Today was weird and more depressing than I care to admit. I have finally found the will to let go of an attic full of stuff. Clothes I will never wear again, 2 years worth of baby clothes and toys, weird things I forgot about, like an extra microwave. Jewelry I made as a hobby very briefly, books that weren't worthy of bookshelf space.
As we cleared out the attic today and I watched my life flash before my eyes via the wardrobe I could never let go of, it was sad. I don't know why but the clothes I held on to really got me down in the dumps. My mind keeps going back to a few articles of clothing I will never wear again. My black Ralph Lauren long sleeve that looked so cute with a pink Ralph Lauren cardigan. My cream colored NY&Co Cardigan. My Columbia hiking pants. Old t shirts from when I was a waitress.
Sigh.
My heart feels lighter now, this stuff is all going away. I always feel liberated when I part with the material things that hold me down. When I was carefree and younger I wouldn't own anything that I felt would own me in the end. I wanted to know I was free to leave at any time, to go anywhere, without the burden of possessions. Now, I have a house full of stuff holding me down.
Funny how that works out over time.
Getting my life and space in order is an ongoing goal of mine. I have been parting with old clothes, discarding old magazines, creating solutions to keep things orderly. The attic purge was a very big step!
An update on this 3 +year old post.
I have found that by finally saying "Goodbye..." to a pair of Coach pumps that I will never wear again thanks to a broken foot a while back is actually a really good thing. Letting go of this stuff gave me a chance to start over fresh, to adopt a new style. I am wearing new styles, trying new colors and I think I look better dressed than ever. Having old favorites stashed in the attic is like hanging on to the ghost of your fashion past.
I have a bunch of clothes that i've been saving, but when i really think about it, I don't know why. They were once my favorites, and I have a hard time to part, but I'll probably never where them again!
ReplyDeleteI have felt that way before, and it really is hard to explain! Eventually I felt better, though, having let it go! I hope you do as well!
ReplyDeleteSara this is a great post. I can relate to you completely. Sometimes you dont even know how you can accumulate so many items let alone why you kept them in the first place. Kids clothes can be hard sometimes to part with, I kept the outfits that the kids came home from the hospital in and their favorite blankets. I just couldnt part with them.
ReplyDeleteI think you've essentially forced me to deal with my 3rd bedroom this weekend, that is essentially a "floor closet". I tend to hold on to clothes for long periods of time remembering that one moment when I got rid of something only to wish it was around years later. Now I just want to make sure I have an adequate selection of the same fitted t-shirt in multiple colors and my favorite AE Artist Jean. I did the jewelry thing, too. For the kids clothes (baby/infant/toddler/pre-k) I sold them on eBay and at garage sales. Then I just got lax and I think I still have kids clothes from 5 years ago. I'm "fixed"....MUST PURGE NOW!
ReplyDeleteI have a few things I REFUSE to part with but I had so many clothes that I just couldn't part with but about 1 year ago I gave a bunch away to a friend of mines daughter so she could raise money for dance. It felt good knowing I was helping her but like you was hard to part with!!
ReplyDeleteAs I have gotten older, I have found it easier to part with things, but I know how hard it can be to let things that were a part of who you were or are go.
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