I am reading the book “The joy of less”by Francine Jay, reading that I share daily in a WhatsApp group in which I get a lot of feedback and also exchange of experiences.
For some time now I have been living or better saying, trying to leave with less and so far it has been an interesting experience.
Some people call it minimalism, I personally prefer not to label it ,instead just want to share with you some actions and habits I have put into place.
Think before buying
First thing I consider really important is to be aware before buying.
We are living in an automatic mode and because we do not have time for anything else, thinking included, the marketing people get us easily.
Dressing up
In this month’s article I’d like to invite you to think a bit more about your clothes.
Do you have only things you like and actually wear?
According to the most famous personal organiser nowadays, Marie Kondo, we should own only what brings us joy and maybe thinking like that you might realize that those 20 pairs of shoes do not bring you joy, on the contrary some may even bring you pain.
Rethinking
So I invite you to rethink about each piece of clothing, shoe, accessory that you already have and from now on to think about each one you are thinking about buying.
Beside the space in our closet and in our lives we also need to be more conscious about when we do not want the item anymore, where will I dispose?
Letting it go in 5,4,3,2,1
Today we will start with the decluttering of your clothes and some important and useful thoughts
1. You wear only 20% of what you own at 80% of the time
You do not need 80% of the clothes you have, ok do you think it’s too much? So let’s think together. You probably have about 10 tops but at the time to wear it you want the one that is dirty or at the laundry.
Solution: take all your clothes, sort them out by category: short sleeve shirt, long sleeve, dresses, etc. Take each one and “feel”it : Do you like it? Does it make you happy? Good memories? How often do you wear it? So you can keep it.
But if the reason why you still have it is because you are waiting to lose weight, the fashion to be back or a special occasion: give it away.
For sure it will be much more useful for somebody else.
2. Out of sight, out of mind
Picture it: out of sight, out of mind, so true … if you keep your clothes on the top of each other the tendency is that you wear the first one on line. You wash them, put them back on the top and the other poor ones are left there alone, dug and you don’t even see them.
Solution: I personally do like that, I put all my clothes for the season in the hanger, wear them, wash them but I do not put them back in the hanger, until I wear everything I have hung. This way I get to find out what I really wear and what does not bring me joy anymore and it makes it easier to let it go.
3. #consciousconsuming
Clothes are not disposable – wear, repeat, and wear them again. So what … you are wearing your favorite clothes again? What is the matter if you wear the same dress in a party, if you love it and feel like a princess on it? Although nowadays we have access to cheap clothing we need to think a bit at which cost this product was produced maybe a child labor or slavery?
4. Oldies, goldies
Old clothes to wear at home – NO … your house is your sanctuary, wear something comfortable and that you like it’s ok but that old sweater that you don’t even like but leave it to wear at home just because it is too old …. definitely big no, no. #letitgo
5. Reuse, recycle
Lost sock, torn jeans, etc reuse, make a reusable bag out of that favourite shirt you can’t wear anymore, reinvent your jeans make a handbag, a cushion. Give away single socks for charity groups who can make blankets out of it.
Undressing
Remember the first and main goal of our clothes is to cover us from temperatures and of course our ego wants to feel pretty but there’s nothing more beautiful to wear than your soul and the joy, donation, solidarity and gratitude for what we own.
“Simplicity is the highest degree of sophistication” (Leonardo Da Vinci)
Dress your soul!
Feliz, falante, abençoada por Deus e apaixonada pela natureza. Propósito na vida: deixar o mundo melhor incentivando as pessoas a serem mais conscientes em relação ao meio ambiente através de pequenas mudanças de hábitos e da leitura de livros inspiradores.