May 2015 Accountability Update

Thank you for all of your wonderful comments and emails in response to my last post on the topic of loneliness. I appreciate your feedback and insights very much.   I may not be able to reply to everyone individually due to the sheer volume of responses, but please know that I am grateful to all those who have reached out to me.  I am always touched by the outpouring of support I receive whenever I publish an emotional post.

It’s now time for another accountability report, this time for May.   For those who are new to the blog, these monthly reports are where I share what came into and left my closet during the previous month and how I did with my shopping budget.   It’s my way of keeping myself honest and on track with my wardrobe and shopping.

The truth

Being accountable can help shopaholics to recover.

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May 2015 “Grab Bag” of Useful Links

May is almost over, so it’s time for me to share my latest “grab bag” of useful links (see previous editions here).   Included below are links to articles I think you’ll enjoy on the subjects of shopping and shopping psychology, wardrobe management, style, and personal development.  I’m also sharing a few early “Recovering Shopaholic” posts that you may have missed the first time around (or may choose to revisit now).

Shelter Island, San Diego, CA

Twilight on a cloudy night on Shelter Island – May 27, 2015

Yes, the photo above is one of mine (but it wasn’t taken with my cell phone this time).  I previously used stock images for these posts, but I will now include my own photos in these useful links round-ups, as well as in select other articles.  I will also periodically feature some of my photos in stand-alone posts, the next of which (see the first one here) will be published very soon.   Lots of beach and bay images to choose from, so we’ll see what I end up sharing…

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On Wardrobe Turnover – How Old Are the Items in Your Closet?

I received a lot of great comments on my last two posts, my experience with using the “KonMari Method” in my closet and my follow-on closet inventory.  A few of those comments have sparked topics for new posts, including today’s entry.

Meli asked me how many of the current items in my closet were there when I did my first closet inventory back in January 2013.   Not only did I want to be able to respond to Meli’s question, I also was quite curious myself…   So I took the time to make note of the years in which I purchased all of my current “out and about” clothing and shoes.   My findings are included in this very numbers-laden post.   I will first share my numbers by wardrobe category and then will round it all up into some grand totals.

Wardrobe turnover

Do you know how long your clothes have been in your closet? 

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May 2015 Post “KonMari Method” Closet Inventory

After downsizing both my clothes and accessories last week using the “KonMari Method,” I thought this would be a good time to do a closet inventory.  The last time I did a closet inventory was about four months ago, on January 23rd, after I had also undertaken a considerable wardrobe purge.   In today’s post, I will share my new wardrobe and accessory numbers.  But first, here’s what my closet looks like today:

My Closet as of May 18, 2015

This is what my closet looks like as of May 18, 2015.

As of my last closet inventory, I decided to start including my entire wardrobe in these updates (with the exception of undergarments and sleepwear).  The reason for the change is that I wanted to place more emphasis on my at-home wardrobe.   Those clothes count and I want to feel just as good in my at-home clothes as I do in what I wear when I’m out and about.

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KonMari in the Closet – My May Closet Purging Session

After I bought so many new items in April, my closet started to feel a bit too full.  So I elected to do something I didn’t think I would do… I decided to use the “KonMari Method” with my wardrobe.   In today’s post, I will share what I did, what I got rid of and why, and how I felt during the process.

konmari method

If you want to downsize your closet, give the KonMari Method a try!

Most of you are probably aware of the “KonMari Method” by now.  Even if you haven’t read my two posts on that topic (see here and here), you’ve probably seen other blog posts or magazine articles on the topic.  Marie Kondo’s book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” has been on the New York Times bestseller list for months and you’d almost have to be living under a rock not to have heard of it by now.

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