{Update}: How My Year without Shopping is Going...

At this point, I am about ten months into my year without clothing shopping, and so far, I've learned quite a bit about myself, my buying habits, and what has been the hardest for me to pass up.  A few observations:

1.  I have to, first of all, admit that I did give in once throughout this journey and buy a pair of shoes on eBay.  (I wasn't sure how I was going to handle shoes, and I guess I found out!)  They were 99 cents from someone who was trying to get rid of things while moving - I couldn't pass them up!  ...which brings me to #2...

2.  I have learned that it is hardest for me to pass up things that are a good deal.  I haven't struggled nearly as much as I thought with bypassing the mall or the designer stores (I guess I hardly shop there anyway, truthfully), but I do have a hard time saying no to the steals at Salvation Army, Goodwill, or eBay.  I have learned a lot about my temptation: getting a good deal.  Yet getting a good deal does not equal needing it.  I don't need more greatly-discounted jeans in my closet (I already have a leaning pile, and that's after getting rid of quite a few pairs!), and I don't need more shirts, sweatshirts, or purses, no matter how low their price may be!  This is hard for me as a thrifter (or just a cheapskate, however you like to word it) to learn to pass up.  But I'm working on it!

 3. Taking this year as an opportunity to get rid of a LOT of clothes that I don't really wear over the course of a year has helped me to actually realize what I do need to have a well-rounded closet.  I've realized that I do need some nice skirts to wear for church, meetings, and speaking engagements with my supervising professors.  This is an area in which I am lacking.  I've also realized that I'd like to get a few more high heels during the next year, because I tend to gravitate toward those throughout the year when I'd like to feel a little better about myself and need a little self-confidence boost!

 4. I've realized what my habits are as a "wearer" of clothes.  I don't wear much variety in jeans - if I have a few pairs that I really am comfortable in and can wear with a variety of outfits, I usually really don't wear more than 3-4 pairs from week to week.

 5.  Finally, I've realized that I have more self-control than I may have previously realized.  I have made it throughout these ten months so far with only one indiscretion - my 99 cent eBay shoes.  And I feel pretty good about that.  Even with my daily Today Show watching habit and love of reading Oprah magazine, I've been able to bypass the temptations of beautiful shoes, clothes, and accessories they feature and realize that I have quite enough in my own closet, and compared to most others in the world, MORE than enough.  Also, not having those clothes has not affected my happiness, my relationships, or my sense of well-being.  Actually, in some ways, it has alleviated my guilt over unneeded purchases, freed up time that I would have spent shopping to do other things, and has proved to me that I have self-control that I didn't realize I possessed.

That's not to say that I'm not looking forward to March when I can add a few things to my closet that I've been eyeing up at Salval and Goodwill that I really need.  I'd challenge you to re-evaluate your closet and challenge yourself to rethink your buying habits.  Even if it's just a month, I can almost guarantee that you'll learn about yourself, your habits, and perhaps even realize you have much more self-control than you gave yourself credit for!

Post-Christmas Clothes for Sale!

Once again, I'm cleaning out the closet post-Christmas and putting some Women's and Kids' clothes (that fit petite women too!) on eBay.  Check them out here - if you message me (through eBay or email: rewardsofthesimplelife@gmail.com) that you saw my listing through the blog and would like to purchase an item, I'll discount your shipping to $2.99!

Check it out here!

Clothes for Sale!

Once again, I'm cleaning out the closet (trying to simplify my life!)... In trying to keep with my resolution to get rid of clothes this year that I do not wear, I have another small batch that I decided I could live without, and thus, they are now on eBay ready for another wearer.

Check them out here!

Cleaning Out the Closet = Clothes for Sale!

I was going through clothes tonight and decided to sell some on eBay.  Check them out here!

Check back in the next day or two...more to come!

Why I Gave Up Shopping for a Year (OR How I Identified the Problem in My Closet)

In April of this year, I made the commitment to go one full year without clothing shopping of any kind. WHY? Because I finally realized it was the problem with my closet.

For years, I have complained about my closet being too full, overcrowded, and ineffective because I still ended up with piles of clothes outside of my closet on the floor, dresser, and laundry basket that wouldn’t fit in the closet. I bemoaned the fact that I had clothes I didn’t even realize I had, and that I wasn’t wearing about seventy-five percent of what I had in my closet because I either didn’t like it, didn’t know I had it, or couldn’t get to it. It was that bad, and I’m a little embarrassed to admit it. However, after talking to friends, I realized that this was a very common situation. We all admitted that we had lots of clothes we never wore, but confessed that it felt scary to give them away because it felt like relinquishing our options, even if we weren’t using them.

It wasn’t until a church retreat in April with the theme of “living simply” that I realized that a radical way of dealing with my closet was possible. There was a panel of members who were finding creative ways to live more simply and less-consumingly. Thought-provoking ideas for sharing, reusing, and rethinking our resources were given. However, it wasn’t until a multi-generational conversation about why it is so hard to give up long-held-on-to possessions that someone told me about a young person that they knew who had decided to go a full year without buying any new clothes. After the year was over, they want back into their closet and gave away anything that they didn’t wear during that year.

I was instantly reminded of my own closet situation: what if I would get rid of everything I didn’t wear during the course of a year? The thought was scary, because it felt like I wouldn’t have much left. But a small part of me thought the idea sounded liberating. No more struggling in the dressing room with jean sizes, rushing through stores to find something “cute” to wear for that special occasion, or feeling guilty about all the unknown items lurking in my overcrowded closet. It was a challenge worth thinking about, but altogether, it felt a little too challenging to be realistic.

I went home that day and decided to take stock of my closet to see what I could give away to Goodwill or Salvation Army. As I started to sort through my closet, I realized again how many clothes I had that I was not wearing on a regular basis, mostly because I had many other items like them that I liked more. So why was I keeping them? I started to box up items that I felt comfortable giving away. After ending up filling three large boxes, I realized that I had a problem. I was putting too many new things into my closet without realizing what I already had or getting rid of what I no longer wanted. Suddenly the idea of not buying any new clothes for a year sounded challenging but worthwhile, not just because of the way it would transform my closet, but also for how it would transform my mindset and lifestyle. So I decided to take on the challenge.

It has been about three months so far, and surprisingly, it hasn’t been as challenging as I thought in these early months since I made the resolution. It has not been cause or a platform to criticize others who do buy new clothing, because it is something I’ve needed to come to terms to for myself after realizing my own situation. It has helped me to learn new things about myself and be a more mindful and creative user and re-user of my resources. I’ve realized that a reorganization of my closet was in order, and that alone has helped me to utilize more of the clothes I already own. I’ve also come to grips with the fact that I often equal new clothes with beauty and feeling good, rather than seeing it in acceptance of myself as beautiful. Finally, I’ve been reminded by others who I’ve shared my story with that this is a more realistic way to live for the rest of the world. Mindlessly buying new clothing is a luxury that I was taking for granted, that many others around the world (and in pockets of our own country) do not have. According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s 2010 Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average American consumer unit (about 2.5 persons) spends $1,725 just for apparel each year. On average, someone in the third world makes less than $2 a day, which is about $730 or less of income a year (Source: Stanford University’s Social Entrepreneurship Startup 2003 research studies). Needless to say, I doubt that my previous way of life would be very viable or necessary for most other members of the world community.

I’m sure that as I continue to go through the next nine months of my no-shopping challenge, it will become more difficult and bring new temptations. However, for me, this is an important challenge of my self-will, view of what I truly “need”, and a chance to spend or save my money in more giving and necessary ways.