Cleaning Out Your Closet

Welcome back my fun-loving guys and gals! I'm sorry for the neglect and/or abandonment :/ Work has been keeping me way too occupied and with little or no energy to do much.

I've also been fighting a demonic cold that keeps coming back. TIP of the Day: if you don't have any insurance like myself, and are sick and can't go to a doctor, you can ask for a consultation with a pharmacist at your local drug store or pharmacy (it's usally free.) The pharmacist will ask you about your symptoms and  will recommend the best OTC remedy for your condition. It helps you save time and money and you will be feeling better in no time.

Today, I'm feeling great about all the little things I'm going to start doing for myself. The first task on "my little things to do list" was to clean out my two closets (yes, two because I have one at my current residence and there's my old closet at my parents' house.) It was a daunting task, that took three days, but I'm almost finished.

As I've mentioned before, I'm not happy with my recent weight gain, so in order to give myself the final push to a healthier, leaner me I had to go through every article of clothing to remind myself of what I'd love to be able to wear again or what needs to be tossed out to make room for the new items I'll be purchasing ONLY after I get back into shape. I know this might not work for everyone, but I adore clothes, so it works out perfect for me. It helps me get two things off my list and now I'm super motivated to return to my normal weight size.

Back to the daunting task at hand: cleaning out your closet is no fun. It takes time, patience and organization. I start by separating things into piles: 

• things I want to keep 
• things I want to give away to my family/friends 
• things that can be donated
• things I can sell on Ebay or in a garage sale

You will need boxes, a marker, and plastic bins if you also want more closet space.

I decided to sell the shoes and purses that I have never worn. I know I won't make a lot of money off of them, but at least I'll make a little back that I can use towards my new purchases.
***Sidenote: the shoes and bags I'm selling were gifts that never fit my style, hopefully it's someone else's style.
Remember: one man's trash is another man's treasure.

I'm going directly to Ebay with my stuff, it's faster and easier for me that way than going to a consignment store, which I've never really been to (but you can also go to a consignment store, have a yard sale or even start your own digital yard sale on Craigslist. Truth be told my boyfriend is doing all the hard work for me in terms of putting the items up for auction on Ebay. (Thanks babe!)  I'll let you know how Ebay works for me.

And I really have to thank my mom, who has already taken the items I no longer want right off of my hands. She'll be giving some stuff to my cousins and others to the less fortunate. (Way to go mom!) You can also get together with your girlfriends and have an excahnge party, where you can trade your old clothes. It's a great way to get new clothes without spending any money and get to hang with your girlfriends.

Even I have made some really bad purchases and there are some atrocious things that do not belong on anyone, so those few items have been tossed out.

As for the rest of the stuff, they're now in my newly organized closet and drawers :) And now I can't wait to shed my excess weight off and go shopping.

When deciding what to keep or give away: ask yourself a crucial question: have I worn this in the past year? if the answer is no, give it away. Clothes that are worn out or discolored should either be tossed out or kept to do chores around the house like cleaning, painting or washing you car.

I realized during this entire process that I made a lot of stupid impulsive buys in the past (and in my early 20s I made Guess a whole lot of monies; I must own 30 handbags and 20 pairs of shoes from that brand, which I'd never wear today. YUCK!)

My style has changed so much in a matter of five years and I now know I want to buy more timeless pieces to incoporate into my wardrobe. I also plan to stop shopping at cheap stores like Forever 21. Yes, you save a lot of money at the time, but I also realized you throw out those items a lot faster than the items you invest money in.

P.s. good luck to my wallet, now that i'll only be purchasing top notch brands! :)

Hope you guys find my little tips handy for the next time you're cleaning out your closet.

♥ "I like my money right where I can see it-- hanging in my closet." Carrie Bradshaw ♥

UPDATE:

Since cleaning out my closet, I am happy to report that I have sold two pairs of shoes and my Coach handbag is currently up for bid. Ebay does work! The other two pairs of shoes didnt do so well on Ebay, so I'm thinking of going to Plato's Closet and see what I can get for them.

Ebay is a paradise. If you're very careful and do the right footwork you can walk away with some really great stuff at amazing prices.

I'm currently in search of my first pair of Loubies!