Truncation

Have you ever had a realization about something only to realize that you've known the truth all along?  Recently I was trying to find something to wear and after finally conceding defeat and reaching for my favorite white t-shirt I realized that I had TOO MANY CLOTHES.  I had known this for awhile, but I hadn't wanted to deal with it.  It was easier to laugh about the excess that I had (#firstworldproblems), but in that moment I realized that it wasn't really that funny because I had no idea WHY I had accumulated so much. 

To answer this question, I took a break from shopping and in that space I began to understand that I accumulate things because they fill a void. In short, I would buy a new outfit any time I felt discontent.  Also, I tend to find my identity in how I am viewed by others. In order to control others opinions of me I always needed more or better to mask my inability to be content with letting others view me as they would naturally. This has been my story for as long as I can remember. 

After evaluating my closet, I found that I was only wearing about a fourth of what I actually owned.  So I decided to do something about it.  I had gotten rid of clothing in the past, but this time I was brutal with my wardrobe.  I no longer allowed myself to feel guilty about getting rid of things because I had spent money on them. I pulled out everything that I didn't absolutely love and I either sold it or gave it away. By the time I was done I was left with a very small amount of clothes, but the more I purged I started to experience a tremendous freedom. A smaller wardrobe was so refreshing! So... this is where we are at now.  I did some research on capsule wardrobes and I have decided to commit to the concept and share the process with you. 

I'm calling this project Truncation. Why? Because in math it is the process of limiting the number of digits to the right of the decimal point by discarding the least significant digits. And that's what I'm doing. Clearing out all that isn't significant. But let's make this a community effort! I would love it if you joined me on this journey. This is total experimentation on my part so I'd love any tips or tricks from anyone that has tried this. Come back on Wednesday because I'll be sharing my ground rules for a capsule wardrobe and on Friday I'll be sharing my first ever capsule! 

Until next time,