room disappears under piles of clothing. To keep myself motivated, I break the process into small, manageable tasks. I start with the items that carry the least emotional weight: socks and undergarments. While I can’t donate most of those (and probably shouldn’t even try if there are holes involved), it’s a start.
From there, I move on to t-shirts, then workout gear, sweatshirts, and finally, work clothes. Working in sections helps me stay organized and really see the true volume of clothing I own. Spoiler: It’s always more than I think—and I definitely don’t need to keep it all.
Letting Go of the Emotional Baggage
Some clothing items have a bizarre hold on me. But why? They're just fabric, not friends. Clothes don’t have feelings or memories—I do. And that’s what pictures are for.
Then there are the “goal clothes”—you know the ones. The jeans you’ll fit into when you lose five pounds, or the dress you’ve been “almost” able to zip up for years. I’ve kept a few pairs of those pants from college. And while I won’t say exactly how long ago that was, let’s just say the pants might now be older than I was when I bought them. I moved those pants through five different state and international relocations because they were nice, work-appropriate, and name-brand. But they didn’t fit—and they weren’t serving me.
This past summer, with the help of style expert Lora LaPratt, I finally let them go. Along with thirteen other huge trash bags of clothing. I can’t recommend her services enough—or overstate the joy and relief I felt donating it all. It wasn’t just clutter; it was baggage. A lot of those clothes were helping me stay stuck. And once I let them go, I had space—physically and emotionally—to focus on clothes that fit me now and reflect who I am today, not some hypothetical future version of myself.
Start Fresh
So go ahead—get excited about spring and spring fashion. But before you add anything new to your closet, set yourself up for success. Let go of what doesn’t fit, what doesn’t serve you, and what doesn’t feel like you anymore. Make room for the person you already are—the one who deserves to shine right now.