Have you noticed shop window displays are filling up with spring clothes? Heavy sweaters, puffers, and boots are no longer the center of attention….hooray! You know what this means, don’t you – time to clean out your closet! Unlike Ginger, I am not referring to vacuuming, but instead, getting deep in your closet to take complete inventory of what you have – then to purge those items that you don’t really love, don’t fit , or are out of style or damaged….If you don’t do this, I guarantee that your closet will be overstuffed – half filled with pieces you won’t wear, only causing clutter and adding confusion when you are getting dressed….If your “time to say goodbye” items are in excellent condition – consign them and make some money for new purchases….if not, donate to a charity of your choice….don’t even think the word guilty! (Think re-purpose, recycling!)

Take this Ann Taylor dress on the left….bought it on sale, I have worn it to work for at least eight years, enjoyed it, certainly got my money’s worth……what’s wrong you say?? It no longer ‘sparks joy’.  While hard to tell in the photo, it’s a bit too loose (styles have changed) and I don’t feel great in it…it served me well for years – time to say goodbye!

How about these fabulous Stuart Weitzman heels???  Bought in 2012 for my mother-of-the-bride ensemble, they are surprisingly comfortable for such a high heel, because of the 1/2 inch platform….however, I have not worn them in the past four years – a different pair of Stuart Weitzmans are my favorites…..soooo, time to say goodbye!

A striped linen sweater in ivory and dusty blue – love it!  Have only had this for one summer season and it looked great with white jeans, an effortless chic look.  The problem?  It got so stretched out despite my efforts to shrink it and/or reshape it…..now it will fit a gal with much longer arms than I have…..no sense in keeping it just because it is fairly new – it no longer fits me right……time to say goodbye!

And finally, get out your handkerchiefs as I bid farewell to a beautiful Anne Fontaine blouse……..all I can say here is that MOST of the time I make wise purchases and will wear a piece for YEARS…….this was not one of them……yes, I have worn it a few times, with jeans or a leather skirt, but it does not easily suit my work or weekend wardrobe and I try too hard to wear it! In the past few months I have actually put it on several times, then take it off within five minutes – not a good sign…….and those darn sleeves are so billowy and voluminous – can you say annoying?????   Time to say goodbye!

The older we get, the more stuff we accumulate, all the more reason to purge regularly……I bet if you go into your closet now you can find at least three pieces to part with.  Once they are gone, you will more easily recognize what you need, then off you go to update your spring wardrobe!  🙂