Objective, PURGE!

My friend, Aileen posted on Facebook that she had taken 6 bags of her clothes to Goodwill. I felt inspired to do the same thing but was really reluctant to get started. Especially on Memorial Day weekend when the weather was so gorgeous.  I do, periodically make trips to Goodwill but it's usually 2 or 3 bags at a time - and the bulk of it usually involves kids clothes. However, my secret weapon was home this long weekend: EMMA SAVINO  - organizer and purger extraordinaire.

We started in my closet, moved to the spare bedroom closet overflow, up to the attic cedar closet, down to the basement cedar closet, on to the basement coat closet and then two random clothes racks in the laundry room.

I have lived in this house for 19 years. That's a lot of time to accumulate clothes - and when you get deals like I do at Marshall's, you tend to overbuy. Not that I hadn't worn every item that I donated, and some items were VERY well loved. But, when it's time, it's time. And, Emma makes such a FACE, that I was compelled, yes compelled, to toss more items than I would have if I were alone. Actually, if I were alone, I wouldn't have attempted this feat at all.

She held the large green bag wide open, looked askance at me the whole time and made some very choice comments about my taste. How many turtlenecks do you really need? When was the last time you WORE that? Pleats and double breasted suits really don't work on my 'mature body'.  We even tackled my underwear drawer! You'll be happy to know that the unwanted undies went directly into the trash can.

Hey! I'm not the same woman I was 19 years ago. My pelvis has widened and my color choices have narrowed. Whereas I was never afraid of color when I was younger (witness a vibrant orange formal gown with matching bolero jacket), now I never stray from black/grey/white/brown/navy.

Putting the 'garb' in 'garbage'

So, we piled the bags in the dining room and surveyed the purge. 11 bags of clothes, 2 bags of shoes and purses. All mine.

I share my closet with Bill. It's a pretty big space. I tackled the floor with the vacuum cleaner. I'm not sure that floor has ever BEEN vacuumed. The dust was so thick, I had to take frequent breaks just to sneeze and blow my nose. I ended up burning out the motor in the vac! Honestly! In fact, I had to send Will to Target on Memorial day to buy a new one. 

 After my bedroom closet was cleared out and vacuumed, Bill caught the bug and started in on his side of the closet. I couldn't believe it. We have a wee TV in the closet, so he turned on one of the proliferate war movies this weekend - called "OBJECTIVE, BURMA!" and started to sort through miscellaneous items that had migrated to his closet. True, he didn't purge clothing, but he did clear out what my mother would designate as "crap". He was masterful.

I'm not proud of what I have accumulated, but I am excited that I broke through a barrier this weekend. Thanks to Emma I feel light and airy. And, I made a quick lunch time trip to Marshall's today to start all over!