good classic white shirt is an essential item. I wore it yesterday and made it thru the entire day without spilling on the front!! We had spaghetti for dinner last night - I did take it off before we ate!
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Post by imamess on Jan 7, 2015 9:21:08 GMT -5
I have one closet in my house. The left side has my good clothes, which I don't wear very often. I have two summer outfits, two or three winter outfits and some summer blouses and a couple of coats. I could probably get rid of the rest after I try them on.
The left side of the closet is filled with DH & my farm coats/long sleeve shirts/rain coats etc. We wore the same size. Farm work is sometimes nasty and I don't have a washer & dryer and go to the laundry mat twice a month. On one level I feel the need for extra shirts & coats and on another I want to pare down. It's still hard to do anything with the things DH wore on a regular basis, especially two shirts that have tears in the sleeves.
Any advice?
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Post by cyn on Jan 7, 2015 10:01:21 GMT -5
I'm a clothes hoarder. I keep everything. I have waaaaay waaaay waaaay too many clothes. I have bins of clothes in my shed. I have bins of clothes on my back porch. I have bins of clothes in my doom room. I've been slowly (like, over the past 3 years) giving it away. Some of the decisions were harder than others. I parted with a few garbage bags full, in Sept, so that the furnace guy could get into the room. Then I gave a pile of items that I *really* liked (but were too small) to a friend - and then that action tipped me over the edge, and I went on an online buying spree. Many of these new acquisitions don't fit. The awesome pants that do fit seem to be missing, I noticed after tearing my room apart looking for them on New Years. I was also missing some work pants, that I found on my drying rack in my doom room yesterday. I've got a problem!
I think I have a latent Barbie attitude - I can get lots of enjoyment out of just handling these things, they don't even have to fit! Geez! Of course, it's depressing to not be able to wear something that's too tight. But it's just as depressing to go up a size, and realize that I've given away the articles that could fit, because I donated them saying, "I'll never let myself get this big again!" Oh right, who am I kidding?
I'm sure I'll eventually get a grip on the clothes, just like I've gotten a grip on my squalor. I've told myself that I'm no longer allowed to look at clothing on-line, because I need to try things on properly. That last spree scared me straight, I suppose. Just like how I've told myself I can't go into stores where I'll be tempted to buy inexpensive books. I did buy a book online recently, but it's hopefully going to help me with my abysmally lacking housekeeping skills.
I wish all my clothes fit me. I also wish I could remain my smaller size. I know that 'wishing it to happen' isn't how it comes to be. When you add up my hoarding tendencies, my weight fluctuations,and my shopping/acquiring issues, it's not a pretty sight. But, I'm a work in progress, and I have to focus on where I started (bags upon bags of clothes thrown away, because mice had ruined them) and be encouraged by what I've been able to accomplish. If I get all gung-ho tossing mania, I'll slide back into gimmegimmegimme. I need gentle persuasion, to convince myself I don't need these things, and I'm not Barbie, and fondling a silk shirt that's too small isn't very exciting after all.
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Post by larataylor on Jan 7, 2015 12:14:56 GMT -5
I don't really have this problem with clothes. But I just wanted to toss in one thing I've noticed about shopping and beautiful things. I've been through a long stretch of poverty, and people don't often ask me if I want to go shopping. Occasionally, though, I find myself out there with no money.
I've learned to enjoy just looking at pretty things in stores. I notice how the arrangement of a big collection of lovely things makes them all more attractive. I noticed this in a candy store … specifically, a display of a zillion colors of jelly beans … so pretty to look at, and buying a little bit of that prettiness is a way of capturing it. Yet, you don't really capture it, because you're not taking home the whole store. You just have a bag of jelly beans.
I try to think of stores as if they were museums. Why do museums have gift shops? Because people want to hold onto the experience by buying a little piece of it. We look at pretty things and just want to acquire a piece of that beauty.
I don't know if this helps other people at all … self-control is not an issue when there's NO money in my pocket, and no credit card. But by necessity, I've learned to enjoy beauty without taking home a piece of it.
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Post by ohblondie on Jan 7, 2015 12:37:11 GMT -5
larataylor You summarized that very nicely. I learned that when I go into a store and see a lovely outfit - unless i buy the lovely outfit in it's entirety - it does not look as nice when I get home. And at times it still does not look as lovely. So I am forcing myself to look at an item of clothing in isolation...does it look nice because I like the color or what it is paired with? Will it look nice when I get home matched with what I have, or does it only look nice in the display at the store. I am going to start taking pictures of the displays so that I know how to create the ensemble when I get home. I try to do the same with other items. When I look at magazines or I am in a store - I want to buy the whole collection because just one piece would look silly on my mantel. Like you said - I am trying to look at the beauty of the item in the store and appreciate that beauty. Perhaps I will start taking a picture to see if I can somehow replicate that "look" with what I already own.
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Post by hiding on Jan 22, 2015 1:01:12 GMT -5
There's a blog called Refashionista. This lady buys clothes at Goodwill mostly. I enjoy reading her blog and seeing her turn something usually quite awful into something great. When she gets on a roll, she will do a garment a day. Obviously she is a skilled and fast seamstress. I love what she is doing but I think what she is doing would be dangerous for hoarders, especially those of us that have an issue with clothes hoarding. Because she produces so many garments so quickly, I can't help but wonder what she does with them all. She doesn't seem to be particularly attached to her creations.
I don't know this but I get the sense that maybe she donates what she makes. I also think that she wears her outfits just a few times and then passes them on. Oops, gotta run. I wanted to say more. Later.
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Post by TML on Jan 22, 2015 1:12:37 GMT -5
I am addicted to shopping for books on amazon in particular cook books. I used to buy paperback or hard cover cook books and I still have them but this is hard to quit. It is a virtual book so it does not take up space in the house. I can access it from my phone, kindle, computer, or tv. I justify it because if I see something on sale at the grocery store I can immediately find a recipe for it and pick up the other items right there and save the trip.
I am saving on food money, not wasting house space, and trying to eat healthy - Yay for excuses (NOT). I have more than enough and I need to stop. So count me in.
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Post by cyn on Jan 22, 2015 21:22:01 GMT -5
Hiding, thanks for mentioning the Refashionista blog. I'd never heard of it before, but I *love* it! I'm going to be spending hours over there, I can tell.
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Post by hiding on Jan 22, 2015 23:45:58 GMT -5
Cyn,
I'll just speak for myself here. I love what's she doing and I got all excited about trying to emulate her. I can see how that could be dangerous for me. Right away I started thinking that I get a reprieve from purging my overflowing clothes hoard. "I don't have to get rid of anything! I'll just re-fashion it. I'll go to thrift stores and return to yard sales looking for and buying potential re-fashion items." Refasionista makes it look so easy and so fun. And I have no doubt that is true for her.
Do you notice how she doesn't seem to be attached to any of her creations? I think that is key and is one of the ways she is different from us. She'll re-fashion a dress one day and then take the same garment the next day and make a top out of it. I'm soooo curious what she does with all the clothes she makes. She makes so very many, that she couldn't be keeping them all???
I know myself well enough by now that even though I would have great intentions, I would not get the sewing done. I would have piles of unfinished projects. I don't have a sewing machine. I don't like to sew. Several time in my life I've tried to force myself to make clothes, but I usually don't finish the garment. Did I mention that I really, really don't like sewing?
Personally, I am going to confine myself to enjoying Refashionista, seeing what her latest project is, and cheering her on.
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Post by cyn on Jan 23, 2015 11:39:23 GMT -5
I looked at quite a few of her creations yesterday, and noticed that even she wasn't sewing alot of the stuff, ha. Fabrics that don't fray - cotton knits type of thing, didn't get hemmed. Her blog is great - she's very creative and I love her sense of humour. I really doubt she keeps all the stuff, because there's no way anyone could keep hundreds of items. I know, I tried.
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Post by ohblondie on Jan 23, 2015 11:45:12 GMT -5
THanks to whoever shared the Refashionista blog. I have been so distracted ALL morning. But as I look at what she does - I realize it would not work for me. SHe is young and trim and she could wear a potato sack and have it look good. If I wear anything belted like that - well, let's just say it wouldnt look pretty. But is is fun to look at what she does.
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Post by dayeanu on Jan 23, 2015 12:37:36 GMT -5
THanks to whoever shared the Refashionista blog. I have been so distracted ALL morning. But as I look at what she does - I realize it would not work for me. SHe is young and trim and she could wear a potato sack and have it look good. If I wear anything belted like that - well, let's just say it wouldnt look pretty. But is is fun to look at what she does. I'm totally with you there!
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Post by dayeanu on Jan 23, 2015 12:43:32 GMT -5
I don't really have this problem with clothes. But I just wanted to toss in one thing I've noticed about shopping and beautiful things. I've been through a long stretch of poverty, and people don't often ask me if I want to go shopping. Occasionally, though, I find myself out there with no money. I've learned to enjoy just looking at pretty things in stores. I notice how the arrangement of a big collection of lovely things makes them all more attractive. I noticed this in a candy store … specifically, a display of a zillion colors of jelly beans … so pretty to look at, and buying a little bit of that prettiness is a way of capturing it. Yet, you don't really capture it, because you're not taking home the whole store. You just have a bag of jelly beans. I try to think of stores as if they were museums. Why do museums have gift shops? Because people want to hold onto the experience by buying a little piece of it. We look at pretty things and just want to acquire a piece of that beauty. I don't know if this helps other people at all … self-control is not an issue when there's NO money in my pocket, and no credit card. But by necessity, I've learned to enjoy beauty without taking home a piece of it. This is a very good insight, and I want to get back to the concept you are sharing here. "Buying a bit of the beauty", or "a piece of the experience," but when you get home, you've just got a bag of jelly beans. Very wise insight, and one I want to remember. I love birds, and used to be particularly keen on pet birds. I had finches of every color and description. I probably had 30 pairs, at my peak. One day I was reading a finch book, and picking out varieties I'd like to have, and realized that there are SO MANY beautiful varieties, I absolutely could not own them all - and then, why would I want to? To have a finch museum? I also realized that probably all finch varieties are wild birds somewhere, and why don't I just take up bird watching? Why can't I just appreciate their beauty without having to own it? Not exactly what you are saying, but close.
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