I'll admit it, amongst my friends I'm known as the Consumer, the Shopaholic, the Big Spender, etc.  But the irony is that I am also constantly trying to simplify my life.  I love pinning (on Pinterest) those minimalistic closets (like the one above), houses, decor, and fashion choices.  But the truth is I'm quite the maximalist. When I'm following a trend, even a trend as broad as It-bags, I find that I have to get the "best" one if not all of the best ones.  

This leads to always over-flowing closets, which I'm also always cleaning out.  And after awhile I start feeling like a mouse on a mouse-wheel: getting nowhere fast.  Well there are no magic solutions to this push-pull of wanting things and wanting to simplify.  And I'm sure this is what a lot of women in the western world feel, why else would there be so many blog posts and articles about simplifying?  I know there is no way in the world I will stop buying stuff.  And I know I'll want to keep adding pieces to my wardrobe because I don't see myself stagnating in just one style.  

So here are some rules I've found useful in keeping myself in check:

1) Have a uniform, your go-to outfit so that you don't have to think too hard on what to wear on a daily basis. And when evolving your uniform, just buy one item at a time). 

2) If you don't love love it, don't buy it.  If you just kinda love it, leave it!  And never buy anything because it's a good deal or it's cheap.  Those items never work out.

3) But do buy it if you love love it and know you'll wear it.  But if you take it home and don't find yourself wearing it within the first week, return it.  If you love it, you'd find a way to incorporate it in your daily life immediately.  [This doesn't quite work if you buy clothes for an upcoming occasion, but in that case don't buy something way in advance.  If you find you don't wear it, try to return it or at least sell it on eBay].

4) Make eBay (or your favorite equivalent) your best friend.  eBay and I've been tight for almost a decade.  eBay relieves some of the guilt on purchases that I couldn't return.  If you don't do eBay, you could always go to a place like Crossroads or Buffalo Exchange (but I find them quite picky or extremely snobby sometimes, and the rate they give you is nowhere as good as what you can get on eBay).  There's other sites like Poshmark, Thredup or Tradesy, though I'm not too familiar with them.  And the key is, as soon as you think you are over a piece of clothing, sell it!  Sell it while it's still in style.

5) The one in, one out rule does help.  Sell/get rid of something when you buy something of the same type.

6) If you wear something and don't feel great in it or see a picture of you wearing it and you go "ugh", sell it/get rid of it right away.  You probably won't feel great wearing it a second time around (but you could try, and if it still feels "ugh" definitely get rid of it).

7) If you have some spare time and you find your closet or drawers overflowing, take the 5-10 minutes to find something to get rid of.  Have an ongoing donation/sell it pile.

8) Just don't go shopping (in stores or online).  Go watch (or re-watch) Chef's Table on Netflix instead!

What do you guys do to keep your closets manageable?

How do you like my first blogger-y blog post?

Do you like these blogger-y questions on the bottom here?