I take a deep breath and gain the strength to take charge of my closet. Sceptically, I tell myself that it would have to get worse before it gets better. I begin by pulling all of my clothes that are on hangers out of my closet and placing them on to the bed. At first I think, this is not so bad. However, as I continue to pull out shirts, skirts and pants, the pile becomes a mountain. I can no longer see my bed under the pile of clothes. Will I ever emerge from this mound of clothes. This situation is becoming overwhelming, maybe this is what a horder feels like.
I begin sorting. I am making good decisions and I am eliminating clothes that I have not worn for years. I start tp feel badly for the clothes that I no longer wear, they were good to me and I feel sad that I am discarding them. Some are even calling me from the donation bag I have placed them in.
I look back at the bag and contemplate. I pull a pair of pants out of the bag and look at them. They are a pair of grey dress pants, with white pin stripes. They still are in good shape and fit, so why give them away? I tell myself you have not worn these in four years, put them back in the bag. I hold them up one more time and finally place the, back in the bag. They will be useful for someone else, but I fear I will look back on this day and think why did I give those away?
I continue to sort my clothes and the mountain becomes smaller. I continue to have a difficult time placing items in the donation bag. A pair of brown flip flops that are so comfortable, but have no life left in them. The long lavender dress that I wore to a banquet in university. Some of these items have sentimental value. However, I cannot keep them all.
I did keep two things that could have ended up in the donation bag, my black prom dress that I wore in grade 12 and a pair of shoes that I bought in China seven years ago. My prom dress was my first dress that was for a fancy occasion. I remember purchasing it in Parklane Mall and feeling very grown up and knowing that a certain time in my life was coming to an end, but a new part was just beginning.
The pair of shoes I kept were bought in Shanghai China seven years ago. I still wear these shoes, they are kind of like sneakers that are grey, have blue stripes down the sides and use a bungee like cord to fasten them. I really do not know how much longer they will last. The soles no longer really have a tread on them, the material is cracking, but to me they still look good. I have tried to replace them in the past. Bought other shoes, that I thought could take their place have ended up in the bag because they did not make the cut.
As I think about these shoes and why I keep them, maybe it is because when I went to China it was the first time I had been out on North America and was taking on a new experience. Therefore, I kept my prom dress and shoes for the memories they hold.
After two bags of clothes later, I now have a closet that I can open and look into without something falling on me. I feel like a little weight has been lifted. I have a cleaner closet with less clothing, which gives me more reason to shop a past time I love to do.
