Today I’m continuing the first category of the Konmari Method. Because of time constraints, I have broken this large category down into smaller subcategories. Here I’m showing you my progress with pants, skirts, and dresses.
If you missed my last post, in which I started the Method with tops, tees, and sweaters, you can read all about it here: The Konmari Method: Clothing, Part 1!
The Konmari Method: Clothing, Part 2
Pants
This was a quick sub-category. Despite how often I wear pants, it’s still one of the smallest sub-categories. I have a lot of trouble finding pants and shorts that fit properly (and comfortably), so decent ones are few and far between. When I find a good pair, I wear it until it dies. (I’m strongly considering giving up on jeans for good. Who’s with me?)
I didn’t discard any pants or shorts because I already donated the ones that didn’t fit last Spring. However, when I took everything out of the drawer, I discovered some candy I had hidden there! (Unfortunately, it wasn’t good anymore.) I folded everything using the Konmari technique. The drawer looks so much nicer now. On the left are all my black leggings and yoga pants, center are jeans and trousers, and on the right are my shorts.
(Since completing this sub-category I’ve actually added to this drawer: a pair of pants that you’ll see in my upcoming Fall 10 Item Wardrobe and some comfortable elastic waist shorts that I love.)
Skirts and Dresses
It was a new day when I pulled out all my skirts and dresses. I didn’t anticipate discarding much from these two subcategories; I assumed they all would bring me joy. Some things I had been holding onto for a very long time.
Skirts
Not long before starting Konmari, I had already taken out two of my newer skirts – one because the hemline was always a tad shorter than I liked, even though I loved it, and one that was pretty much brand new but no longer fit me after losing weight. I still had ten skirts left between my closet and storage.
Four of these skirts were definite keeps: my flowy white maxi skirt, my two tea length skirts I bought ages ago that still fit well and are in good condition, and a black and white knee length skirt that is also cute and comfortable.
Five skirts were not definite keeps, but against Konmari’s express advice, I relegated them to the guest bedroom closet (storage). Here is a breakdown on why:
Linen skirt: I love this skirt and it’s comfortable, but the hemline is a little shorter than I prefer. I haven’t decided if I’ll continue to wear it, but for now it brings me joy.
Black knee length skirt: I haven’t worn this before. I bought it to have on hand as occasion wear (i.e. funerals – it’s actually replacing a black skirt I had previously that I didn’t like the fit of). I don’t love it, but it’s good to have it just in case.
Three maxi skirts (gray, burgundy, black): These skirts are comfy and good for Fall weather, so they’re staying in storage for now. I may pull one or more out for my Fall wardrobe. The black skirt I mostly wear for special occasions.
I discarded only one skirt. I had been holding onto it for seventeen(!) years. It was a beautiful wrap maxi skirt that I used to love, and after gaining weight I held onto it in case I could ever fit into it again. I tried it on, and it fit! And then, once it was on, I remembered the things I didn’t love about it. When the wind blows, it blows the skirt open. That’s so not cool – no woman wants to wear something like that. Also, the fabric, while a beautiful print, was a cheap material. For these reasons I felt it was time to let the skirt go. I enjoyed wearing it when I was younger, but it no longer fits my lifestyle. I would not have had this epiphany had I just left it hanging in the closet and merely passed over it – which I did on every previous declutter.
This is the Method in action!
Dresses
Keeps: I kept ten dresses. Half of them were definite “joy” picks. The other half were “maybe’s”. One of them was a maternity dress, so I put it back in storage. Two other dresses were also relegated to storage: one being a special occasion dress, and another being a non-nursing friendly summer dress. My blue and white print dress was also a maybe. I hadn’t worn it at all the previous summer, but I decided to give it another chance to spark joy.
Discards: Three dresses were easy to discard because they no longer fit since I lost weight, but it was still sad to part with them because I loved them.
Four other dresses were a lot harder to part with. I had been holding onto them for a long time. One was a turquoise print dress I bought in college. I kept it because I loved the color and print of the fabric and thought I might repurpose it one day, even though it would never fit again. Since then I have learned how to sew, but when I examined the dress, I realized the fabric was a cheap material and would just fray if I cut it apart. So that was the end of that.
Another dress I bought years ago, and I used to look cute in it. I wore it to a few events, notably to a friend’s wedding and in my own engagement pictures, and that’s why I kept it. I tried it on, and the style no longer suits me.
The last two difficult discards were two beachy tropical print dresses. One I wore at my engagement party, the other I wore many times on my honeymoon in Hawaii. I loved these dresses. Years ago I looked great in them and could pull them off. I have happy memories associated with these dresses. However, I won’t wear them again. They’re just not the types of dresses I wear in this season of life. When I saw them hanging in the closet they took me back to happy times but also made me feel a little sad, because my body and life are different now – for better or for worse – and those cute little dresses are a reminder that I’m past that phase of life now.
Now I have the skirts and dresses for the proper season that bring me joy in my closet, and the out of season ones in storage. The closet I use as storage is now a lot less cluttered now that I’ve said goodbye to the pieces that no longer fit or spark joy.
I will continue going through my clothing in The Konmari Method: Clothing, Part 3.
Pin it for Later!
Resources:
The Lifechanging Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
Spark Joy by Marie Kondo
The Lifechanging Manga of Tidying Up: A Magical Story by Marie Kondo