Project Closet Purge: A Style Evaluation && 1 year on Poshmark

Hello friends,

It’s been a while since I did a Project Closet Purge post and it’s been 2 years since I started this series! I recently went back and read my original project closet purge post and man, I convinced myself all over again that I needed a closet clean out (LOL). But seriously, if you’re new here – go read these.

When I started this series I was really on a quest to find my personal style and I think I am really starting to get somewhere.

I’ve realized that:

  • I really like mixing neutrals.
  • I wear a lot of blue (and I’m OK with that).
  • I don’t wear collared shirts very often – so I pretty much stopped buying them (even if they are dirt cheap)
  • I am always attracted to purple items in the store but when they get to my closet I never reach for them.
  • In the winter I prefer corduroy pants over dress pants
  • In the warmer months I like flowy, longer tops and a sweater or jacket for a cold office, rather than dress shirts.
  • Leather tote bags and jackets are STILL my weaknesses.
  • I’d rather wear a chunky/block heel than wedges or stilettos

I’ve also accepted that I don’t look good in:

  • Straight shirt dresses (they poof in all the wrong places)
  • Yellow (but orange has been a great alternative)
  • Jackets with only one button or that hit just below my hips
  • Most sweaters with elastic at the bottom or tops with weird drawstrings at the bottom. Just no.

Now, last year at this time I did an After Christmas Cleanout. I turned all of my hangers backwards and when I wore an item, I returned it to the rack in the proper direction. I think I had less than 10 things still turned backwards at the beginning of this year (I apologize I did not count exactly). But I got rid of a few things that were still turned and I held on to the rest.

I’ve been on Poshmark for a year now, and wow. What a great thing it has been for me! I really think I am better able to control my impulse buys and Poshmark is now the first place I go to try and find an item I want so I can use my shopping credits from things I have sold instead of shelling out cash.

I’ve sold over 300 items and have been able to purchase some really nice quality pieces for my closet with the money I earn 🙂

I’ve purged a few items already this year. During the holidays I kept wanting to purge but every time I walked into my closet I got really sentimental and didn’t want to get rid of anything. It happens. If you are experiencing that… give it time. You’ll feel ruthless at some point and when it comes- just go purge. It’s liberating 😉

Almost every single closet clean out guide I’ve ever read has said to pull EVERYTHING out of your closet. and try EVERYTHING on. I’ve never done this part. Not at least since I’ve been married and living in my own home.

So that’s what I attempted to do. I lost some steam half way through but I did try a lot of stuff on and I pulled  A LOT of stuff out of my closet completely (All the shoes, pants, dresses, and skirts) And I left the shirts in there and kind of spread them out with all the empty space to go through them.

Shoe Trends I picked up on:

  • Block heels everywhere.
  • I heart boots.
  • With the introduction of Tieks to my closet, my flats collection has gone down tremendously and I don’t find myself wanting to buy them as often. This tells me that quality over quantity is ringing true.

 

Observations:

I got rid of A LOT of pants. Because I tried them on. I have to say- doing this helped me purge some I had been holding on to for a while. I figured out that I can’t wear petite pants. I may be short but my legs are long for my height and petite pants just are not comfortable for me to wear.

My skirt collection has gone down significantly in 2 years and it consists of mostly a-line midi style skirts.

I have A LOT of black tops and white tops. They probably make up about half of my tops.

I really purged the cardigan collection and I’m super proud of myself for that.

THE NUMBERS: (All Seasons of Clothes)

  • Shoes:  44 (last time: 48) (2 years ago: 67)
  • Skirts:  21 (last time: 35) (2 years ago: 49)
  • Dresses (Including Tunic Tops I wear with leggings): 37  (last time: 33) (2 years ago: 51)
  • Dress/Casual Pants: 20 (last time: 24) (2 years ago: 23)
  • Jeans: 13 (last time: 14) (2 years ago: 17)
  • Tops (including dressy tank tops): 95 (last time: 101) (2 years ago: 112)
  • Cardigans (including vest cardigans and cropped boleros): 16 (last time: 24) (2 years ago: 29)
  • Sweaters: 18 (last time: 19) (2 years ago: 17)
  • Jackets/Vests (including outerwear): 27 (last time: 27) (2 years ago: 17 – I don’t remember if I included outerwear in this…)

Overall I would say that this project has been very successful… and now there is a ton more stuff in my Poshmark closet (a.k.a- my spare bedroom).

My goal for this year is to really purchase items with purpose and to create new and fun outfits with my current closet.

Have you done any purging this year? I’d love to hear about it!

Have you tried poshmark yet?! Use code TAYLORMJONES when you sign up (it’s free) for $5 off your first purchase!

keep on keeping on…

 

6 Replies to “Project Closet Purge: A Style Evaluation && 1 year on Poshmark”

  1. Great job, Taylor! I love that your purge helped you make some realizations about what does and doesn’t work for you. I also never wear collared shirts. And cords for the win!
    You’ve done great at paring down, but sister, that seems like a lot of clothes. Maybe it’s not though? I’ll have to count my closet to compare. I guess that’s why you always look so put together, though, is that you always have the right piece to go with other items.
    Do you have a walk-in closet? Can we see a pic?
    Keep on keeping on, Tay!

    1. Thanks, Bethany! And yes- it is A LOT of clothes. I will say, it’s all seasons… because YES I do have a walk in closet that fits it all. The tops number is what kills me! WHY DO I HAVE SO MANY?! LOL… I will add a pic of my closet… Thanks for reading!
      Taylor

    2. OK- I added the numbers from 2 years ago to compare how far I have really come haha! AND I added (poor quality) photos of my walk-in closet (that my wonderful hubby built me).

  2. I think it was the tops number that wowwed me too. But then again, like I said, maybe I have that many and don’t realize.
    I love that you have a walk in closet. I am slowly transforming a spare bedroom into a dressing room, but all hanging space is still in the dinky closet.

  3. I’m planning on listing stuff to Poshmark soon, so we’ll see how it goes! I hate going through my closet, and I hate the thought of taking down measurements of stuff and getting the pics, then worrying with shipping it all out, so I haven’t done it yet! lol

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