I've been reading a TON of blogs and even a few books about capsule wardrobes/minimalism/decluttering/organizing. I wanted to share some thoughts about the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. For starters, it's a best-seller in multiple countries, so that piqued my interest. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. There were two specific points in the book where I got up and did exactly what she said:
1. I folded my socks and pantyhose as she describes and made everything in my underwear and sock drawer stand vertically. You've probably seen/heard the idea of folding your t-shirts vertically in the drawer so they can all be seen all the time. Kondo suggests the same idea with your socks and underwear, and I found that I actually had more space in the drawer and I love being able to see everything. It looks awesome, and I would show you a picture, but that's just awkward. I had already taken a lot of extra items out in December, and now I feel like I have a more manageable and appropriate amount of underwear and socks.
2. Kondo suggests hanging the clothes in your closet from longest to shortest (left to right), so that the bottom of the clothes form a line going up. I thought that sounded weird and a bit pointless, but the math person in me enjoyed the idea of making a line going up, which represents positivity. I have always had the items in my closet arranged by type, so it was easy to just move the types around. Here is a picture of my closet before and after:
Probably the part of the book that was the most difficult for me was Kondo's encouragement to just throw almost everything away. She encourages you to take just a few days and get rid of everything that doesn't "spark joy." For me, it is much easier to remove items temporarily (i.e. put them in a box) before I actually get rid of them, because it helps me distance myself emotionally from the item. It's weird because I've never considered myself to be a materialistic person, because I don't care if I have expensive things or a lot of stuff. However, I've realized that I actually have a very strong emotional connection with the material things that I have. I remember where I bought them or who gave them to me, and I connect material things with a memory, a place, or a person. To throw away a birthday card someone gave me makes me feel like I am hurting that person or that I must not care about that person. But the reality is that I can't physically keep everything for my whole life. I must choose a small amount of keepsakes in order to be able to manage and enjoy them. If I keep everything, it is overwhelming and I don't look at any of it.
For now, I've decided to focus primarily on clothing before trying to tackle other types of clutter. I gave away some clothes, but I also put a lot in a suitcase that I think I might not need to keep. So far, I have only gotten 1 or 2 items out of that suitcase, but I have also put more items in it. The rule is that I can only take something out if I think of it without looking in the suitcase.
The only other thing I would mention about Kondo's book is that it is a bit odd how she describes material things as having feelings and suggests that you talk to them. For example, if you are going to get rid of a shirt, she suggests that you thank it for the joy it brought to you for a time and release it to bring joy to another person. She also says that your clothes have particular ways they want to be folded. However, the idea of a shirt bringing to joy to another person when you get rid of it (instead of just thinking about not having it anymore) is helpful to me. It makes it easier to get rid of something that I don't really wear anymore when I think that someone else will enjoy wearing it. So, although that is a bit odd, I still really enjoyed the book, and I would recommend it.
I've had a few thoughts about changing my winter capsule wardrobe. Well, the first one is more of a laundry problem: I accidentally dyed my white sweater and white lacy t-shirt pink. :( I've tried bleaching and soaking them for the past several days, and they are lightening up a little, so I really hope I will still be able to wear them. The other thought is that I'm not sure if I really want to wear a button-up under my sweaters. For some reason, I have this aversion to wearing business-casual looking clothing, because it makes me feel like I am back at my old job where I had to dress up and look professional all the time. It makes me feel stifled and uncomfortable. Also, it's kind of annoying and time-consuming trying to get the collar and sleeves just right, especially since two of my button-up shirts and 3/4 sleeved (which is also cold if I want the sleeve visible). So, right now I'm considering bringing my other white sweater out of the suitcase, which is less versatile with a cowl neck (no scarf), if the other white one decides to remain pink. And I think I might put away the button-up shirts for another season, maybe spring. As far as the white t-shirt goes, I don't need it now, but I really hope it will turn white so I can wear it in the spring. It's hard to find a good white t-shirt that isn't see-through, and I really like the lace detail.
So I guess it's still a work-in-progress, and that's ok. :)
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