Abundance without purpose is my focus this month, as I see it in most closets.
Be honest with yourself — do you have more clothes, shoes, and jewelry than you really need or use? What is the purpose of having it all? Does it make you feel good? Do you feel organized? Do you feel out of control? Understanding and getting in touch with how your feel is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.
Apply the ancient art of feng shui, as it will teach you that if your environment is cluttered or in chaos, it will translate into a chaotic, cluttered life with missed deadlines, unhealthy relationships, late fees, and debt. The clutter will continue to spiral out of control in your mind and in the way you look at life.
Here is my opinion, and since I’ve been there and done that, I can honestly say this — filling a bottomless hole is the reason behind abundance without purpose. Filling your life with more stuff isn’t really going to make you feel joy or happiness. Wanting more isn’t the problem. Not understanding why you must have it or how it will improve your life is the problem.
Those of you who have children of all ages might consider giving them the gift of understanding the “why” behind buying more and how it makes you feel. Children today mindlessly want, want, want, and then as teens they buy, buy, buy without understanding why, why, why. As they become adults they end up in debt, debt, debt.
My advice is having rules to apply BEFORE every purchase, and if something doesn’t pass the “buy it” test, then simply don’t. Today I’ll share my rules for purchasing clothes and accessories.
- Does this item flatter my current body in fit and color?
- Does this item mix with 50 percent or more of all the other items in my closet?
- Do I love this item so much I’m willing to shed two or three other items to make room for it?
- Does this item’s cost divided by its wearability (cost per wear) make sense? In other words, is it a trend item only for one season or a classic item to transition into two or more seasons?
Let me add this when it comes to young children — if all they ever know is a bulging closet and dressers, then they will expect to always have just that. This is how we, as parents, teach clutter and abundance without purpose to our kids. I suggest as they change sizes, which happens very quickly, pack an item or two that is sentimental, then take everything else still in excellent condition to your local resale or consignment shop. Or if you have the dedication to consistently organize, then have a garage sale two to four times a year (depending on ages and number of children).
I would also extend this advice to toys: Teach kids early on to donate or sell two to three toys for each new one they want. Now that’s good parenting that will last a lifetime.
Kids learn:
- Recycling, reusing, repurposing
- Economics, saving, and fiscal responsibility
- Organization and teamwork
- Philanthropy and the joy of giving
ABOUT TRACI MCBRIDE: TRACI IS THE WARDROBE STYLIST AT TEEMCBEE IMAGE CONSULTING. SUBSCRIBE TO HER NEWSLETTER, SCHEDULE A STYLE STRATEGY CALL, OR REQUEST TEE SPEAKS TO INFUSE YOUR ORGANIZATION WITH PASSION AND STYLE.
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