(But first, OSAMA BIN LADEN IS DEAD?!!! CRAZY!!!!! What a historic time!)
But first (for real this time), an update on last week’s mission :) From me, and then from you – okay? You didn’t forget, did you?
If you remember, my goal was to NOT eat any candy while out in Cali all week. And let me tell you, I was soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooo oooooo ooooooooooooo ooooooooooo ooooooooo temped!! I literally picked up some form of the junk at *least* 3 times before catching myself and pausing to see if it was worth it or not ;) haha… but as much as I want to say I succeeded in the end, I forgot for 2 SECONDS and ate a damn chocolate marshmallow bunny!! I blame you Donna Freedman! I actually found Easter candy 1/2 off and fell for it at 11pm the other night. Arghh…. But other than that, I was an angel! How did you all do?
Now back to this week’s mission: Your unworn clothes
If you’re anything like me, you have a half-dozen or so articles of clothing in your closet with price tags still on them. WHY?? How come we still haven’t worn these yet? Are we waiting for some super special event to take place? Are we too scared to get them dirty cuz they’re SO COOL? (That’s actually a reason for some of mine, haha…) Or did we just make some poor purchases at the time? Either way, there’s no point in keeping them around unless you’re going to enjoy them.
So, this week, your job is to either:
- Wear every piece hanging in your closet at some point in the next 7 days (clothes, shoes, accessories, whatev)
- Or make the decision to sell them. If you can’t find a reason to wear them, they’re just taking space in both your closet and your mind. Get rid of them and make some money!
I currently have 7 things I’ve been hoarding that I really REALLY want to wear, but for whatever reason I just haven’t yet. Here is a complete list:
- Nike Airs (left) — Actually bought these just a few months ago, and think they’re hot!, but always find an excuse not to wear ’em… that’s going to change.
- Nike Airs (right) — Bought these last week and too afraid to get them dirty! Even though they’re black! haha… maybe I just have a problem w/ Nikes?
- Express Jeans (left) — Realized they fit a bit funny, but haven’t given them a chance yet.
- Express Jeans (right) — Same thing.
- Glasses — I don’t know if I can pull them off? Haha…
- Silver necklaces (2) — Got these as gifts 2 YEARS AGO and still haven’t touched.
- Rockstar’ish vest — The wifey bought this for me 2 Xmas’ ago (I think?) and haven’t had the balls to try this one out either. Granted it’s not an “everyday” piece of clothing, but still, 2 years?
7 Days and 7 things to wear (oooh! didn’t even realize that). This’ll be a lot harder than last week’s mission, but I’m tired of playing around. Why do we spend so much money on things and then never use them?? I’m over it. Time to make a change, baby! Are you in?
Get blog posts automatically emailed to you!
Ooooooh I did this on Saturday!! I already told you about my shopping binge, so to balance it out I guess…. I went through everything and have 2.5 garbage bags filled with clothes to bring to goodwill. All my “luxury” items and leather jackets I’m going to just sell on craigslist, If I don’t sell them by June, I’m taking them to consignment or goodwill. F it.
xo,
Dani
http://www.okdani.com
J if I can add something to this – if the clothes don’t fit or they aren’t working for you anymore I urge you and your readers to donate to those in the South that lost their homes and clothes. Let’s help each other if we can.
Thanks!
I have a ton of suits that were hand me downs from when I was in college that I no longer wear. I’m going to donate them and get a tax write off. You can get a pretty substantial tax write off for donating suits!
@ Kevin – you might look into programs for folks looking for jobs. I don’t know about guys, but for women, there are usually places where you can donate business clothes to help out people who are trying to get jobs!
My sister and I decided to donate our clothes to a woman’s shelter instead of the Goodwill. I like the idea of sending stuff to Alabama. There’s a blog I read, http://www.couponingtodisney.com. She lives in Tuscaloosa and her town has been devastated. If you go to her blog, you’ll find a church address where you can send stuff for the tornado victims! I’m going through my closet every few days and making a goal to fill a shopping bag every time. there’s no point cluttering my closet with stuff I don’t wear.
@CityFlips – the idea was actually from my church and thought it was a great idea. Wifey and I went thru our closet last night and have a stack of items.
Being that I’m 6 months pregnant and wearing whatever fits until it is literally threads, I don’t have this problem right now. HOWEVER! after I pop, what seems to be a linebacker, out, I will have plenty to wear that still has tags. JMo, I say you launch this challenge at least once a quarter!!!
I find clothes (beyond utilitarian use) to be one of the most non-value added elements of our world.
And yet, fashion provide jobs for millions and millions of people around the world.
So I guess we should keep it going?
I also have 2 pairs of unworn Nike, but that’s because I stocked up last year when I got into the employee store. :) My current 2 pairs are still good so probably bust the new ones out in 6 months or so.
HEy J. Mula,
I have a few articles of clothing ive been stashing myself and they are all basically being saved for special occasions as I want to look fresher than most, ha ha. So thats maybe how us crazy frugalistas think. On a side note since I have some experience with the nike fashion scene I suggest that you keep the black and royal blue pair and def get rid/sell the other pair, they are just plain ugly. The strap just makes them look even worse. I have about 35 pairs of nike/jordans and have sold about another 30 online. Slowly getting rid of my mid 20’s obsession, sneakers. Take it or leave it just my opinon.
Um, those black and blue Nike Airs are soo sexy. Just saying, I kind of want a pair for girls.
That said, I don’t have any clothes with the tag still on. When I usually shop, I just wear the clothes that same week (possibly day!). I dont’ think I can wear all the clothes I have in a week because work requires me to dress differently than regular life. But, I do periodically go through my closet and see if I’ve worn something in the past 6 months-1 year. If not, I usually end up donating it.
Please people, do not throw away your clothes. If its still wearable, someone less fortunate than you would definitely appreciate it, so please consider donating it to the salvation army. I usually send clothes back to Haiti or to my church for them to distribute.
I’m in. I just wore a “new” shirt that I bought for cheap off-season. Then I got knocked up, so it sat there with the tag on for a long time. I have a few more like that, and I know I don’t fit in at least one or two of them yet, but I might as well go ahead and donate them.
You’re seriously not sure if you can work the glasses? You have major swagger. From the photo they seem to go with the Nike Airs on the Left. Kill two birds with one stone. You can do it!
I did pretty good last week…I’d planned to hit up the gym 6 days, and ended up going 5, only skipping due to storms on Wednesday morning. :-)
I do this each time we’re approaching a new season (spring/summer, fall/winter…so twice a year). At the start of the season, I turn all of my hangers backwards (hook facing out instead of in) for that season’s clothes. By the end of the season, anything that’s still hanging backwards is donated. If I didn’t miss it this year, I’m probably not going to miss it next year, and someone else could get benefit from it instead of it taking up space in my closet!
I’m going for it! It’s going to take a while to go through my entire closet but I’m not going to frustrate myself with clothes that don’t fit. I’m just going to keep the ones around that fit and either donate or sell the rest.
I consider myself somewhat of a clothing minimalist, but Northeast Ohio weather requires many different types of clothing, in addition to casual wear or sports wear, and then a separate “professional” wardrobe for the office. I hung all my stuff backwards on hangers, then when I wore it and washed it, I hung it back up the right way on the hanger. After 6 months, I’ve determined that I do wear most of my clothes. There are, however, a few remaining duds that I just don’t like and they need to go! Goodwill for me, usually. I wear try to wear stuff for years till it wears out.
Do you like these missions? Thinking of doing them once a week. Hard to tell if they help everyone as only a small % of people leave comments, but if you’re a lurker let me know! They are fun for me ;)
@Dani @ Ok, Dani – Yeah girl!! DO yo thang!!!
@Nathan Driver – I like the way you think :) I know how easy it is to donate to thrift stores and the like, but how would one go about donating to a specific area like that? Clothes and “things” over money? No idea where I’d start.
@Kevin @ Thousandaire.com – Haha, nice nice.
@CityFlips – Oh that would be cool. Hook a person up who needs suits for jobs/interviews? I like that. AND you just answered my question! Haha… I guess you’d find the address of a place down south, and then just mail it all over?
@Trinnie – Haha, I just may my friend, I just may ;) Or maybe a new challenge every week? They’re kinda fun for me. Not sure if everyone else likes, but I do.
@MacroCheese – Yes, we shall ;) Although I find a lot of value in the clothes that make me FEEL good. Not every shirt does that, so to me $20 for one that makes me happy is much better than a $2.00 one just to keep my body warm. But ofcourse many times the cheaper ones make me happy too!
@retirebyforty – Ooooooh you got the inside hook up! Very smooth, my friend.
@Uncle El – HAH! Funny that you should say that cuz the blue/black ones on the right I love looking at and the others not so much as the weeks go by ;) But I paid $50 for them (most I have in a looooong time) so I feel like I should give them a shot. I really liked them in the beginning, a LOT, just haven’t worn yet. So we’ll see after this week is over! And AWESOME you have so many Jordans!! haha… I actually like that obsession and would totally rock it too if a) I had a nice closet to showcase them in, and b) didn’t mind spending more than $30 for a pair of shoes ;)
@Investing Newbie – Man you’re good! Wearing same day or week? That’s when you know you got something you liked for sure ;) Good call on not throwing stuff away too, def. better to give to less fortunate. I’ll holler if I ever see those shoes for girls!!!
@Debra – Great, Debra! We’ll check in next week to see how you did ;)
@Leigh – Haha, thx friend. Perhaps I’ll rock them on my daily walk? Not like many will see me anyways ;)
@Jenna – That IS good! Congrats!! And what a great idea w/ the hangers? Although that would drive my eyes a bit crazy cuz I like keeping everything neat and organized the exact same way, but I’d probably try it if I had a lot of things hung up. Most of mine are folded ;)
@20 and Engaged – YES! Do it. Doooooo iiiiiiiiiiiiiit! :)
@Red – Another hanger person! Interesting… guess it’s a popular idea. (and I hear you on wearing things out — my fave jeans have been patched up (yes, patched!) 2 times already and their ready for a 3rd round… when you find something you like, you gotta keep it as long as you can!)
I have a ton of work clothes that I don’t wear since I switched jobs. I should sell them since they are taking up space.
I don’t think I own anything with the price tag still on it. But I do need to clean out my closet to make room for my skis now that the season is over.
I did this a while ago…great idea! Not much stuff from recently (I’ve become a much more discerning shopper) but there were some things from a few years ago that just made me go “what was I thinking?” I didn’t even sell them because most of them were cheap, tacky items that I honestly couldn’t tell you why I bought, because I was in my early 20’s and totally irresponsible at the time.
Well I started participating in Project 333 in April and so I can confidently say that I have already worn every item in my closet and will continue to do so for the next 2 months. :)
It’s a good challenge. Helped me to realize that I don’t need the majority of what I have!
What a waste of money to have things with tags still on!
If your stuff still has the tags on you probably don’t love the item, only the money you spent on it. Just sell or donate and move on, at least that is what I would do.
For my week of giving something up, I have decided to study an hour a day for 3-4 days. Then if I can keep it up, do it for the month. :)
I picked up a second part-time job that is pretty lucky to have. Studying would help this job and possibly future ones that are similar. Not something I absolutely love doing, but it is a decent job and pays off my debt.
Great idea J. Money! I’m down to a single suit these days. And as for shoes, I only have five pairs, each with their own use.
It’s pure freedom to get rid of older clothes. I’m picking up quite a few polos from my work… I’m sure I’ll sell those when I move companies!
Your wife bought you a piece of clothing as a gift and you haven’t worn it in TWO YEARS? Ooooh man.
Brilliant message. I’d just decided going off to the charity shops to donate my clothes just yesterday Doing this as soon as I get a free hour, thanks for the reminder haha!
You gonna look like a straight-up pimp, ‘yo! Especially if you rock them all at the same time! :)
I go through my clothes in my closet and if I can’t wear everything within the year, it goes away…
but I haven’t bought anything new all year, so no tags for me.
@Amy Saves – YES! doo it! dooooooooo iiiiiiiiiiiiit!
@Jenna, Adaptu Community Manager – Hah! Hope you got some good use of ’em this season.
@Danielle – Haha.. probably something for the clubs ;) You were a dancer, weren’t you!
@kh – Project 333? Haven’t heard of – I’ll have to googlize it… I’ve heard of Less than 15 or something like that… but yeah all those kinds of projects are pretty cool. I need to try one one day!
@LB – Ooooh GREAT idea! Make sure to report back to us on how it went, okay? I think that’s an excellent use of your time.
@Jon | Free Money Wisdom – Haha, I hear that brotha.
@Sarah Smith – I know! How am I still breathing?? And the worst part? She showed it to me before getting cuz she was 50/50 on it, and I told her yes! do it, I love it! which I did, but man it’s just hard for me to find a way to rock it.
@Sunit – Nice! Funny how that works out ;)
@DIYMILF – You know it! Well, at least that would be the plan ;) I could also come off as a wannabe, haha…
@South County Girl – Wow, that’s pretty impressive. I can go a few months without buying something but then I always miss it! Esp clothes, cuz now that I keep giving it all away I actually run out of stuff to wear now! haha…
So far I’ve worn 75% of my things!!!! 2 more days to go — ARE YOU GUYS STILL ON TRACK?>>
I went through my closet this week. I started to get rid of all the clothes that just don’t fit anymore. Next week I think I will go through my children’s closet. With all the hand me downs we get, they have way too many clothes shoved in their drawers and closet. It feels good to free up some much needed space. :)
Oh yeah! I soooooo remember having clothes jammed into my drawers as a little kid – drove me nuts! But back then I didn’t realize I could actually speak up and go through them all myself! haha… now that I know better it’s much smoother of a process ;) Good luck!