CLOTHES PURGE!!!!!!!!!!!

I told you I was reading Gail Blanke's book - Throw out 50 things.     Actually listening to it on audio (on my iPod). She reads the book - I LOVE her voice.

Well I am CERTAIN that I have borrowed this book from the library at some point, but I ended up with it again. I had nothing else to listen to so I started on this and well - it was just the right day. I was in the mood.

The first room she hits in the book is the bedroom so I started there as well. I have given myself ONE WEEK to go through everything. I started on Monday afternoon right after I got home from Monday Motivators and the following took me a couple of hours.   I am still very pumped to go through more.

Sit back and enjoy!!!!!!!!!   (Well not too much - the idea is that I want to hear what YOU did in your bedroom - cleaning up and NO - we can't get rid of our DHs!!!)


If you have been reading my blog - then you know that I could be somewhat classified as a hoarder, but not really.   If you see my bedroom - I am DEFINITELY not a hoarder. Let's have a look.

We have a walk-in closet in the bedroom - this is all the hanging items that I have - hmmmmm - NOT much variety here - I see black, white, red and a touch of grey - BORING!!!!!!!!!!   There are also FIVE items in the long hang section which I will touch on another day.

Short hang items in the closet

This is my section of the shelf section.  See - I am VERY organized - looks pretty tidy, although I will say that it is NOT organized which if part of my problem. Like things are NOT together

My dresser - AHA - there is a messy area!!!! These are clean clothes that need to be put away, but where????

In the dresser above - the middle section opens and there are my pants.  I did go through these a while ago and everything there FITS so I left the pants there.   Again - pretty BORING - black or jeans!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then I proceeded to empty the dresser (except the pants), clean off the top of the dresser and took all of the baskets off the shelves and took out HALF of the hanging items. I tossed them on the floor in the bedroom.

OK - now it is time to get to work

I put the radio on my iPod, got the camera and a small stool and I was READY!!!!!!


Hmmmm - what should I tackle first????   I decided the socks would be a great place to start.  There are TWO baskets of socks. I know - and here I was wearing those old worn socks that wouldn't stay up. Wait it gets better.

TWO baskets of socks to sort

YES - it looks like there are a LOT of brand new socks in those baskets.   I put all the NEW socks in one basket and that basket was FILLED to the top.

Basket of BRAND NEW socks.  Well - I guess I won't have to buy socks for the rest of my life!!!!!

I laughed when I saw these socks.  These are socks that I had when I was SEVENTEEN. I had joined the youth program - Katimavik. We were in the military option and we all had the same socks - military issue. So we had to embroidery the last three digits of our SIN number in them.   They are GREAT socks - I don't wear them much, but can't bear to throw them out!!!!

Found some knee highs. GOD - who knew I even had these, but I sure wish I had known they were there. I've gone out of the house on several occasions in bare feet in my good shoes!!!!

ODD -socks with no partner.   Who knows what has happened to the partners!!!!   And why do we keep these????   In hopes that the missing one will eventually show up????

And these pairs of socks - GONE.   I don't wear that style of sock any more. 

OK - so TWO baskets are done and back in the closet - but there is still lots - no time to dilly dally

While I had the baskets out - I decided to dust the shelves off. I grabbed my stool and the dust rag and once I stood on the stool - I found this note. M and Caroline had left notes all over the house for us one day when they were bored.   I should give them a magic eraser and tell them to get to work.

Secret note in the closet

Found TWO brand new sports bras - still with the tags on

 And I found over TWENTY pair of brand new underwear.   YES - all with the tags still on.  Now the underwear I have isn't cheap and the darn stuff is worth every penny since it seems to last forever - oh boy - guess I won't be buying any new under wear for the rest of my life either!!!!!!!!   Don't worry - no holes or stretched elastic in my underwear drawer.

Bras and underwear - all tucked in a basket and back on the shelf

PJ pants and t-shirt tops all tucked away in their basket

Hmmm - looking a bit??? better

BRAND NEW - never out of the box base layer for running (which I haven't done in years).   I know someone who could use this so I am offering it to them first. 

Some hats - got rid of those on the left - hate that style of hat. Kept the one on the right in the event I ever go to a sunny place and need a hat. Looks hideous, but better than nothing

Time to tackle the T-shirts. Oh dear - there are a LOT.

Some bike T-shirts - still with tags on

What I did with the tops - got rid of most of the sweaters and in particular turtle necks. I don't wear them any more. Any long sleeved T-shirt - gone. Gym t-shirts with logos - went into the "cut for a quilt" basket. When I was done - I had a basket for each of the following categories: gym wear tops, bike t-shirts, regular t-shirts, sleeveless t-shirts, sweaters, etc.

Sorting the T-shirts and tops - see that big pile in the bag left - that is the give away pile

T-shirt and tops baskets - back in the closet.  See that give away pile - it is quite big!!!!!!!!

Time to deal with the scarves and other accessories

And YES - those are HERMES scarves - the real thing. There are TWO scarves and one shawl. NEVER been out of the box. I LOVE scarves, but not big into name brand stuff.  They were gifts - I should start wearing them. 

Hey I finally broke down today when I wanted a comfy pair of pants to cruise around the house in - I finally took the tags off my LuLu Lemon pants and am wearing them.  All of this stuff is gifts!!!!   I would probably never buy it myself.

Found the shawl that I crocheted for my high school graudation (which I kept). I was warned by M to NOT throw away things that I  may regret later!!!!

Got lots of idea books on how to wear scarves. I have worn the darn things since I was a teenager - I have lots!!!!!!!!

I ended up with a basket of pashminas and one of scarves.    Better start interchanging them more!!!!

More stuff to deal with - mostly slips, camilsoles and other stuff like that

Slips - can you even buy them any more??????   Well - I tossed the lot!!!!

Found more panty hose and even some odd ball ones!!!!!!!!    Those are the thigh highs - so if one went - you could just wear it with part of the new pair. But well - I don't wear dresses any more - so gone!!!!!!!!!

OK - looking pretty good - now it is time to tackle that big pile in the middle. That is all my cycling/running gear. 

 Sorted out the running gear - it will go to the same good home as the base layers. Then I sorted cycling jerseys, shorts, cold weather gear and put it all back in the dresser - each item in its own drawer.  It will be a breeze to get dressed for any situation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And the floor was clear except for that pile of short hang items. I still ahve to go through this.   What would be the fun if I did everything in ONE day!!!!!

Still have the basket of shorts to go through. And a few fleece tops to deal with. 

 So then I was back in the closet and OH MY GOD - I found this box under the short hang stuff.   There is a LOT of dust on it.  Obviously hasn't been touched in years.  

What's in the box????   Well - it was lingerie - a nice bra and panty set - brand new of course!!!!!!!!!    And other stuff - nothing wild and exotic so don't get any crazy ideas!!!!

AND another box on the top shelf and what was in there?????   FOUR sweaters!!!!!!!    

 Oh boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!    I am NOT a clothes horse!!!!!!!!!!!     Well I still have to deal with those two boxes as well.

This is the short hang that is left - and technically a LOT of this could go, but I am not quite ready to deal with it, but the week isn't over yet!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are the baskets in the closet now.   While it looks the same - everything is in its place. Top row is the basket of brand new socks, one with a couple of pair of shoes and two small purses, Next shelf - two baskets with pashminas and scarves. Then the second sock basket and the under things. Then the empty space is for shorts, the one next to it is for the gym t-shirts.
Then bike t-shirts, then regular t-shirts, Next shelf - sleeveless tops, some long sleeve tops that I saved. Next shelf - cardigans, then bulky sweaters (had to keep a couple). last shelf - two sweat shirts and PJs.  

How organized is that?????    It is probably still way too much, but at least it is a start!!!!!!!!!!!!    And I found brand new stuff - lots of brand new stuff - Tilley sweaters with the tags still on.  Good grief - what is the matter with me?????

The give away stuff - the basket on the left - the running gear, the t-shirt cut up basekt and two big bags of stuff. 

Well - I have until Sunday evening to go through the rest and I plan on doing that.   It is crazy - there was so much stuff and 95% of it wasn't getting worn - not because it didn't fit. Oh no - all those tops fit me. But I had no idea they were there - wouldn't have been able to find them, etc etc.   Now there is NO EXCUSE!!!!!!!!!!!



There you have it - a blunt peek into the closet!!!!   BUT - I hope I have inspired you to take a look at what you have in your closet.   What is in there????   Do you even know????    Why not take a couple of hours (that's all it took me).  I emptied everything out and then started sorting. Once all the items were together - it was easy to see what I had and then make a decision.   Do it fast - no lingering!!!!!


Oh yes - when you are doing the cleaning you MUST write down the things that you throw away so here is the start of my list

1. socks
2. sweaters
3. t-shirts
4. slips
5. panty hose
6. running gear


OK - so SIX things got thrown away (yes - you count the CATEGORIES NOT the items)




JUST DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    (send me before and after pictures - if you dare!!!)



Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!