maggie,

YOU CAN DO IT

I woke up this morning thinking about the exact same thing; ( I'm not even home, we are on vacation.....)

mitchdesj, I still have not done it!!!Its amazing that even on vacation we think about all the work we have to do. So thanks to your reply, tomorrow I am going to do it!!

Give up the organizing closet routine and spend your time writing. I can't wait for the next chapter. Seriously, don't want to sabotage your efforts but enjoyed your post. Maybe if you thought of your closet cleanout routine as fodder for more little paragraphs like this one, it might be more motivating, maybe? Thanks for giving me a smile before going to bed.

--Alice

"Its not you, its me, You don't make me happy anymore. "

This is my favorite line in your post; I could envision all the clothes drooping limply when you said this.

I'll lay down the covering fire. Watches synchronized? GO!

You can do it!

I need to do it, too, and keep putting it off. I think I do this because I believe I need an entire day to do it all at once. Partly I believe this because, w/ 850 sq ft, I don't really want a "Goodwill" box sitting around while it accumulates clothes, one or two items each day. So the "baby steps" makes me think I wll just make a worse mess, bcs I won't be able to get the stuff out of the house a day at a time. Just out of the closet--and on the floor, or in a pile in a corner.

I've been known to throw some clothes away--but some others are in pretty good shape.

I'm going to take a day off work this week, but I've been thinking I'll focus on the LR & DR, and the kids' toys. I suppose I could do the closet in the late afternoon and evening, when the kids are in bed.

I filled a green garbage bag today from my closet; beautiful herringbone pants that are itchy went away as well as a jean shirt that makes me look like one mean bikermama, a few pairs of sandals that had seen better days, etc.... and also a drawerful of orphan socks. Feels good to purge.

Maggie, you're a kick! "Called in sick be cause nothing to wear"--you have a Dave Barry style of writing and it really gave me a laugh. I jumped in here for a little motivation, I vowed (to myself) I'm cleaning out and tossing out from the linen closet at least. I've jammed so much in there that there's no room for linen. And yes, I'm tossing everything on the floor, I hope I can dig up some boxes or baskets. I may not have to go to the variety store because for five years once I get the stuff organized. And, I will be tossing, boy will I be tossing. I have a nice big empty garbage can, I'm going to give the guys and gals at Goodwill a break this time. Why do I keep all this JUNK?

LOL Today I did it. Well Yesterday now. FINALLY organized the closet. The only thing is I ran out of hangers. Will buy more next trip to town. I am sorry I am being a bit stuffy about this. I want all my hangers to be the same color and size. I am tired of my clothes falling off. I figure by not buying an organizer I can buy new hangers. There is a big box of clothes and good but mismatched hangers to go to the thrift store when I go to buy hangers.

I bought new longer closet poles and removed the back pole from our closet. Now we each have a side of the walk in and the library lives on the back wall. Small house out of the box thinking here. We each gained a foot of closet pole space by removing the back pole. A case of less is more.It turns out I do not need an organizer. By clearing out and organizing I have lots more room than I need. The AH it feels so good feeling is wonderful and it was not as hard to get in there and get it done as it has been for me to keep worrying and dreading it for the last couple of months.

Good Night Chris

Good job, chris; I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who has all matching hangers, it makes a difference in the visual of the closet...

I am so glad you told me this!!! I was feeling a bit anal about it. I did my husbands side first so his side is all matchie and it looks great. My side is organized size color etc. and looks crappy because the hangers are different colors shapes and sizes for part of the rod. I really do feel much better knowing someone else does not think this is an extravagance to buy all matching hangers.

Back to trying to organize the outside pantry. I REALLY need to get my exercise machines in there and put back together. It really shows on my body that I have not been using them all winter. :^((( Why there is very little in my closet. Nothing fit any more. ACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK Bye Chris

Wow, that was horrible. I went in and I really thought I was going to be able to grab and run but it didn't go down like that. First as I was leaning in toward the closet, about to jump in, It suddenly dawned on me why I had not cleaned my closet. It hit me like bad barbecue sauce. My knees went limp and I stumbled my fall was broken by a bunch of unpolished boots. As I pulled myself up pulling at the legs of worn sweat pants that let loose slipping down of f the hanger. Trying to get up, I reached again for anything, something when I recognized that old familiar feeling. The feeling of trying to find something to wear, the feeling of having before me the best of all I had ,but not a darn thing to wear. It hit me, the reason I had not thrown anything out was that I would be nude without out these worn ,ugly, outdated, threads. I have been wrapping myself in these old comfortable, never will match with anything, stuff. My day begins in ends in this pitiful closet. Thank good for my solid black jeans . If I clean out this closet then what"? . In my head before I started this thread I thought my closet would free me. But really everyday, I hope to find some mystery thing somewhere stuffed in there. Something has to magically appear. Things do peek out between stuff.. It has happened. The short sleeve shirts peak out and all of a sudden I can were it after all and sometimes my fat pants gives way to the baggy Bermuda shorts ( Do people wear Bermudas any more)?. Does not matter, I have to step back and re-think this a bit. I have been hit, I am down, anyone still out there???/

I did my closet, and my DH said, "what are you going ot wear?"

So, now I'm buying clothes (slowly--I do have enough fo rnow).

Because honestly, I was not buying stuff because I knew they wouldn't fit in the closet!

I *did* find a pair of pants that made me say, "where have you been all this time?" So that was good. But mostly, I now have space and permission to get newer clothes that actually fit.

Get back in the closet, Maggie Berry, and don't come OUT of the closet until you've tossed some stuff.

You might be surprised--if you're ruthless, it doesn't have to take more than 3 hours--probably less. You really *could* do it in an evening after supper.

I cleaned out my closet a while back. Still needs another round (many more rounds) of cleaning but it is a whole lot better. I hope to make a list of the clothes I want, exactly how many of each and for what sort of function they serve (very anal I know). Then go thru the closet and toss what doesn't fit in my plan. Where I have excess for a category, toss again. What I don't like, toss. Where I have gaps, I get to go shopping which I don't do very often because like many of you, my closet has been too full. I like the idea of being able to track exactly what I own. Then I can be more efficient at "maintaining"(the ugly "M" word), because I won't have so many and/or I know exactly what they are needed for. Probably will be a couple of years before I can achieve this, if ever. I've got a plan. Will take a while (years probably).
--Alice

Dear Talley Sue & AlicesRestaurant, ( and everyone with your very kind comments about my writings!! When I felt like such a failure you all managed to find something to lift me up and make me proud and happpy) As, Talley Sue suggested, I had a great supper. DH took me out so I did not have to cook or clean up afterward. So,I am going back in a few minutes. I have a long week-end ahead of me. Worst case, when the Kids come over, I will ask for their opinion. Also, this time they are going to make it into the front seat of my car, or better their cars! ThatÂs the plan. DH almost blew a gasket when I told him that I need more clothes. He has seen the bills and he knows I have been buying something. He just does not get it, but I am not going to stream about his insensitivity. ( after all I don't get it either LOL) I am moving forward. So, I think by this time Friday, I should have done something done. I think I am going to start by picking out seven work outfits for next week. That way my Sunday night challenge is over with. Ok, bye for a while, Oh Thank you all, I mean, I really am about to walk to the closet, here I go, OK, OK, OK, bye now...

Maggie, are you still in there? I hope your dh has at least been putting food by the door for you. I'm visualizing your neatly hung row of work outfits.

Dear SusanJN,
I too am visualizing perfectly hung rows of work outfits, unfortunatly they are at Chris's and Tally Sue's house. The more I thew out the more space things took up. I mean its like everything was vacummed in and the moment air hit them the bigger they poofed up in the closet. It is horrible its like trying to re-stuff a bed in the bag. Right now, I have piles, of clothes that is, over the floor. I am thinking that its spring now, maybe I was being hasty? Speaking of food. I have had such great feedback I am thinking of writing about my dieting adventures do you think any one would be interested. Oh, there I go again, I know, I have to stay focused. Next week-end, after next. Thats the day, everything goes that has not been worn in two years. Thank You for caring and hanging in there with me,Maggie

Sounds like you need some of those space bags to smush everything back down.

I have clothes in my closet ranging from size 4-14. My wildest dream is to get into the 8's. Why do I keep 4's and 6's? I haven't the foggiest notion.

Keep on going - we won't forget about you.

Maggie, You are so efficient an talented in the rose garden, use those your gardening skills for the closet project. Think of all the extraneous items in your closet as weeds in your garden. Like you made the garden to have curb appeal, make your closet so that you could proudly leave the door open when company comes.

I am totally inept in the garden but I have closets that I could entertain in.

Another option would be that we could house trade for a few days and I could organize your closet while you fixed my plant beds.

I have a dear friend whose closet (and entire bedroom, really) was a disaster of unorganized clothing etc., and one day I organized it for her, and helped her get rid of a large portion of it. I think it changed her life! (at least temporarily.) Maybe you have a caring friend you could enlist. Someone who likes helping others. I know I really enjoyed helping my friend.

Good luck! You are not alone.

Finally, IÂm done. I decided to look at my clothes as roses that have past their prime ( Dead roses in smelly water in a cloudy vase). Then I called my DDaughter and asked her to help me decide what I looked good in and what I should keep. To my surprise she liked a lot of the stuff that I hated. She offered to take about 1/3 off my hands. Lots of the clothes still had tags on them. Then, she lectured me on why its always better to shop alone. Shopping alone avoids the influenced of other people, she said. In exchange for her bounty she took another 1/3 away with her to donate to Good Will. She suggested we go shopping soon. She was smiling ear to ear when she left. Great Work, Mission Accomplished. Thank You All !!!! Sincerely, Maggie

The more I thew out the more space things took up.

This was majorly true for me--I got rid of so much, I have so little left, and I feel like I don't have ANY room in my closet!

(of course, those 2 feet of empty hangers at the end of the closet, which I kept in case I go shopping, may have something to do w/ it. (don't worry, I kept the good ones) They keep me from just running out and buying new clothes.)

And there is NOTHING like decluttering your clothes closet with help.

What a great win-win! :) Congratulations.