CLOSET CLEANSE
steps to a healthier, simpler wardrobe
HAVE YOU EVER STOOD
in front of
your closet and moaned, “I don’t have anything
to wear!” I have, lots of times! Of course, it’s a
ridiculous statement, since usually we say it staring
into a closet jam-packed with options. A thrifter
by nature, I’ve never lacked cute clothing and
my closet shows my affinity for good deals. I love
putting together an arresting outfit and for years I
felt like the best way to do that was to have lots of
options.
Recently, however, I’ve been seeking ways to
streamline my life to make room for things that
matter most. And the more changes I’ve made
to my lifestyle, the more I’ve realized that the one
thing most devoid of simplicity is….my closet. I’ve
also learned that being the girl with a hundred
dresses is actually more stressful than enjoyable. So
I decided to try an experiment: a closet cleanse.
The theory is that excess breeds stress, while
simplicity brings freedom.
Simplicity in the wardrobe enables us to have what
we need and use what we have. It guards against
materialism. “Yeah, but I don’t spend excessively!”
You may protest. I said this for a long time in defense
of my overcrowded closet. The truth, however,
is that materialism isn’t just spending beyond our
means. It is possessing more than we can regularly
use and enjoy.
I love Richard Foster’s perspective in his book, The
Freedom of Simplicity:
“Contemporary culture is plagued by the passion
to possess. The unreasoned boast abounds that
by Rae Schrock
Photography by Heidi Mast
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