simple living/downsizing questions

I'm in the "throw it in a tote stick it under the bed" camp. I'm uncomfortable with getting rid of something which is in good repair, classic in style, and the right size, simply because it might be "stressful" to own it. If you open the closet and realize somehow, perhaps through gifts, items you've bought on sale, etc, that you have too many of something, remove the newest and store them. As things wear out, replace them from your stock.

My husband wears a shirt out, depending on the quality, in about a year. I could turn the collars, but by the time he gets to that point the shirt is stained (he works around machinery). He gets shirts from work as part of his employment package and when one wears out... I pull another out of storage. But am I going to toss perfectly good clothing because it is stressful? No.

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Icelandic Sheep and German Angora Rabbits

I'm wondering what people think is "enough" clothing? For instance, enough to wear for one week without laundering? Two weeks? Longer?

'Exquisite freedom' describes it perfectly.

I go through our clothing on my semi-annual seasonal switch-out, when winter clothes are brought out and summer clothes stored, and vice-versa. That's the time I scrutinize what's worth keeping and what doesn't get used. The latter goes to the thrift shop.

I've learned that an uncluttered home also unclutters the mind and just automatically makes life much simpler.

My advice would be to keep the things your family loves and wears most often and get rid of everything else.

I have a real estate broker friend that started a policy years ago... she noticed that she seemed to wear the same 5 outfits over and over and the rest of her closet was just crowded... so she took almost all of it to the consignment shop. At the beginning of each season she buys 5 new work outfits then rotates the previous stuff to the consignment shop.. clothes are still in good shape and in style so she gets more for them but then uses the money for the next seaons outfits.

Never throw anything away. You might need it someday.

I've 'heard' that people that like clutter have mental issues..., but I've also heard that people that are neat freaks have 'issues' too.

Anytime I throw anything away, a few days or weeks later, I find I need it, and end up having to look in the goodwill shops or the hardware stores, and buying it again.

As long as it don't eat, and you have space, keep it.

As far as giving away my clothes.... bwahahahaaa cough ha ha... who'd wear em? Time I'm through with them, they're not fit for mixed company... and I don't purchase clothes that I'm not going to roughen up.

Now, I could see downsizing, if a person was about to take up residence under a local bridge. The lifestyle demands keeping only what one can have in a pushcart.

If I ever decided to move off somewhere, I'd be in a pickle. It'd take a month to load up the dozen or so 18 wheeler flatbeds with all of my treasure.

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Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Seneca
Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival. W. Edwards Deming

To me, the concept of voluntary simplicity, and living a simpler life is a lot more than getting rid of "stuff". It's about living a less consumptive lifestyle, and devoting your time/energy/money only to those things that bring you real joy rather than the accumulation of "stuff". If you want to get rid of anything, get rid of things that are a continuing drain on your resources. Get rid of your cell phone, your daily Starbucks, your HBO, your gas guzzling car, ect. Anything that you get a monthly bill for is something you should consider getting rid of or doing without. Clothes can be packed up and stored in a closet for a year or two. Stick them in a box an forget about them for a year. You may change your mind about them by then.
Michael

its great to have so many responses, thanks~!

sgl42....thanks for that fantastic post! that first quote is amazing. and WIHH, you are describing exactly what is happening when i clear out some stuff--the sheer joy of it no longer crowding me!! i actually feel like there is more air in the room!

and its odd, until lately i never thought 'stuff' could weigh me down, i thought it was the lack of stuff that was troubling. and altho we aren't 'rich', i am feeling extremely wealthy! and the funniest part, is the more i clear out, the wealthier i feel?!

so with all this in mind, we've actually done some of both--we packed up some stuff that can be used later, the really best of it all, some the kids can use for workclothes, etc., and some of it will head to the thrift store, and some of worst will find new jobs as rags--i've stopped buying paper towels (living more simply)and find using tshirts work super for the jobs. if they aren't too bad, i'll wash them, but if they are really icky, i toss it.

we now have a huge pile of 'to go' stuff. all of it in great shape, good stuff, just not what helps me/us anymore. some of it was weighing on me cuz of who gave it to us, but i really thought of it and most is from my parents. my mom is esp one person who'd NEVER want us to keep things that dont' work for us anymore, she hates that! so the freedom to re home this stuff is super! some i will keep but put away, and decide at a much later date where it will go (or stay).

i would also be curious as another poster--how much clothing DO you have??