Updating my “what I’ve spent on clothes so far this year” page, brought me to the realization that I’m done. I’ve spent this year’s allowance. And then some. From now on, if I need or choose to buy any clothes the money will have to come from somewhere else. Like my “spending money” (which is totally fine, since I mostly shop thrift and spend not much).
Speaking of spending out of my pocket money: when I pulled my shorts out this year, I discovered I had not much that was going to work. Thankfully, this was the year to find lots of “short sleeved pants” for really cheap (which may mean that next year they are going to be officially “out”, but I don’t care). Most of these I bought this year at thrift stores, with my spending money, and I bet I didn’t spend over $30 for all of them together.
Click to view picture big enough to really see
- top row: grey pedal pushers, green/white mini-stripe, tan linen
- front row: light khaki sheeting, khaki twill, green convertible
The better part of my excuse for spending all my clothing money already lies in the fact that this year I bought a bunch of stuff that is expensive and doesn’t have to be replaced often:
- the mother of the bride ensemble
- runners
- swimwear, although I’m still working on filling in some of the subordinate coordinate pieces 😉
From left: what we call “swim underwear”, the real (modest) suit, the necessary one-piece.
So far, I have packed all the swimwear into a cotton bag, which lives on the top shelf of my tiny closet and packed away my camping clothes in a cardboard box, also on the top shelf of the closet. Currently, I am finalizing the process of making sure all my shorts, tank tops, and white short sleeve shirts are clean, prior to putting them away for the season.
But I’d love to hear how the rest of you deal with off season clothes. Suggestions?
I do two things with my off season clothes:
1. appropriate my son’s closets (they mostly stuff their clothes into dressers) and
2. pack sweaters in those large snap-lid boxes which I store in a finished part of a dry basement. If I leave the woolens out I have nasty battles with moths. For the first time in living memory, have bought no new fall clothes. If I get a call from my favourite consignment store owner I would cave, though.
I have had trouble with moths before, too. I just pulled all my wool stuff out of the freezer. 🙂
I tend to just leave them in my closet. Most of my clothes are all season work clothes; I just layer them differently and wear different shoes. I was so happy to pull out my green corduroy jacket last week though, and I wore a couple of cold weather scarves. Also, tights have made a comeback in my wardrobe since the weather has cooled. But they just sat in my dresser all summer.
I do need to take inventory and figure out what I’m missing and what needs to go out the door. Several of my cotton sweaters lost enough color and/or shape last season that they need to move on. I know I need two new pair of shoes (one high heel pump and one mid heel loafer).
I have some plastic storage boxes that I use for the true summer items: shorts, tee-shirts, the non-lap swimming bathing suits, etc. I add some cherry wood blocks to prevent moths.
The bigger issue for me is swapping out all the summer shoes: sandals, open toed shoes, summer-only fabric shoes, etc. I have a couple of shoe storage containers that I keep under the bed.
Beth – I think, where possible, keeping everything in the closet is best. 🙂
Kristen – Shoes! As small as I try to keep my wardrobe, it is the bigger issue, isn’t it? And I’m trying to store my extra bedding under the bed!