Just Hold On

Thinking about editing your wardrobe while switching your closet over from winter to spring/summer? Be careful if you decide to edit – now might actually not be the best time.

There’s a lot of pressure to get a lot of shit done right now. Let me clarify that before it sounds too shallow. There are people out there working harder than they have ever worked in their lives and harder than I’ll ever have to work. Doctors to grocery store employees to the mail carriers, and all the other essential employees are literally risking their lives every day and going to work. I think for those of us who are sheltering in place there is a tremendous amount of guilt to “do” something, anything. Whether it’s making something to support those on the front line or simply bettering ourselves there is still a general feeling that we should be doing something while we are at home. Some people are learning a new language, some are learning to cook and some our finally taking the time to exercise and shed that extra weight. I’d love to tell you I am doing something monumental or important or even something productive beyond cleaning out our pantry but I’m not. I won’t make any excuses. I’m just not and I’m just kind of just being right now. Mentally that’s where I’m at and I’m just trying to be honest in case there is anyone else out there feeling like they are the only ones not doing more of something important. I’m hoping this doesn’t make me a bad person or selfish or lazy, even though I’ve told myself I’m all those things. I think everyone is handling this in their own way and needs to continue to do what they need to do.

One of the things I know I need to do is something that has to happen every year because mother nature keeps us truckin’ along. It’s the dreaded closet change-over. I need to do it and I want to do because I know it will make me feel better to have my clothes accessible and organized. Plus I’m sick of looking at my winter stuff. But I keep putting it off and it finally occurred to me why I keep avoiding this when I have plenty of time on my hands.

Decisions.

If I start to put away my winter stuff I will feel like I will have to make decisions about what to keep and what to get rid of. And right now I want to get rid of all of it. I counted that I have 6 vintage sequin jackets in my closet the other day. I looked at them and felt like they were a waste of money. Then, only hours later, I got sucked into watching Desperately Seeking Susan on tv and found myself googling the very jacket worn my Madonna that the whole movie is set around. Turns out you can buy replicas on etsy (the real one was sold at auction a couple years ago for around $87,000), and in that very moment I really wanted one, even though hours earlier I thought about getting rid of all my other jackets. Yes, there is a pandemic going on and I’m googling how to buy this jacket.

The very next day I was online to buy more sweatpants because, no surprise here, I’m living in them. In fact I have my day ones and my night ones and even my sleeping ones. The sleeping ones are truly hideous and extraordinarily comfortable. My jeans look like a group of old friends that I can’t decide if I want to hang out with anymore but then when I do put them on they are too tight and feel too restricting and don’t seem to work for my sporadic schedule of eating, cleaning, napping, walking, cleaning and more eating. So when I look at my closet I feel a lot of conflicting emotions around decision that I don’t want to make.

In talking with my friends I know it’s not just me. So after almost 10 years of having my own business and going in and out of hundreds of closets my single most important piece of advice right now would be…

DON’T EDIT.

I know, this seems incredibly counter-productive and I realize there are heaps of advice out there right now about how to Marie-Kondo the shit out of everything inside your home. But here’s the problem. We are not in our right minds right now. Our decision capacity is actually extremely diminished right now. Even if you are not doing your normal job and for some it may feel as if you have more time, our daily decisions are different and demanding in a different way. Even more so if you have children at home. Think about how many questions you have been asked by 10am, form what to eat to what to wear to where is this and where is that. Our brains are clogged and fogged.

Because we are not in a “normal” place and the future “normal” may look a little different. It’s easy to make brash decisions while we are home during this time. If you are like me I am not loving many things in my closet right now (hello stress eating and drinking!!) and it is way too easy to want to get rid of everything or start buying all different things. Just because you are not using it right now (my collection of vintage sequin jackets 😬😩) doesn’t mean you won’t  need or want it later. And just because you are wearing a ton of sweats and leggings right now doesn’t mean you need even more.

My recommendation? Stick to storing away winter items and pulling out spring and summer. The seasons will definitely change but what our jobs, lives and everyday will look like is a bit unclear. Maybe you will continue to work from home? Maybe your job will change? Maybe your career will change? Or your marriage? Just kidding but it is trying times for many who are confined together! Maybe (unlike me) you are eating well and working out and may need a smaller size of clothing after a couple months. ( I swear, I ‘m starting next week!!)

Do this process in stages so you are not completely overwhelmed. This is why my clients hire me to come and do this for them when they are not home – because it takes hours and it makes a mess and it’s overwhelming. If you are going at it alone start small. I won’t do mine all in one day. I try to set an hour, put on a podcast to listen to, and then tackle one thing at a time. For me the first thing will be taking down these sweaters to store them in bins with cedar (usually I try and have them dry-cleaned prior to storing to avoid any hidden dirt that might be yummy to bugs or moths) and replace them with my jeans. I take down my hanging jeans and fold them onto the shelves because I then hang up my summer skirts and shorts in their place on the other rack above my jackets. Everyone’s setup is different and you need to do what makes the most sense for you visually.

After the sweaters and jeans then I’ll do the shoes (store the winter and take out the summer) on a different day. Just break it up in pieces and don’t overthink the things you are storing right now. Next fall and winter you may have totally different wants and needs and you can decide them when you bring your things back out. The point is not to overthink this while you are doing it. Keep your end goal in mind which is to be able to make it easy to get dressed when May temperatures start to feel like Spring and we can feel Summer approaching in the air. We can’t count on much but we can count on the change of the seasons and unless you are doing the nudist thing at home (no judgement, just be careful cooking) then everyone needs t get dressed.

 If you need motivation, advice or just help organizing the seasonal changeover I can help you virtually! Virtual appointments are available for mini sessions (1 hour) for $80. 

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*Insider Tip – Buy it.

If it’s in your budget treat yourself to a couple of a few new items for spring and summer to keep you feeling excited about getting dressed. Make sure that they are versatile items that will work into your wardrobe in ways that you can dress them up or down.  There are tremendous sales right now and it’s easy to get caught up. Just make thoughtful purchases or if you buy something similar to something you already have (another tie-dye hooded sweatshirt) maybe it’s time to follow the 1 in 1 out rule where you get rid of that one that has stains and is starting to fall apart.

Thanks for reading, stay safe, stay sane and most of all be kind to yourself ,

Suzie