MY CLOSET IS LIVING A LIE!

I still have EVERY formal from EVERY Prom, Homecoming, Beauty Pagent, Wedding and so forth and I'll NEVER get rid of them. My daughter used to LOVE dressing up in themand having fun and if we get to have another child I'd like her to be able to havefun too. Plus its fun to see how TINY I used to be back then. I don't think my kidsbelieve me when I tell them "Once upon a time I used to be thin and pretty and notthe mom-blob you see before you!". And as far as having things for no reason...can you say 200 PAIRS OF SHOES! Yes...200. I don't even wear half of them but they are there and I LOVE each of them dearly!

I finally, FINALLY, hired one of those organizers to clean my closets in the spare bedrooms and the linen closet upstairs. We mostly live one level, though the upstairs is open to the lower level. We hauled out bags and bags of stuff. I was surprised at how much went to help the red cross, dress for success and the extra went to the local ARC. I felt so good, the closets look great and it has been one year and I don't miss a thing. I would hire the same organizer for the remainder of my closets, kitchen, baths, basement and so forth, however they are very expensive and I was hopping I could do it my self. That said, one year later, nothing done.

Ah yes, the "get your crap outta here" thing from the ex. (Mine still has my photo album...grr!) My wardrobe? I used to be corporate, then got angry about working for corp being the hippe I am...so now I work for a non-profit as a an artist and customer information for birding assn. I wear my Bikis everyday in the spring, summer and fall and yet own 2 pair of Pliner heels...I even HATE heels. WHO can give away $200 shoes? (They were given to me and I refuse to give them away. Someone might die or something...) Have i said I'm a hippee? Just last month, I gave away all my bell bottoms from when they were in style in the late 90's. (Except for one pair with fringe at the bottom!) I also have done some stage acting, sooooo I have some "Costumes"...very 1920's gowns and shifts that I will never get rid of! I can't wear them in polite company, but I can't part with them either. Or my Go-Go boots. Or my platform shoe collection, yes C-o-l-l-e-c-t-i-o-n. It's hard to not wear what you love, but harder to never see them again. You did well, Meg, getting rid of the few things you did. These things are painful to part with. May one day soon, your clothes have the space to hang freely in many closets!!!

Meg I can totally relate! I have 13, yes, 13 formals in my closet that I really have no use for! Save every year at the Oscars when my friends and I dress up and sip champange and watch (ok so usually it is just me dressed up since I've moved away from my bff). I know I should donate them to one of those charities that recycles dresses for girls to wear to prom (yes most of these are from when I was in high school and did all the proms and formals and such), but I just can't let them go, who knows when I could need them. I moved across country and carried them with me, they survived a flooding of a storage unit, I designed many of them. I just can't let them go. As a grad student I have no where to wear them, no events; my boyfriend doesn't work at a place that would have events. I guess I never thought of it as having a wordrobe for the life I want but I totally get that now! I say keep them, they make you feel great and pretty and as my favorite beauty tip when you are feeling down put one on (prefereably with a tira) open a bottle of wine and practice your wave or acceptance speech and just feel fabulous!

I have a grand total of four very formal dresses- junior and senior homecoming, and then junior and senior prom. The rest of the dresses I own are fairly cheap cocktail-type dresses, mostly from Lane Bryant or Target. Unfortunately, my wardrobe doesn't really know the meaning of "semi-casual", as I've discovered while packing up the things I actually WEAR to take to college. I had maybe two pairs of slacks in there, a few nice blouses, and the rest was made up of dresses I use for performances and, of course, my t-shirts and jeans. Despite what image I project, I'm really self-conscious about my body and I usually won't wear v-neck tops, tops that come above my upper thighs, or anything horrendously tight. Nope, I'm a t-shirt gal; I like them because I can wear them baggy and long enough to disguise the horrible saddlebags I have on my thighs. Hey, Katie! I'm gaining the college pounds now- you're not the only one who needs help!

I've kept all of my "big event" dresses. I'm not really sure why, but I have. I never have any intention of wearing them agian, but they're special to me, so of course, I have to keep them.I just recently cleaned out my closet. I donated probably 60% of my clothing. I realized the other day that I might only wear 30% of what I kept, haha. It's kind of sad and compulsive, but I can't help it.Plus, I always keep shoes too.

My mom is guilty of this! She loves to buy clothes and shoes especially if it's cheap! The lady cant say no to a sale even if she doesn't need anything. She buys all kinds of clothes and shoes casual or dressy. She even buys stuff that doesn't fit her, wishing it will fit some day! Even shoes! It doesn't matter if its a size too small she will buy it! Will never wear it but she has to have it! She has so much clothes it doesn't fit in her closet, and most of them are brand new with tags!