The Closet Dilemma

@Rollo1 (16679)
Boston, Massachusetts
September 19, 2016 6:31am CST
Closets are wonderful spots in a house. They exist solely to store and hide things that you want to keep, but don't want anyone to look at. Best of all, they usually have doors on them, so there's an air of mystery. What's behind that door? Is it a neat row of pressed shirts? Is it a pile of boxes with unknown surprises inside? Is it the gateway to Narnia? Closets collect stuff. Don't know where to put something? Not sure if you want to throw it away or keep it? Put it in the closet. Close the door. That dilemma no longer exists. Eventually the day will come when you need to store some stuff but all the closets are full. Then it's time to clean the closet. Get rid of that stuff. It needs to go to make room for more stuff. Closets hold three types of clothes - too small, too big and just right. The too big clothes are kept just in case. The too small are kept in hope. The just right may get worn, but they aren't as loved as the too small. The too small clothes are memories of better and thinner times. The practical person will keep the too big and throw the too small away. Chances are that if one loses weight and they ever fit again, they will be woefully out of style. If you haven't guessed yet, my closets are full and there are things that need to be stored. What's in your closet?
14 people like this
16 responses
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
19 Sep 16
I actually just cleaned out the closet in my bedroom Saturday. There was just so much in there and I had to reorganize and get rid of some things that I just don't need. It is always hard for me to get rid of things. I can be a bit of a hoarder. There were tons of clothes that don't fit but I hope to fit some day. I kept some of those. There were magazines and books that I went through and got rid of some of them. There were photo albums which I had to pause from cleaning and look at. They brought back so many wonderful memories. I even found clothes that were still in the bags with price tags on them that I simply forgot that a bought. Oh yes and shoes..there were shoes..shoes and more shoes. It was a lot of hard work and took most of the day but I am proud to say that it is finally somewhat organized for a little while anyway.
2 people like this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
19 Sep 16
You understand the true purpose of a closet! I hope you like some of the shoes you found. I am still looking for some shoes I think I brought with me when we moved here five years ago. I think I put them in the closet...
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
19 Sep 16
@Rollo1 lol I hope you find them. Thats the thing about a closet you just never know what you will find!! Good luck!
@LadyDuck (471456)
• Switzerland
19 Sep 16
Too many clothes in my closest. My husband has the same weight that he had when we married, so he never throw anything because it's a shame... but he buy new things time by time. I am more or less the same, may be I gained a couple of pounds, but I can still wear my old clothes and I have plenty of them, nice, but out of fashion. They could come back in fashion one day, so why to throw them? Well, I have to take a decision anyway, because the space is full.
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@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
19 Sep 16
Sometimes things come back in fashion. When they do, it can be very profitable to sell those things as vintage clothing.
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@LadyDuck (471456)
• Switzerland
19 Sep 16
@Rollo1 I have sold some leather handbags and a few pair of shoes. I know I would never use them again.
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
20 Sep 16
@MALUSE You obviously buy trousers of high quality, since they have lasted through so many changes in fashion.
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
20 Sep 16
I have already removed the too big and the too small, what I have are the loved and the unloved but hopefully, may love someday things. I hate admitting I spent too much for something that wasn't a good choice. I need to get over that.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
2 Oct 16
Yes, I hate buying something and then finding I don't really want it. You can't throw it out, it's not even used.
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@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
2 Oct 16
@Rollo1 Sometimes I just break down and admit my mistake and give it away.
• United States
19 Sep 16
When we stopped working and moved south we got rid of our 'work' clothes. We only wear casual stuff and less is better. We actually have closets in our guests rooms that have nothing in them and our master br closet is neat and tidy with only the necessities.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
19 Sep 16
I find that I have tons of clothes but wear only a small number of them regularly . I should figure out how to keep just those and get rid of the rest.
• United States
19 Sep 16
@Rollo1 Just do it - take a big box or plastic bag in the closet and toss in the stuff you never wear. Have a yard sale, post stuff on Faebook yard sale groups, donate to charity....
1 person likes this
@sallypup (61172)
• Centralia, Washington
19 Sep 16
@AbbyGreenhill Plastic bags rip out and presto! A new mess. I grabbed an old pillow case and filled it with old mags and such and guess what the Goodwill box is full of now?
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
20 Sep 16
you are right, if you lose too you deserve new clothes!
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@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
20 Sep 16
I wonder if we don't all deserve new clothes no matter what?
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• Centralia, Missouri
21 Sep 16
@Rollo1 I like this! lol
@just4him (317089)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
22 Sep 16
I think they are the same as yours. Full of those things that should have been sent to someone else's closet a long time ago. I did get rid of some of it when I moved, but perhaps not enough.
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@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
2 Oct 16
I never get rid of enough. It takes too long to rid yourself of years' worth of accumulated "stuff".
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@just4him (317089)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
6 Oct 16
@Rollo1 Yes it does. I think I'm about there with my final downsizing.
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
19 Sep 16
We call them wardrobes, and yes, clothes of all shapes and sizes are in there.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
20 Sep 16
If the clothes are in the closet, it's a sure bet that I don't really ever wear them. The clothes I wear are either in the dresser drawers, in the hamper, in the washer, in the dryer or I am currently wearing them. It seems the closet is the place for clothes I remember having worn once.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (61172)
• Centralia, Washington
19 Sep 16
One closet has an old saddle in it. I need to rig up some lights in our little walk in closets. Then I'd have to see what is in there and deal with it. I did dump a couple of sweaters yesterday that I've not worn in years.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
20 Sep 16
Now and again, I start the process, throw out a few things and then never go back and finish. I need a dumpster outside the window so I can just throw things out and forget them.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (61172)
• Centralia, Washington
20 Sep 16
@Rollo1 Excellemt idea.
@Vivenda (583)
• Portsmouth, England
19 Sep 16
In four words: too much of everything!
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
20 Sep 16
You have everything? I am so envious. I don't have enough closet space for everything.
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@JESSY3236 (19941)
• United States
20 Sep 16
I used to keep some pink jeans that i couldn't fit in to. I kept hoping they would fit again. Then one year i finally gave up and gave them away. But the rest of my clothes fit. my mother, though, thinks I need to clean out my closet.
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@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
2 Oct 16
The worst thing is holding onto something, then finally giving it away, and only after you've given it away you finally achieve the size where you could wear it - but it's gone...
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@JudyEv (340230)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Sep 16
My closets aren't too bad at the moment as I've done a bit of decluttering from time to time lately.
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@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
20 Sep 16
I think that if I got rid of all my clutter, I would be able to see how little I own that is of any value. Maybe that's why I keep them so full of hidden trash.
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@JudyEv (340230)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Oct 16
@Rollo1 I don't have much of real value but many things have sentimental value.
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
19 Sep 16
I loved this post.....I don't know what is stuffed in some of my closets!!!
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
20 Sep 16
If you ever have to move, you will find out. And you will be so overwhelmed, you will probably just move the stuff with you because the idea of sorting it will be emotionally damaging.
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• India
20 Sep 16
@Rollo1 been there
• Allendale, Michigan
19 Sep 16
What's in my closet are things like old clothes which need to be disposed of into the trash. I just wish my closets did have doors on them. Well I think making a list for winter clothes for me is the next most important part for being ready for the winter. There is much to get rid of in the bedroom closet. Any suggestions or idea? I think in my part is being organized for the space I do have in the closet.
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
20 Sep 16
According to the Kondo method, you examine each item you own and if it does not spark joy, you throw it away. Also, never buy anything to help you store things because you already have room for everything you need. Get rid of things you don't need.
@XinfulThotz (4140)
• Singapore, Singapore
19 Sep 16
I just love the way how you described it perfectly. I give away too large ones hoping I would never have to wear them again. As for the smaller ones, i keep as a motivation to fit them again. So there are only two types in my closet. Just nice & too small.
1 person likes this
@marlina (154131)
• Canada
19 Sep 16
My closets are not too bad as I have been giving away a lot of stuff. But still, I think I could do better.
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@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
20 Sep 16
I don't even get started before I give up.
3 Nov 16
We've just moved to a bigger house for my big family. Lots of storage spaces-- every thing in its place. Not quite yet. Boxes still posses our stuff. Each built-in wardrobe in every room awaits to be filled in. So, my new walk-in wardrobe that I share with hubby is slowly filling up with 85% of the space is mine. Sizes: 8-10, modesty aside.