Is your closet f*cking with you?
There isn’t a quick fix for achieving a personal style that will make you feel like your best, truest, most badass self. It’s a process that takes time, effort and reflection. I have a lot more thoughts on this.
BUT here’s one thing you can do that will make a BIG ASS difference. And you can do it TODAY, with no outside help.
It’s not a coincidence that my most popular posts on both Instagram and Tiktok were about this one thing.
Your closet should only contain clothes that fit your body as it is today.
One more time…
Your closet should only contain clothes that fit your body as it is today.
I know it sounds simple, but I also know you haven’t done it.
IT TRIGGERS YOU
Every time you go through your closet to pick an outfit, you make split-second judgements on each item you see. It probably sounds something like “not today, meh, doesn’t fit, maybe, not in the mood, doesn’t fit” and so on. You give each item a verdict and the verdict of “doesn’t fit” is probably making you feel bad in some way – guilt, disappointment, self-criticism, etc.
So for every item you come across that doesn’t fit, you’re having a bad feeling. Yes, it’s a microsecond but there are likely DOZENS of them. That shit adds up! And that’s how you’re starting your day?
Instead, imagine how it would feel to only look at clothes that give you good feelings. Or at worst, neutral ones. Isn’t that a better way to start the day?
IT’S INEFFICIENT
Think of your closet as a toolbox. It’s filled with different tools for different jobs and each items serves a(t least one!) purpose. You’d never keep a broken nail in a toolbox, so why keep clothes that don’t fit in your closet?
Having items that can’t do the job makes it harder to create a solution with the tools that do work. They take up space both literally in the closet and mentally by distracting you from what works.
Every day when you look through your closet, you evaluate every item you look at for its viability in that day’s outfit. You likely don’t even remember what fits and what doesn’t some days, so you have to take the time to ask yourself “does this fit?” for at least a few items. You may even try it on to confirm.
Think of all the time you’ve wasted on the items that don’t fit, that have been in your closet for years. Those daily minutes have probably added up to hours, if not days, of wasted time.
If you only have clothes that fit your body as it is today, your closet is full of solutions, and devoid of distractions.
I generally suggest getting rid of clothes that don’t fit. It is very unlikely that if these clothes fit again, you’ll actually want them. Most people hold onto clothes that no longer fit as a way to channel a previous version of themselves. Some people do it to punish themselves for gaining weight. I’m not your therapist, but I can assure you that neither of these things will do you any good.
That said, I know it’s not always easy for people to get rid of things. If you're not ready to burn it all down (aka donate/recycle responsibly), store them somewhere else. Put them in a spare room, under your bed, in a suitcase, somewhere out of sight and therefore out of mind. If you live in a tiny apartment (I can relate) and your closet is the only place your clothes can go – give them the worst real estate you have. Shove them in that back corner that you can’t really reach anyway. You can even put garment bags over them to make it super clear that they are not part of your everyday wardrobe.
Whatever you decide, these items cannot be scattered throughout your regular wardrobe anymore.
You can do this. You SHOULD do this. When you do, I PROMISE YOU getting dressed will be more enjoyable, easier and faster. Let me know how it goes.
