I originally wrote this April 16, 2018 for a different blog, and before the Netflix documentary about Marie Kondo became popular. However, I am constantly going through our house and trying to find things I can give away or sell. I felt like this blog still applies today! And just to be honest, I haven’t watched the KonMari documentary. Yet.
As we prepared for our garage sale last weekend I was going through our house like a mad person. I love getting rid of stuff. It’s even better when I can make a few dollars doing it! But when it comes to our clothes, I struggle. I doubt many people consider their closet to be a window to their past, but that’s just what it is for me. I reach for an old dress that’s too small now. It would be a good idea to sell it, so I pull it off the hanger. As I hold it I am reminded of my bridal shower 5 years ago. The love I felt by friends and family that day.
And I just can’t do it. Back on the hangar it goes.
I turn to my t-shirts, thinking I can find a few to weed out. Why do I have so many tie dye t-shirts? I ask myself. I see the one I bought when my husband and I were dating. I see the one I got on our honeymoon. I hold the one my Father-in-Law talked me into buying a few weeks ago because he knows I love bright colors. I put them all back on the shelf. Even the $12 for 7 white V-neck Ts I bought after my twins were born. They were the only thing that fit at the time and that’s all I wore for a month.
There’s a sweater my Mother-in-Law gave me for Christmas. She’s not around to hug anymore, but the sweater is and it reminds me of her.
There’s the nursing shirts my Mom bought me so I didn’t have to wear only white T-shirts anymore.
Do I need them? No. Do they hold precious memories? The best.
My boys’ closet was next. I have their old clothes in tubs in the basement so they were easy to get to. I began pulling out the first shoes they ever wore, their Easter outfits and tiny sleepers. I sat and basked in the sweet memories of bringing home tiny twin boys and how they’ve changed in the past 2 years. I put their clothes back, too. I’m sure when the tubs are bursting at the seams and we need more storage space I will sell or give their clothes away. For now, they’re safe and can be pulled back out if needed in the future.
I have to admit I was not successful at weeding our clothes well. I did sell a few things that never really fit right, and other household items, but for the most part I stayed away from our clothes. Our memories. Those soft, huggable pieces of moments in our lives. Moments that can be relived at any time, or for the next garage sale. It’s never a bad thing to clean out your house, but sometimes it’s okay to hang on to things, too.
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