Before 
Before
We’re not exactly sure where or when, but one thing George and I know is we’d like to move this year – hopefully before the height of summer. While Florida undeniable has beautiful beaches and many ideal weather days in the winter months, we both miss the mountains and would like Ellie to grow up experiencing the four seasons to a greater degree than Florida offers. We have incredible friends here in Florida, but we’re as far away from family in the contiguous United States as we could possibly be. Given this, I’ve been doing a little each day to go through my belongings with a fine-toothed comb and purge the things that no longer add value to my life in preparation for a move. This also has the added benefit of further simplifying life now, at perhaps the most important time.
With my recent transition out of the workforce, it made sense to start with my wardrobe. Over the years my career required primarily business casual attire, though my last year of work was strictly scrubs – this was fabulous; especially during pregnancy. The clothes I had were all in great condition and fit well which is likely why I never purged them when my dress code changed. However, they were doing nothing other than collecting dust and taking up space. While the day may come when I find myself needing business casual clothes once again, my reason for keeping them would be just in case. When it comes to just in case items, The Minimalists advocate their “20/20 Rule:”
“Anything we get rid of that we truly need, we can replace for less than $20 and less than 20 minutes from our current location.”
They also recommend the “90/90 Rule:”
“Look at a possession. Pick something. Anything. Have you used that item in the last 90 days? If you haven’t, will you use it in the the next 90? If not, then it’s okay to let go.”
While many of my articles of clothing may have cost more than $20, I can feasible purchase a pair of business casual pants or a shirt for less than $20. I hadn’t worn any of my business casual clothes within the past year – let alone 90 days – and certainly don’t foresee wearing them anytime within the next year. So out came the trash bags and a few trips to Good Will. I kept a few dressier items for special occasions, though may rethink this as time goes on. I passed along my scrubs to the girls at my former job.
As a part of this process I spent some time thinking about what I wanted a well curated wardrobe for my new life phase to look like. I decided comfort, practicality and quality were my priorities. I set my mind on basic black & white shirts, leggings and a few pairs of jeans. As it turns out, I owned little that fit these categories and realized I would need to do some shopping. While it seemed odd to be paring down and shopping at the same time, George helped me accept the fact it made sense given my entry into a new role. I began researching clothing brands and ultimately selected Pact. All Pact clothing is made from 100% certified organic cotton and is fair trade factory certified. I found their prices to be competitive with other popular, mainstream brands that aren’t conscious of the planet, health or their workforce. I appreciate this statement from the Pact website:
“We believe in individuals and the collective power of conscious consuming. When we ask questions like ‘who made my clothes’ and ‘what are they made from’ we become more aware of the impact of our shopping decisions. At Pact, you can feel confident knowing we value kindness towards humans, planet and clothing that’s as comfortable as being yourself.”
I ordered long sleeve, short sleeve and sleeve-less shirts as well as leggings, underwear and sports bras. I found all items to be of high quality and agree with their claim that their clothes are “so soft they’ll make you (almost) cry.” I did return 2 items due to sizing and found the process very simple. While the website seems to have some kinks, the online chat assistance was efficient, professional and helpful.
The one need I had that Pact did not fulfill was jeans. I spent a good deal of time searching for organic jeans during Ellie’s late night feedings. While I found some options, they all tended to cost close to or more than $100 per pair and were not readily available in local stores. For me, trying on jeans prior to purchase is pretty much a must – even with brands I’m familiar with. I finally stumbled upon good old Levis and the initiatives they have underway, including “Better Cotton” and “Worker Well-being” among others. Lucky for me, there is a Levis outlet nearby which afforded me the luxury of not only scoring a deal, but having a chance to try on the jeans. George, Ellie and I went there this past weekend and I bought 2 pairs of jeans to complete my wardrobe. Of note, my new additions are not shown in the closet pictures as they’re stored in a bureau along with socks, underwear, bras and workout clothes which I also pared down.
Having new options that fit my new role made it easier to let go of the perfectly good clothes in my closet that no longer added value to my life, freeing up physical and mental space. I no longer feel guilty for not wearing 90% of the clothes I own(ed). Also, the decision of what to wear is pretty much already made.