I like to think that I am pretty good at not holding onto things. I go through my closet a few times a year ‘cleaning house’, I rarely buy things I don’t ‘need’, and my roommate and I even have a basket of goodies, ranging from fancy face creams to NYC branded condoms, that we’ve gotten for free for friends to pick through. However, it seems like no matter how hard I try stuff just keeps on piling up. 

I went home this past weekend to get my fall/winter clothing that I had avoided bringing into my tiny apartment and realized that I actually suck at getting rid of stuff. I feel like I am good because I do get rid of a lot – 2 to 3 garbage bag sized loads a year, but that barely makes a dent in what I have hidden between my apartment, bedroom at my parents, and my parents attic. There are bags and bags of crappy t-shirts,  jeans with blown out knees, and too many pairs of slippers to count. 

To me, the funniest part is that I wear such a small percentage of what I own. My friends comment that I seem to rotate the same handful of outfits, and I keep those items front and center in my closet, so I convince myself that that’s all I own. 

I’ve tried to simplify and de-clutter by retiring (aka giving away) a piece of clothing for every piece I buy. Problem is, the vast majority of my wardrobe I have gotten for free. A fashionable Aunt, high school roommate, and my mom are all major donors to my closet. The clothes are, by and large, much nicer than what I would buy myself and so I find myself clutching onto them long after stains and ripped seams have rendered them unwearable. 

So, I am going to recommit to the idea of give and take so exemplified by our free box of goodies. Whatever doesn’t fit either in my closet or on the rack OR doesn’t fall into the category of ‘performance wear’ (ski/rock climbing/hiking gear) will have to go. Sisters, get ready for some great ready-to-wear. Bonus: It’s free.