I’m one who has too many clothes but nothing to wear.

I’m a Mommy who tends to put on the same “fall back outfits” again and again.

I’m a wife married to a husband who owns a gazillion t-shirts but wears a suit every day and a pajama uniform on the weekends.

We are clothing hoarders.

I admitted to this a year ago when we began evaluating our belongings for our move back north. Admitting our guilt I went through all my clothes evaluating each piece. The rules: If I hadn’t worn it in a year I needed to get rid of it. Dressy clothes and shoes were the exception since those are reserved for nights out and vacations. What was in great condition was put aside to sell, what was in okay condition was put into a donation pile. I was able to make $100 through local garage sale Facebook sites for the clothing and it was off my hands.

Fast forward almost four months later and I was unpacking my clothes to fit into a new smaller closet. Again, I followed the year rule and purged. Sale items were put aside and donation items taken to Goodwill. In August I attacked the kids fall/winter clothes, purging, donating and selling close to $800 at a children’s consignment sale. Four months later it was the end of November and the idea of 2015 being The Year of Simplicity taking hold, I attacked my closet again selling $55 worth to Plato’s Closet and donating the rest to a charity program through our church.

With The Year of Simplicity in full swing this week, Erik was forced to part with t-shirts and sweatshirts that the majority of dated back fifteen years. I ransacked the closets of my small minions of fury, separating items to be donated and to be sold in the spring consignment sale for kiddos. Finally this morning I went through my closet again, this time following a new rule: Would I buy this today if I was standing in a store?? If the answer was NO it was taken out of the closet and put either in a selling or donation box. I then separated my closet into short sleeves/tanks, cardigans/button ups, long sleeve, dressy, pants and workout clothing/t-shirts. (*Take note that all my summer clothes are in storage bins, the clothing I’m referring to is fall/winter). I’m hoping the separation will create a better way of putting together outfits.

Everyone just stocked up on new undershirts, underwear and socks so I went through all undergarments and parted with the old including tattered sports bras, faded toddler undies and boxers that have seen better days.

Rules to avoid clothing excess:

1. No clothing purchases for six months (with the exception of a pair of black pants that I am seeking). I vow to force myself to wear every item in my closet, using Pinterest to inspire outfits. After wearing an outfit, if I love it I’ll keep it but if it doesn’t fit well or makes me uncomfortable then it goes into a box to be sold or donated. Come the end of the six months I’ll sell and donate what is in the boxes and reevaluate my clothing in time for my birthday in July.

2. From my evaluation of the kid’s clothing they are set until the end of summer when school clothing will be bought and wardrobes reevaluated. The only exception for new clothing: birthdays and special occasions (i.e. Easter).

3.  As for Erik, he will also be forced to wear t-shirts and outfits found in his closet replacing his usual go to items. Same rules will follow for the man of the house and all will be purged that doesn’t fit the qualifications for keeping an item.

Though only three rules to follow I think this category will be the hardest of eliminating excess for me. Hopefully all the Project Runway I have watched for the last fifteen years will prove beneficial. I’ll just keep repeating, “Make it work” for the next six months.