Wardrobe Management

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Mid-Year 2014 Closet Inventory

It’s hard to believe the year is almost half over.  Time flies while you’re focusing on shopping less and cultivating a workable wardrobe (among other things)!  As June draws to a close, it’s time to see how I’m doing with my closet pare-down project.

If you’ve been following along since the beginning of this year, you may remember that my goal (number 6 on this list) is to reduce the size of my wardrobe to 200 total items, including clothing, shoes, purses, and scarves.  I began the year with an inventory of 233 pieces, down from 386 at the start of 2013.  I was very happy to have met – and exceeded – my 2013 goal of paring my wardrobe down to 250 total items.  Let’s see how the numbers shake out today…

Shopping and wardrobe statistics Continue reading →

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How to Pare Down a Large Jewelry Collection

As you may recall, one of my goals for 2014 is to reduce the number of jewelry pieces I own by at least a third.  Earlier this year, I shared the results of my first jewelry inventory, during which I let go of 23% of the items in my storage armoire.  Since that time, I have added some new pieces, and I’ve recently started feeling overwhelmed by the size of my collection. So this past weekend, I took a few hours to review and pare down my assortment of jewelry.

Jewelry Armoire

This is where I keep my large jewelry collection.

In today’s post, I share the simple process I used to help me further reduce the number of jewelry pieces I own.  At the end of the post, I present the results of my latest jewelry inventory.  I believe my method may be useful to readers who possess large jewelry collections like mine, and it can also be used to pare down an over-abundance of clothing and shoes.  If you decide to try my process, please let me know how it works out for you! Continue reading →

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What I Wore in May 2014 and My Style Reflections

Today’s post is a continuation of my “May 2014 Accountability Update.”  Since I had so many realizations, insights, and tips to share in my last post, it ran very long.  Thus, I decided to split the post into two parts.  In this second part, I share what I wore last month, my favorite and less favorite outfits, some style reflections, and the changes I’ve made to my shopping priorities list.

I hope you find my ponderings on these topics interesting and that my process inspires you to delve deeper in your own style journey.  I sometimes hesitate to post my outfit photos, as I don’t want to open myself up to criticism, especially since this isn’t really a style blog per se.  I firmly believe that there is no one right way to dress.  Sure, some people dress better than others, and there are objectively more flattering ways to dress for certain body types. But in the end, what matters most is that we are each happy with our personal style.

Outfits and style reflections

Do you take the time to ponder your personal style?

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How Many Basics Do We Really Need?

It’s amazing what we can discover about our wardrobes when we take a step back from shopping all the time and instead focus on what we currently have.  For years, I was always looking outside of my closet, pondering the multitude of new items I could add to my already burgeoning wardrobe.  In the meantime, many of the pieces I had were scarcely worn.  This year, armed with my new item limit, I’ve cut way back on how much I’m bringing in, which has forced me to look at what I have with new eyes.

In today’s post, I share one of the insights I’ve learned in recent months as I’ve been shopping in my closet more than at the stores.  Yes, I’m probably still buying more new pieces than many of you (over 20 so far this year…), but my current garment inflow represents a sharp reduction over years past.  What I’ve learned has turned a few of my prior notions about smart shopping and workable wardrobes on their side.  After I share my new knowledge, you may either nod in agreement or think I’m crazy, but I just might get you to consider a new perspective along the way. Continue reading →

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Packing for May 2014 Travel – The Debrief

I’m back from my week-long travels, so it’s time to do a debrief on how I did with my packing for the trip.  If you missed my post last week on packing tips, I definitely recommend your giving it a read (and check out the many insightful comments made by readers, too!).

First, a bit about my trip…  I went to Incline Village, Nevada, which is where my mom and brother live.  It’s in the Lake Tahoe area and was also where I went on my last trip in December.  The reason for this trip was to help my mom after a hip replacement surgery, but I also got to spend some time with my brother, nephew (age 11), niece (age 5), and a friend lives in the area.

I’m happy to report that my mom is healing from her surgery quite nicely and has progressed from using a walker to walking with a cane.  Although I didn’t inherit her “nurse gene” (she worked as a nurse in the San Francisco Bay Area for many years before retiring and moving to Incline Village five years ago), I was able to help her with basic tasks to make her recovery easier.  I brought her food, drinks, ice packs, and medication, and assisted her with getting into bed and putting on her socks and shoes.  I also took care of her adorable tabby cat, who I spoiled like the two kitties I have at home (I Skyped with my husband while I was gone, so I got to see him and my cats that way – isn’t technology great?). Continue reading →