Every January, I change the cluttered holiday decor over to a cleaner, simpler theme. It almost always puts me in the mood to clean out, clear out, and reduce. Most years, I’ll pick just one or two areas in the house for close inspection and brutal reductions. This year will be more so than ever as we are looking to downsize in the next year or two. This means lots of things need to begin moving out. Although we love the view from our veranda and the wildlife, the acreages of land and this old house are getting to be a bit much for us. After Hurricane Helene, the amount of work to be done on the forest edge alone is daunting and expensive, and much will just have to be left for nature to take care of. But for now, we enjoy the views, like this winter scene with fog in the valleys separating the hills to the distant ridge.
I put my 92-piece china set up for sale before Thanksgiving, but of course, did not get any inquiries. Seems like very few entertain in their homes anymore. I intended to sell some of the Lenox Holiday Tartan as I really don’t need 15 place settings of that, but no bites on it either. I hate the idea of donating my wedding china to a thrift store, but driving it to Greensboro to the Replacements China place may not be cost effective either. Either way, I need to box it up this week. It is the sentimental value that stymies me in moving forward, yet I almost never actually use it anymore.
Cleaning up my card making bench after mailing my holiday cards, I decided to go through all the papers and give away what I’ll never use. I started with gathering all the Christmas papers and cards that can be cut up into other things like gift tags and bookmarks. I put those in a plastic folder that closes, and set them aside for next year.
I began pulling other plastic folders to go through. I got a bunch of new ink pads on my final order from IOstamps, so some of the older ones that I never use will be donated. I have a lot of papers with motifs too large for cards as they are meant to be scrapbook pages. So all those can go. Not to worry, I could give away over half of what I have and still have more than I can use.
But the biggest chore on the list is clothes. I need to make my closet a priority again. I still have too many clothes, things that I like or love but just never have a chance to wear. It didn’t help when I bought two more gorgeous sparkly jackets to wear to the two car club anniversary events and Mardi Gras this year! In my defense, they were at the thrift store, and party wear was buy one get one free. So I paid $14 for both. But now, at least one or two of the older ones need to go. But the deep midnight blue fits so well, the red is useful for more than just Christmas, and I love the two sequined ones – one short sleeve and one long sleeve. Ah, what to do!!
But besides the holiday wear, I just have too many things in the closet. How many things do I actually wear? But what if I need that color and I gave it away? Good grief. I need to just suck it up and purge. This next part isn’t hard, it just takes a bit of time. I look at every piece individually, trying on the things in the closet that I am unsure about. Then I look for things to put together that haven’t gone together before. Last year, I found that this dress went very well with a teal sweater, bought years earlier, as well as an ecru crocheted cardigan.
As you pick up each item, place the garments into four piles – Keep, Alter, Donate, Trash. The keeper items just need to be put back into the closet. Those are the things you can see immediately are still in good condition and you wear often. For the others, ask a few questions. Can you alter the marginal things? Is there a simple repair needed like a popped seam? Would a shorter sleeve or an altered hem length make a difference? If you can do an easy alteration, take it to the sewing room. If you love it but it needs a major repair like a new zipper and you are willing to spend some money to have it professionally altered, take it to a tailor. If it just doesn’t fit well or isn’t what you really like, put it in the donate pile. If it is stained, hopelessly worn, or needs too much in repairs, just trash it. A rainy day yesterday was the perfect time to do some of this work in my own closet. I spent a couple of hours looking at every item in my closet, pulling out those things that I know fit, but needed attention. This pile is going to be washed. I’m not sure if they are permanently stained, or just got hung up without me noticing. So off to the laundry room for these.
I have a number of beautiful silk scarves, a couple of lacy shawls, and two pashmina shawls I rarely wear. I did wear the gold shimmery one at Mardi Gras last year, but that was the first time in years. I haven’t worn the pashminas because frankly I forgot I had them. The silk scarves are beautiful, and were my mother’s. I never wear them, but cannot bear to give them away. Do you have things like this?
I’ve gotten rid of all my ‘aspirational’ clothes, beautiful things that are just a tad too small. These remain. I really do like all of them. The one on the left has a shimmery look to the animal inspired stripe. The polka dot short sleeve is just too cute, as is the floral one. The lace front ecru goes with everything. And the other black one has adorable ruched sleeves. I tried them all on again, and they are still a bit small. I’m going to keep them in a drawer for the next six months. If I flip my closet again and they are still not wearable, they will get donated.
Then there is this beauty, a linen sleeveless shirt with white on white embroidery. I love the look of it, but it is a shade too tight. The buttons gape across my bustline. So, I’ll put it with the sweaters and see if it fits the next time I change things out.
Into a drawer they go, as hanging space is at a premium. This will keep them from dust while they wait.
Another drawer will store the things I only wear in the fall. Everything in this drawer fits well and is in good condition.
Then there are these two denim shirts. The sewing theme one I really like, and will occasionally wear even though I do not like shirts with collars as a general rule. Well, other than this one and the flannel shirts. The one on the left I did the embroidery on, but I need to remove the lace. I’ve had that shirt for years, but I just don’t wear it. I’ve decided it looks tacky. Into the repair basket it goes.
Also to the repair pile will go this sweatshirt jacket I made some years ago. I wore it quite regularly in the past, but I haven’t worn it in several years. Pulling it out of a drawer this year, I realized why. I do not like the treatment I did on the shoulders, it is too much and looks tacky to me now. Luckily the pieces were sewn on a machine, then appliqued to the sweatshirt by hand, so they shouldn’t be too much trouble to remove. Then I’ll have a blank for something new. This sweatshirt was really good quality but not very heavy.
Only a few things are in the repair or alter pile. The Christmas print skirt will get cut up as the fabric is a nice quality woven cotton quilting fabric. The blue floral just needs the hem put back to rights.
Some things that just don’t fit well, or had other problems like style or cut went into the donate pile. I had to resist the inner voice when it began whining “but, but, it’s August Silk! You love August Silk!” Nope, it is cut wrong for my shape, and the armscye is too large. Out it goes. Several other designers are in this mix too, including the stunning black pencil skirt with the asymmetrical pleating that is just so pretty. But it doesn’t fit and I have no place to wear it. Move on.
Then, the unmentionables were next. I pitched out the marginal things, then I tried on every bra. Drawers were neatened up, more things pulled and tried on for fit. I went through my shoes, put two pair in the donation bag and one in the trash. I previously went through the handbags and hats, so those were done. At the end, I had a bag of clothes for donation, a bag for trash, and a few things to wash or repair.
Now there is a bit of space to move hangers around. There are two skirts on the rack that I just cannot give up. The pink pencil skirt is the only light color one I have. I wore it to my brother in law’s wedding, and I’ll keep it in case I need a skirt in the summer again. The tweed one is also a pencil skirt and looks fabulous with my black boots, something else I rarely get to wear. I still have too many logo t-shirts from car club things, but they will just have to stick around. I organized the remaining things into short sleeve, long sleeve, sleeveless, jackets, sweaters and bottoms. It might be cold enough this week to wear the quilted jacket I made two years ago.
You can do this too. Pull out your favorite things and figure out why those are the things you like the best. Is it the style or color, or the fabric? Or is the fit just fabulous? Now pull out the things you never wear. Why don’t you wear these? Is the neckline too low? Is the hem too short? Is it cute, but not comfortable? Does the fabric pucker or gape in certain places? Again look at fit, style, color, fabric. Is there a theme emerging? Are you drawn to particular colors or styles more than others? Donate the things you never wear, and make space for more things you will love.
I found the styles that I liked and looked good on me using the Rules from What Not To Wear for my figure type. See if there are things in your closet you can wear together that you haven’t put together before. See more of how I do my wardrobe analysis on What’s In YOUR Closet?, and on my post from a year ago Closet Reorganization.
Have you made a run through your closet to really scrutinize what you have? How do you decide what to keep and what to donate?
From My Carolina Home 
We recently needed to decide what to do with a set of my in-laws china as they both passed away. One things we learned is that Replacements no longer allows you to drop off china at the store. It must be shipped to them! We found the shopping costs were more then what would be earned from the sales of them.
I didn’t think it’s that people don’t entertain in their homes anymore, but that they don’t use china when they do.
Hi Carole, You mention you are trying to sell your Lennox Holiday Tartan dinnerware. Where are you posting this sale? I do not find it on your website ” From my Carolina Home” ? I know of someone interested in this pattern.
It is listed on Craigslist in Asheville. Right now I just have some serving pieces up for sale. Local buyers only. I’ll be listing six dinner plates and six salad plates perhaps in the summer for next fall sale.
Last year at this time we were exactly where you are…though our timeline was much closer……we ended up moving within months. I was a dish hound and ended up saying goodbye to 5 of the 8 sets of dishes I had. Sold 4, donated one. I’d been pecking away at reducing my clothing after I stopped teaching on the quilt circuit….the University of Wisconsin’s fashion department obtained 13 of my show pieces. You are wise to get a jump start…..we too hated to leave our beautiful views and WNC in general but one needs to be practical…good luck.
Carol, I feel your anxiety. My husband and I are moving off our wooded property with a beautiful view. Wow, we have accumulated so much in 20 years!! It could have been me writing your exact blog! Good luck. Cathy
Here’s me thinking, that lace on that denim collar and pocket are so cute!!! I feel with you on the china. We use ours every year at Thanksgiving only. It takes up a lot of space, but it has such sentimental value. I see a lot of china sets at the local thrift store.
Hi Carole! I have also caught the January Purge bug. I, too, went through my closet and unmentionables drawers, but still need to do more! I have a thing for shoes, and find that I really only wear a total of 5 or 6 pair here at home, out and about, or to church. Time to move those out! We had the floor in my craft room replaced in November, and when I moved everything back in, I went through every drawer and space of every storage piece and purged more fabric and paper. I gave the paper, stickers and other craft related items away to my two younger girls who have joined our family as my daughter’s stepchildren. I gave my own wedding china away years ago to my youngest daughter. I was just hunting around in my storage area in the basement, and looked around in dismay…so much “stuff” just sitting there, some unused for at least the 5 years since we moved last. I told my husband we will have a “Clean-out” weekend down there this spring…he wasn’t happy, but we will do it anyway! He’s even more of a sentimentalist that I am!
I’ve also begun to gift some family heirlooms out to my three daughters at Christmastime, especially things that belonged to my mother, their grandmother. It is in this small way that we keep her memory alive.
I’m struggling with the thought of giving up my mom’s Haviland Pasadena china. I do use it but only about once a year when it’s my turn to host book club. I looked at Replacements, LTD but I’m not sure if they’re buying the pattern, and even if they are I’m not sure it would be worth it to ship them. I went through my closet a couple of months ago and got rid of a lot, but I swear they’re breeding in there!
Oh my gosh, you make me start shaking again😂
I am doing this. We are moving 4 miles away and kind of down sizing,.
We do not need to sell this house first, but it would be excellent to put it on the market in Spring. we are probably moving in May!
I have a few neighbors that have some connections to wanting a home here in Broadlands. Also I am sure our house will not be difficult to sell.
Now the clean up. OH MYYYY Our house is filled with so much.
It is daunting especially knowing we have a time line now. My oldest daughter has a huge house and she said she could take a few boxes to hold onto. The China, and other things. Good thing for Craigs list. Do you have to have a membership to that? are there commission payments due?
We have a lot of places we can sell our stuff, but yeah, the china.
No one cares about Noritake or Lenox anymore.
We are living in funny times. which reminds me of a story. An old neighbor (she was quite young actually as we all were) was getting her front concrete walk replaced by her builder. So she went to some antique store and spent $30 on two antique plates, came home crashed them apart with a hammer and laid the pieces into her wet concrete. Yeah it looked pretty but she moved away two years later.
I thought is was pretty crazy as the plates were gorgeous.
Enjoy the clean out. I am hating it. I have boxes and boxes and plenty of paper from mom and dad’s moves, and my daughters move, so really, I just need to make 100 boxes marked “Treasures”
I think many people just don’t use “good china” anymore – it is no longer in style. When my aunt died about 5+ years ago I was asked if I wanted the china that she had that had belonged to my grandmother – I said yes- now I wish I hadn’t I think I have used it twice. No one ever wants to use it on the holidays as we have to hand wash it. It is a bother now and takes up a whole shelf in the cabinet I have it in – lucky for me what I got was what had been left of the set and not all the original pieces. As far as clothes go I do not dress up but have so many sweaters, sweat shirts, T-s of all types I really need to go through those and toss many or donate. Sorry to hear you are planning to downsize and find a new place in the next couple years but totally understand
Let It Go! Keeping stuff you never use because of “it was Mom’s, Dad gave it to me, no one will buy it” is emotional baggage. The younger generations don’t care and don’t want the stuff.
I’m not being trite. I’m only 63yo, been there/done that. It is gone! I’m grateful I’ve never been into clothes 😉
Carole, I didn’t realize that you were going to downsize in the future. Your view of the mountains is stunning! I cleaned out my closet before Thanksgiving and let go of everything that I had not worn in two years or longer. It was a big chore, but worth it!
I am currently preparing to sell a set of my mother’s china. The replacement store isn’t interested, so I will call a couple of the local antique stores, and a couple of the people on Craigslist that want collectibles. If no one wants to buy it, I will donate it knowing that I tried.
As to the closet, I have gained weight and it is time to go through it again. It is on my list for next week.
Not easy, but it all needs to be done. We have already downsized, and got rid of a LOT, but I am in the mood to make more of it disappear.
Good luck.
I feel your pain over letting the China go, it is hard. You set such pretty tables for all the holidays. I gave my China away 20 years ago and haven’t missed it once. Moving certainly makes one decide what to move and what to let go. When we left the home, we raised our family in all those decisions were brutal, but it gets easier these days. Our new rule is if it doesn’t bring joy or get used in 2 years it can go. I decorate with less stuff and we don’t need much these days. Wish you lots of luck with making all those decisions, its never easy.
You are further ahead than I but the mold issue and then the bedbugs pushed the issue and I did an awful lot then with the clothes and just “stuff.” Once I get the holidays put away (and maybe do a couple of fun things) I need to take a hard haul in the office/art storage room. I did this once, with a lot of donations, and again with the yard sale a couple of years ago (won’t probably do that again) but now I have to make a big sort — keep all the painting, enough paper and collage stuff for cards but not a lot, since I don’t do that many anymore; pass on the beads and buttons for the most part. I want to try to get four bookshelves of stuff down to at least three, maybe two. My issue is I want to house them “well” and not just pitch. It’ll happen.
This very day I’m taking a break from a massive clean-out of kitchen cupboards, tossing expired food and spices, washing and spraying with vinegar, all that. It has started to feel like a bit of a massive project! But, an essential one!
It’s nice to know there’s a partner in cleaning out somewhere in the world!
I’m sure you will sad to move away from your lovely home on the mountains, but guess downsizing comes to most of us. I always enjoy reading about the wild animals and birds which come and visit.
I feel your pain with the dishes. I have 3 sets that have been handed down and I very rarely do dinner entertaining. Sigh.
I love to declutter!!! Did my closet a few years back, and I only have a couple of things in there that are seldom worn…like a pair of jeans. I never wear pants…yes, I even helped the hubs prep a slab for concrete in a skirt..
Every year I do the declutter challenge with Just Get it Done Quilts. I don’t keep a lot of clutter in my sewing room, so often I apply it to another room in the house. The only place I haven’t gone through is my hubby’s hanging clothes. He won’t take the time to go through them with me. His theory is, if they fit in the closet, why get rid of anything. Yet, he reaches for the same 4 or 5 shirts everytime. Oh well….
Hope you enjoy your newly cleaned closet and can find a good recipient for the China.
Something we should all do but for the life of me I just can’t make my self jump to it
Happy New Year. Purging is such a difficult job. I have done it three times in the past nearly five years. It is difficult emotionally and physically. Best of wishes to you.
You certainly went to town on decluttering. Since I work, I don’t prefer to clean and organize over the holiday break. I should though.
You always look so organized and do a great job on the purging! I cleaned out my closet of “teacher clothes” several years ago after I retired, and now I wonder why it again seems so full. I’m sure it’s those sentimental items that are just really hard to get rid of! And the china – not my own, but my mom’s and my mother-in-law’s – both in boxes in the basement. So hard to know what to do with it!
visit any goodwill and you will see tons of fine china taped together in sets…they are sinking in the stuff! i am a serial declutterer, so no big job at the new year…now that i’m retired and seldom go anyplace, let alone anywhere special, i’ve pared my clothes way down to one large tote for either season, spring/summer/fall and winter..plus i’ve moved a few times and things get jettisoned along the way…it is amazing how much you don’t really need…
It seems to be a pattern world wide that we take down our Christmas decorations and move into cleaning and decluttering mode. I think our charity shops get most of their donations at this time of year. Good luck with all your tasks.