What would this accomplish? It would mean a little less work for me and a focus in my shop on better-quality items, rather than a bunch of lower-quality items. In essence, quality over quantity. It would mean more time doing more of what I wanted with less time in my shop. And with my husband only a couple of years away from retirement, it would mean perhaps a little more time spent with him and traveling.
But something strange happened. I, the minimalist of all minimalists, instead of editing my shop down to a smaller number, added to it. I couldn't let go, I couldn't do it! Sure, I got rid of a few items that I was sick of seeing in my shop (that hadn't sold), but the rest of it? It was too daunting a task. It felt like too much of an investment that I was just going to throw away. There were far too many decisions to make. So, I kept it mostly the same... and added to it instead.
It astounded me. I failed in the very area I knew how to change.
After the holiday season (the best time in sales for me during this time of year), I hunkered down and basically doubled down on my initial decision to make my shop smaller with fewer but better items. I'm four months into the new year, and I'm still downsizing. But I have gotten things where they need to be, and where I wanted them to be last year. And it all came down to my fear of letting go.
If you're in the same boat (perhaps letting go of things in your closet, or your home), then let me tell you how sympathetic and understanding I am. It really is hard. But here's how you can do it, and do it slowly so it doesn't feel like you're drowning in decisions, which was why I was paralyzed into downsizing.
One section at a time: I have so many categories of items in my store; rather than eliminating everything I didn't want at once, I did it one section at a time. So, for example, I went through my sweaters, kept the ones I wanted, and either eliminated some or put other items on sale so that I would procure some profit from my initial investment. Then, I did the other sections over the course of a few months. The items I eliminated were either donated, given away to friends or family, or even kept for myself. If your closet overwhelms you, do one section at a time. It really takes the pressure off to have it all done now.
Keep what you love: I cannot stress this enough. When I was eliminating items from my online shop, I realized the pieces I was getting rid of were items I didn't even like! So, I was buying these items in the hopes of selling them. And then ended up not selling them. This hurt me and my bottom line. The truth is, if I've bought an item I didn't like, my enthusiasm for the piece is minimal, and I know it shows up (my lack of enthusiasm) in the description of the item. The same applies to you and your closet. Keep only what you love, because, even if you paid for the piece and it sits in your closet, if you don't like it on you, it's only going to stay stuck in your closet. Get rid of what you don't love and instead keep only what you do.
Quality over quantity: Would you believe it if I told you that my sales are even better with fewer items? I'm shocked, even though I knew it would work. It's almost as if the idea of quality over quantity is true. (Ha, of course it is!) But, getting myself mentally in a position to go through with this idea - and not regret that what I've given away was lost revenue - is where the truth of it all lies. You have to let go to get what you truly want. I gave up an "image" of having a successful shop to actually have a successful shop with the values of what I believed in: that less is more. As it applies to your closet or home, keep the best, replace with the best, and invest in quality classic clothing items over mass-produced, inexpensive items (ones that you will have to replace a whole lot sooner). Instead, you will be perpetually in style with a happy wallet.
Sometimes getting to the place we need to be is hard. Even when we know what to do. But don't despair. Take it one section at a time, keep what you love, and choose quality items over quantity. And if you're like me - even if my good intentions took a long time to materialize - you can get what you want, which is a simple, minimal life filled only with the things you love, that make you happy, and that you can use.
No comments:
Post a Comment