A Backwards Way Of Thinking

When it comes to cleaning out my closet, which I usually do once in the spring and once in the fall, I have the best of intentions.  I really do.  But for some reason when it comes to downsizing my wardrobe, I often falter.  Why the weak will, you ask?  I really believe it comes down to the whole, “Well, maybe I’ll wear it next year…” mumbo jumbo.  The truth is that most of us will not wear it again if we haven’t worn it in over a year.  While I try to live by this rule, sometimes I simply can’t remember when I last wore it (which should be a hint in itself), and therefore, I stuff it back into my closet where it takes up precious space (have you seen the size of our 1947 closets?) and patiently waits for another year to pass.

This year I decided it was time for a change.  After all, the definition of insanity—according to Albert Einstein—is continuing to do the same thing over and over again expecting different results.  As it turns out, I’ve been reading about these wonderfully organized people who hang their clothes on backwards hangars at the start of the new year.  For each item of clothing they wear throughout the year, they face the hangar forward.  When it comes time to clean out the old closet, they pitch everything that is still hanging on a backwards hangar into the Goodwill pile and merrily go about their business without stressing over whether or not it was worn during the year.  So I’m giving it a shot.

I’m crossing my fingers and hoping that this solves my biannual dilemma. I’ll let you know if this backwards way of thinking actually turns out to be a winner!