Although the weather might indicate otherwise, spring is here, and that means closet swaps are in order. Or, are they?
Until recently, when a new season arrived, I would retrieve the season-specific clothes I’d been storing in bins: my dresses, skirts, tank tops, sandals, etc. But now, I no longer store clothes in bins, and even though I don’t have a closet (I have a mobile clothing hanging rack), I don’t have to swap my clothes in and out every time the seasons change. Because of this, I save myself time and money.
Before I chose to stop storing clothes, I had to come to terms with why I had to store them in the first place. A major reason I used to throw sweaters and scarves into bins, tucking the bins away in a closet, was because I had a small closet. But when I moved to our new place, the closets were even smaller, so I decided to buy a mobile clothing rack where I could hang my clothes.
First, I donated a lot of my clothes. Moving does that to you, doesn’t it? You realize that in three years you never wore certain items, or you didn’t like certain items well enough to bother packing, moving, and unpacking them, and you’d be happier simply tossing them. So, when I unpacked my clothes in my new place on a small clothing rack, I realized I didn’t have to store away any items of clothing.
Allowing my closet to hold all my clothes at the same time resulted in me saving money and time. Because I can see all of my clothes, I know I already own multiple sundresses, several skirts, and plenty of sweaters. Seeing all of my clothes helps me reject the temptation to buy more. Not buying clothes saves me money.
With every season’s outfits staring me in the face, I don’t have to trudge away to my basement, or attic, or random closet to lug a giant bin of clothes I’d forgotten I owned. I save time and avoid stress.
If it’s January and I’m tired of wearing jeans and sweaters, I might notice a summery skirt that I can wear over thick tights, which allows me to be creative with fashion by assembling unique outfits. Another good reason to not store your seasonal wear.
Why do we store clothes?
We are so used to storing clothes because either we live in small spaces (especially in urban communities) or we have too much stuff.
**However, if you’re a single person living in a one-bedroom apartment and you still need to store items—especially if you (eek!) PAY to store said items in a storage warehouse—you might want to rethink what stuff you own and if you truly need or want it all.**
It’s not just clothes…
Usually, the case is not that our homes are too small, but that we own too much stuff. Stuff we don’t need and don’t even like. Most of the time the items we store away are forgotten, which proves that we don’t need them or want them. So why not get rid of stuff and give it to someone who’s actually in need?
There’s no reason to have an entire closet full of seasonal clothes. And, if you have to pay for storage for your clothes, it might be time to really think about what you own and why you own it.
Remember: the clothes don’t make the (hu)man.
Brigit
