Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
A Belated Valentine
One of the many things I have learned from my husband in the 23 years since I met him is how to take care of clothes. Now, you would think it would be the other way around. When we met I certainly had more clothes, and I was more “into” clothes, but I tended to think that “dry-clean only” was a suggestion and I tended to wear my clothes to a nub and then give them to the salvation army.
My husband is very neat with his clothes. While he has no fancy hangers, his closet is far neater than mine. His shirts hang at attention, and he irons them himself. He shines his shoes. Frequently. He is sometimes embarrassed by the state of the boots I ask him to take to the shoe-repair guy. He once bought a pair of khakis on the way to work because he splashed some coffee on the ones he was wearing. He’s neat.
Between my growing desire to live with less and my husband’s example, I have learned to treat my clothes with more loving care. This is useful for many reasons: I own less and I keep it better. It is easier to keep it better because there is less of it. I can buy better stuff because I keep it longer and I can keep it longer because I keep it better. I love supporting my local tailor.
When there is an abundance of clothing, drawers get jammed, things fall off hangers in overcrowded closets and items needing repair languish in limbo because they aren’t really needed.
Winnow your clothes. Keep only what makes you look good and feel good. Own fewer pieces; treat them better. Wear them; repair them. When you really get the most out of your wardrobe, you’ll be amazed by how much less your really need.
I have a lot fewer clothes than I had in 1992, and they are better maintained, and that makes life simpler. So thank you, Gary Bernstein.