Purge

This post is embarrassing.

And not because of the above article of clothing, with which I became reacquainted while finally really cleaning out my closet today.

Because as you can see in the photo below, taken with my sister in the tiny building otherwise known as the Gibraltar International Airport, I am not ashamed to be seen in this shirt.

No, my embarrassment comes from the fact that the clothing purge I should have performed months ago only just now happened today. Sure, I got rid of a shirt or something back in February. But not until today, August 1st, did I work up the guts to really get rid of clothes I don't need.

I used to do this about every 3 months or so. I loved the feeling of just...unloading things that I felt were bogging me down. It was liberating to donate items that I simply hadn't worn in 6 months. Slimming down the items in my closet, organizing what was left, only keeping the things that truly looked awesome and felt great to wear--it's a nice feeling. Freeing.

And I haven't been able to do it for months now. Check that--I haven't chosen to do it. I've been a littly weenie, worrying that maybe I would still have an opportunity to wear those ridiculous, albeit awesome, orange Aldo heels.

But now it's time to quit being a baby, because suddenly I find myself in the midst of plans to elope and buy a house. Brendon and I have fallen in love with a tiny, old house in Austin, and we're trying to make it ours.

So no more behaving like a total child and clinging to my old duds like I might actually need three pairs of cobalt blue shoes. Jeez, I felt enough like a kid asking the realtor what "escrow" was. If we're going to be making these big moves, then I need to take control of things inside our house now. And that began today with our closet.

First, a few items I just couldn't part with:

1. The shirt my sister made for me. I must keep it for if/when I find myself living outside of Texas again. It gives me strength.

2. The belt that commemorates my 21st birthday, celebrated in Chile and probably still my favorite birthday of all time...when I first really felt happy about living out of the country, when I was just ridiculously pampered by a group of really cool folks from around the world who became dear friends. Anyway, among other awesome things that day, they bought me this belt.

3. The "Love Sex Fun" shirt, bought in Barcelona alongside my sister, whose corresponding piece of crazy clothing read, "Shake It, Please." I just don't think I'm ever going to part with that.

Which brings me to the state of our closet before the great purging began (see below).

I must admit that, for a moment there, standing ankle-deep in discarded clothes and fabulous (yet frivolous) shoes, I saw a clear and shining loophole through The Rules:

Buffalo Exchange.

Holy cow, I could exchange my clothes for store credit there and...shop! Eee!

But then the mature, demure, I'm-going-to-get-hitched-soon-and-buy-a-freaking-house Shannon stepped back in and remembered that this was about purging, not getting new stuff.

Because I like my closet a lot better when it looks like this:

All it went, into a box, ready to be given away (not manipulated into new stuff, dang it). Yes, I even finally parted with my crazy bunch of blue shoes. And the awesome orange ones.

And really, it just feels better. I can see all the clothes I own now, and it feels freeing like it always did before. Maybe it's because I'm well into the second half of this thing now. Maybe it's because the next purchase in my life is the priciest one I'll ever make.

Whatever the root of it, it feels good to have been able to do it!