Creating a Curated Closet

I am sure you have read the articles and seen the Kon Mari quotes on how to simplify your life, live with 30 pieces in your closet. I love love love the idea, but I also love shopping and i love clothes and I love things. So how can me, and my bank account, find a balance? I am certainly not a horder, I do a closet clean out every three months or so and get rid of tons of stuff.  When I moved from Portland to the midwest I had a huge purge, but no matter what I always seem to have a closet so full of things I don't wear and I can't seem to define my style in any meaningful way.

So for September:

• I am banning myself from shopping.  No purses, no shoes, no clothes. I am going to keep a list of things I wish I had and evaluate at the end of the month to see if I need them. I did one cheat and bought two sweaters from J crew that we on sale 65% off, I did need two for layering this winter/fall. That is it though I am cutting myself off. 
• A real deep closet clean out. I looked at everything and tried it all on, if It doesn't fit ,gone. I took photos of the tags of things I wish still fit in case I decide I need/ want them after September. I think it helped me let go of things I wish still fit.

 

• Be very thorough, do I wear it often? Do I love it? Does it suit what I want out of this closet? Does it suit the style I am going for? ( a lot of soul searching as to what exactly this is and who I am) I put it all in a plastic tote. I feel like the die hard closet curators might be judging me right now, but I am not ready to let go of all of it yet. For the month, I am really focusing on what I have, using it, being grateful for it. I am allowing myself to take anything out of the box I want. When I wear something, I am going to think about it honestly, do I like this, why don't I wear it more, do I feel awesome in it? If the YES isn't there, then I put it in the box. 

• October, I will evaluate add a few things back to my wardrobe if need be and hopefully I add a lot more things to the box. It is a work in progress and I am still working on what I want this to be for me. I know I want to own less, and I know that I want to share or sell some of things in my closet.  I want to focus on being less of a consumer, and keep things simpler and easier, where my "what to wear "decisions are easy because I love everything I own.

Here is my closet now! Looking better all the time.