january week one: clothing control

Gyms love it. Weight-loss centers love it. The Container Store loves it. January: the month of resolutions and new beginnings. And I love it too. As I shared on my last post, 2012 is dedicated to simplifying my life through having less.

Elfa storage solutionA few months ago while I was researching concrete countertops, Fu-Tung Cheng discussed green solutions in countertops. He kept it simple: The greenest countertop you could possibly own is the one you already own. The second greenest countertop you could own is the one someone else already owned. You follow? This caused me some serious reflection on my current inventory of stuff.

After installing our closet systems last week, I found that I fell back in love with many pieces of clothing that didn't look so appealing when they were wadded up in a drawer. Other pieces I promptly gave away to a girlfriend who would do them better justice than I did. The same for my daughters' clothes. For all the clothes that we decided needed to go, we are planning a clothing swap with friends. Anything that does not swap from this will go to Goodwill. If we don't use it, love it, or miss it, then it needs to go to someone who will. 

My focus for this week is clothing control. Love it or leave it. This goes for jewelry and accessories too. If they are hanging idlely in our closets, then they are wasting time and space. Someone else will love them more and I'm determined to get them into their hands.

What small (or big) change will you enact this week that will simplify your life?