Purposeful Planning: No More Flying By the Seat of My Pants

It's January. Calendars and planners are on display in the center aisle of the office supply store, and beautiful journals tempt shoppers at the local book store. Some seem too pretty to write in, and others look so complicated that they will probably sit, unused, on someone's desk collecting dust. After inspecting ten or twenty possibilities, I plunk down my money on something I think will get me organized at last. But now what? Will that little book get my house in order? Well, it might help -- if I actually use it. The question is, how?

I have set aside some time each day for Bible reading and prayer. I've established a habit of doing thirty minutes of maintenance in the morning, before getting seriously involved in anything else. I have planned a strategy of attack, with a five-week cycle, for decluttering and cleaning my house. I have cleared the clutter from my mind by writing everything down in my spiral notebook. I have a good calendar with plenty of space to write reminders. And I've started a project notebook with dividers for each area of my house, plus personal projects and goals. So now that I have all these lists and ideas, how do I make them work for me? Now that I know where I want to go, can I figure out how to get there? By purposefully planning my days, I will get closer to my destination.

First, I have a weekly routine. This is a general plan for what gets done each day. One day is reserved for shopping, so the day before that I clean out the refrigerator and get my meals planned and grocery list made. A couple days are set aside for extra attention to projects. Mondays, I shovel out the mess from the weekend. This is also the day I do my Weekly Review. Every Monday morning, I will sit down with my spiral notebook, calendar, and project notebook to make my plans for the week.

Weekly Review

• I review the list in my spiral notebook to see if there are any items that should be transferred to my calendar or project notebook. Perhaps I have been asked to play my flute for a special church service in three weeks. I will transfer that note to my calendar so I don't forget. Maybe I noticed that my recipe file is a mess and the area rug in the living room needs replaced. I have written these things down on my list, so now I will transfer them to my project notebook in the kitchen and living room sections. 
• I check my calendar for activities that must be done this week. Perhaps I see that I am scheduled to play my flute this coming Sunday. I will be reminded to get out my music and work on that sometime during the week. I will also note in which area of the house I will be working -- kitchen, living room, or whatever.
• I look at my project notebook in the appropriate section and decide if there are any things listed that can be done this week. Perhaps I should straighten out those recipes if I am working in the kitchen. Or if this is the week for the living room, I may start looking for an area rug. I will also look at the personal projects and goals section to determine which of these activities I can schedule this week. By having these things written down, I see them regularly and am reminded to spend some time on personal goals.
• Now I can choose which projects to do on what day and write those down in my calendar.  I can schedule errands to be run on days when I have the car and am already out and about. And those days when I don't have to go anywhere, I can get into more involved projects. I can decide what we are going to eat for dinner each day, keeping in mind certain days that might call for quick and easy meals. I might even  find some time in my schedule for sewing or painting! 

Now that my plans are made for the week, I can look at my calendar each morning while I sip my coffee, and prepare for the day's activities. No more flying by the seat of my pants! I now have a plan with a purpose. And now I can get to work!

Clearing the Clutter From My Mind

My head is exploding with ideas, I have a million things that must be done, and I am constantly bombarded with information -- much of it valuable. How do I get the clutter out of my mind so I can think straight? I have found a few inexpensive tools that have helped me organize my thoughts and actually get things done. So while I am decluttering my house, I am also going to work on clearing the clutter from my mind. Here's how:

My Spiral Notebook
The first step is to get all that stuff out of my brain and onto paper. Some people call this a brain dump. I take a simple spiral notebook and write down everything I have been thinking about -- things I must do, projects I would like to start, products to purchase, books to borrow or buy, people to call, websites to check out, questions to research -- everything. And in no particular order. This could take a while, initially, but once I have cleaned the jumble of information from my mind, I can see more clearly what needs to be done. I keep this notebook nearby and add to it as more thoughts come to me.

Looking at what I have written, I will see some things that can be done at the moment, if they will only take a minute or two. And some of what I wrote down may be deemed unimportant and can simply be crossed off and forgotten. But there will be other items that require some sort of special attention.

My Calendar
As I run down my list, I see some things that can be written down immediately in my calendar. If I need to remember something in six months, I write a note on my calendar page for that month. Now I can cross it off my list. My calendar is filled with reminders -- rotate the tires in March; fertilize the trees and shrubs in March, June, and October; start on the Christmas cards in November. If it's not written down, I am likely to forget these things when life gets busy. Now that I have these reminders, I can rest assured they won't be forgotten.

My Project Notebook
Some things, such as projects, are more involved. Those things will go in my project notebook. Here, I have dividers for each area of my house, including the garage and yard, plus personal projects and goals. I move the items from my brain dump list into the appropriate section for future review.  Now I can cross those things off my list, as well. When I am working in the foyer, I will look at my project notebook and see that the paint on the front door needs touched up. When I make my plans for the week, I may choose to get out those brushes and paint.

Now that I have cleared my head, I can see what actually needs done. I am not wasting energy worrying about things that don't need to be done for months. I have a list of things I would like to do, and may think of even more lofty goals. What now? All these lists won't get my house looking good or move me toward those goals. But now that I know where I want to go, maybe I can figure out how to get there. Coming up next: Purposeful Planning: No More Flying By the Seat of My Pants.

Jettison the Junk!

Cobwebs can be swept, and windows can be washed, but it is impossible to really clean the house when there is clutter everywhere. So my first task is to get rid of the garbage. It's amazing how much stuff a family can accumulate over the years. Some things may have been useful when we acquired them, but no longer serve a purpose; perhaps someone else could use them. Other things are simply in the wrong place; those items need to be relocated. And some things just need to be thrown away. It's time to clear the clutter that is distracting us from that which is useful or beautiful. It's time to jettison the junk!

In order to deal with the paraphernalia throughout the house, I must look at things with a fresh vision. As I walk in the front door, I imagine that I am a visitor. What do I see? Would guests wonder why there is a beach towel lying on the first flat surface they encounter? Must there be five pairs of shoes in the middle of the living room floor? And why is the dog's tennis ball sitting on the dining room server?

Why do I have lotions and potions in my bathroom that are nearly ten years old? Do I honestly think I will sew anything using those patterns from 1979? Will I ever get around to making some craft with that bag of sea shells I collected 20 years ago? Must I keep every box that comes to the house from Amazon? And do I really need all those little air-filled plastic bags they use for packing?

Are coffee cups so costly that I am forced to use ones that are chipped and faded? Why are we keeping that bottle of whiskey that someone gave us years ago, when we don't drink alcohol? What is that old bread machine doing in the cupboard when I now have a KitchenAid mixer and bake my bread in the oven? And how many plastic food storage containers does a person really need?

Armed with a couple of boxes, a garbage bag, a small notebook and pen, I am ready to begin. One of the boxes is for items I will give away. The other is for those things that are simply out of place. And the garbage bag is for, well, garbage! As I go through each room, I will notice things that need to be done -- touch up the paint on the front door, wash the wall around that window, look for a new area rug. Those things will be written down in my notebook. I won't stop what I am doing and dig out the paint and brushes. But the next time I work on the foyer, I may decide to work on that door.

One by one, drawers will be emptied, and only the things that belong will be returned. Cupboards will be cleared, cleaned, and filled with just the things I need. Shelves will be dusted, and only that which is useful or beautiful will occupy space there again. Books we don't love will be banished. Papers will be put away or thrown away. Shoes that look shabby will be tossed, and clothes that are no longer worn will be given to charity. Away with the mess! Enough of this nonsense! This year, I am getting organized!

A Strategy of Attack

Most of the books I have read about organization and home management start out with explanations of why one should get organized and the history of the author’s struggle with a messy house (or how the author, at age five, cleaned and organized her entire home). At least a chapter or two are devoted to the philosophy of cleaning one’s house and why the method in this book works when others don’t. Then the reader is instructed to get a planner and make a schedule of some sort. The trouble with this is that, while I am sitting around making lists and charting chores, the house is not getting clean. So, in case you are working through this along with me, I am saving my explanation about calendar planning and list making until after we get the ball rolling. The only way to make progress on getting one’s house in order is to get busy and do something!

In order to conquer the clutter and get this place cleaned up, I must do more than Thirty Minutes of Maintenance each day. I need a Strategy of Attack! I must focus on each battle zone and, little by little, advance through the whole house. The question is, where do I begin? One book I read suggested starting at the front door. Another advised commencing with my closet. And yet another recommended embarking on a year-long operation, spending one month in each room, including the basement, garage, and office. If I were to spend an entire month cleaning the garage while neglecting the rest of my house, I can’t even imagine the chaos that would ensue! 

I need a plan that will allow time to focus on each area of the house, while keeping a reasonable sense of order throughout. So I will concentrate on one area for one week, then move on to the next. After spending one week in each room, I will go back to the beginning and repeat the process. By doing this, every area will receive some extra attention about every five weeks. I won't achieve perfection in one week. I may only have fifteen minutes each day to spend on this endeavor. But the next time through the cycle, I will accomplish a little more. And eventually, I will reach some semblance of order. I have divided my home into the following areas:

1. Front porch, foyer, and living room

2. Dining room and patio

3. Kitchen

4. Bathrooms

5. Bedroom (Kids' rooms are not included here. That's a subject for another day!)

So what will I do in these five areas? Whatever needs to be done! From the top down and the whole way around. Yes, I will be cleaning. But first, I'll start with the clutter! Care to join me? Let's sort through the surplus and discard the debris! Then we can organize those things that we choose to keep. Coming up next: Jettison the Junk!

Thirty Minutes of Maintenance

Something has got to be done about this mess.

Where do you begin when the whole house is a disaster area and you have a million things on your mind? Should you begin at the front door and work your way in, or start at the back of the house and work your way out? Should you purchase a new planner and set up a schedule? Maybe get all the laundry done? Go to the store and buy storage solutions for all the stuff that’s piled up here and there? It’s easy to be overwhelmed by it all, and to just sit down with a bag of chips and do nothing. But that won’t alleviate the situation at hand. It’s time to take action!

I have read so many books on how to get one’s house and life under control, it’s downright embarrassing. Some were filled with brilliant ideas, and some have been disappointing. But I believe that by combining the best of what I have read, maybe I can make some progress in my quest to get organized. I already made great strides on my closet when I implemented the ten item wardrobe plan. So let’s see where this leads.

The trouble with major decluttering operations and cleaning marathons is that, while I am working on one part of the house, the rest of the place gets totally out of control. After all, laundry still has to be done, meals need to be prepared, and dishes must be washed. Life goes on, even when one is in the midst of combating clutter. So my first strategy is Thirty Minutes of Maintenance, before getting seriously involved in anything else. I will throw a load of laundry into the washing machine so that it will be working for me while I spend about five minutes in each room tidying up. This is not the time for mopping floors or cleaning cupboards; it’s just a quick pick-up. Now admittedly, before any decluttering has been done, this may not make much difference, but at least a few things will get put away, and I will see other things that can be added to my to-do list for the future (more on this to come). So what can be done in five minutes? Here are some ideas:

Thirty Minutes of Maintenance

• Unload the dishwasher and reload with breakfast dishes.
• Empty the dish rack.
• Change the tablecloth.
• Pick up and put away stray items.
• Make the bed.
• Put dirty clothes in the hamper.
• Throw away loose trash.
• Wipe off the bathroom sink.
• Empty trash cans.

Once I finish my Thirty Minutes of Maintenance, I can sit down with a cup of coffee, check my calendar, and make my battle plan for the day. I have already accomplished something, and the day has just begun! I can do this! Next up: A Strategy of Attack.

A New Year, A Fresh Start

It's a new year! And, like many people so often do when the date changes from one year to the next, I like to set new goals. Resolutions may be too strong a term for me. After all, I can resolve to do something really important any time. But there is something about flipping that calendar and seeing a new year that makes me think of new beginnings and a fresh start. Just think of the possibilities! Maybe it has something to do with taking down the Christmas tree and putting the holiday decorations back into storage. Suddenly, the living room is so much bigger! And it makes me want to tidy up the house. Every year, I make the announcement: This year, I'm going to get organized! And every year, we all just kind of laugh. Usually, I read a book to get me motivated, and then I begin to clean, sort, and throw away the useless junk that has accumulated. But it doesn't last long. Life gets busy again, and before you know it, my determination wanes and things get back to normal. Nevertheless, it doesn't stop me from once again setting a goal to get my house in order. This year, I'm going to get organized!

These next few weeks, I will share some of the ideas I have gleaned from the most helpful books I have read on the subject of organization and household management. And perhaps by doing so, I will actually make some progress in my own life. Maybe you have some great ideas or things that have worked for you. Please feel free to share them in the comments below. 

The first thing I recommend is that you set aside some time each day for Bible reading and prayer. After all, God is the most organized person I know, and He certainly has some great advice for getting your life in order. 

Have you ever read through the whole Bible? If not, that would be a great goal for the new year! It may sound like a daunting task, but it can be done. Find a good Bible reading plan or checklist and get started! I use Professor Horner's Bible Reading System, and have 10 bookmarks to keep my place as I read. You may prefer a different method. Some of these systems promise that you will get through the Bible in one year. But what if you don't? What if you miss a day or a week or more? Don't give up! Just pick up where you left off. You can do this! 

Prayer is another important element that will help you to stay focused on what is really important. Keeping a prayer journal can be very encouraging as you see what the Lord has done in your life and how He answers prayer. Just get yourself a notebook and write down the things you are praying about. You will be amazed when you see the results! A recent movie, War Room, (now on DVD) is about the power of prayer and will motivate you to get serious about talking to God.

As you begin to focus on that which is most important, the rest will begin to fall into place. This month, as others fret about losing weight, paying off debts, and yes, organizing their homes, I encourage you to renew your relationship with God by spending more time with Him. Now that's a resolution worth keeping!

A Peek Inside My Closet

Well, here it is: my ten item wardrobe for fall! My ten pieces include one dress, six skirts, and three blouses. I also have a few tee shirts and cardigans, which are on the shelf above the hanging garments. Everything coordinates, so I have at least twenty different outfits. One hanger holds two scarves that I can wear with some of the skirts and tops. There are two jackets hanging in the closet as well, although I probably will not be wearing them until winter, because it is too warm right now. I just liked the way they looked hanging there! The only shoes, belts, and handbags on display are those that will be worn with my ten items. This way, I won't have to search for things; everything I need is here, and nothing else. In fact, I don't even need to open the left side of the closet at all! My clothing for the season all fits on the right side!

I will disclose that I have a spare closet in another room for a few out of season dresses and evening gowns.

I have two bags of clothing to give to charity. I'm sure that I will have even more when I finish sorting through the out of season things. For now, I just boxed them up. I still haven't decided about that 40-year-old sweater! I really like the color, and it brings back memories of my first trip into the city with friends, for a day of shopping and exploring.

I replaced the old hangers with matching ones and purchased some storage boxes that were on sale. I had a roll of contact paper that I had gotten some time ago, and I decided to cover my shoe boxes with it to make them look pretty. Labels on the lids of each box tell me what is inside. Most of the storage boxes hold out of season clothes.

My plan is to change the items every three months for each season. Because I got started on this project a little late, the fall clothes won't be hanging here very long. With December right around the corner and the accompanying Christmas festivities, I will be changing a number of garments in just a few weeks. For now, I will enjoy my beautifully organized closet!

Into the Wardrobe

C.S. Lewis readers will remember the story of the little girl who climbed into a wardrobe and entered another world. The Chronicles of Narnia describes this magical land, where animals talk and good clashes with evil. My wardrobe doesn't lead to the fantasy land of Narnia, and there certainly aren't talking animals inside. But there was a battle, of sorts, going on behind those doors. Skirts and blouses were fighting with dresses and jackets for room to breathe. Boots tried to get a foothold among the shoes. Sweaters and tee shirts struggled to hold their ground as handbags advanced on their territory. So I decided to combat the chaos by attacking the mess head-on. I took the ten item wardrobe challenge.

After I emptied the whole closet, I realized that I had made a tactical error. I had no idea what I was going to do with my clothes while I was in the process of reorganizing them. This wasn't a job that could be completed in one afternoon. So that night, before I went to bed, I piled the clothes in front of the closet. Each time I worked on this project, I found myself moving piles from here to there -- not a very efficient way to work. So for those of you who wish to join me in this endeavor, here are a few tips:

• Have a bag or box handy for those things that you are going to give away. Perhaps you know someone who can use them, or you can donate them to a charity. I won't give the common advice about discarding anything you haven't worn for a year. If you are like me, you may have simply forgotten about some of those items. But do look at each article of clothing with fresh eyes. If a piece doesn't feel right, or if it is stained or worn out, get rid of it! 
• Know what you are going to do with your out-of-season clothes. Do you have another closet that can be used for this purpose? Maybe you can simply box them up and place them on the top shelf. Either way, they will not be taking up space and adding confusion to the clothing you will be wearing this season. 
• Choose the shoes and handbags that coordinate with your ten item wardrobe, and put the other ones away. This will make getting dressed so much easier, when you don't have to wade through 20 pairs of shoes. The same goes for belts and scarves. There is no need to have your white sandals in your closet in January, or black boots taking up precious space in July (unless, of course, you live in the Southern Hemisphere!).
• Try to use matching hangers. It will make the whole closet look so much nicer! They don't have to be expensive. Remember, you will be limiting the number of items that will need hangers, so you won't need many.
• Take measurements of shelf space before you go out shopping for organizational paraphernalia. And take a tape measure with you when you shop, so that you will be sure the things you buy will fit in your closet.
• Be creative! You don't need to spend a fortune on this. If you have the money for a beautiful, customized closet system, that's great! But with a little thought, you  can use what you already have to get things under control and looking nice. For example, boxes can be covered with contact paper, or even wrapping paper, to make them pretty. Labels will let you know what each box contains. Everyone's needs and resources are different. Your closet belongs to you, so make it yours! 

It will be so much easier to get dressed in the morning, once your choices are narrowed down to only the things that make you look and feel good. No more rummaging through a forest of garments or rooting around in a pile of shoes. And you will probably save money by not purchasing clothes that you don't need. Your next trip to the mall may be for just one dress to replace one that has worn out. Or perhaps you only need a blouse in a particular color to complete your capsule of clothing. You won't be tempted to buy everything in sight. You will be in control! Are you ready for the challenge?

Next week: A peek inside my closet for a glimpse of my ten item wardrobe.

The Ten Item Wardrobe Explained

It seems I have caused quite a stir with my ten item wardrobe challenge! Ladies, especially, are taking a look into their closets with new eyes. Many are wondering how in the world they can possibly whittle down their enormous collection of clothing to just ten pieces. Some are puzzled over seasonal changes and whether they would be required to wear wool skirts in the summer and cotton frocks on snowy winter days. Never fear! It's not that bad. You certainly won't find me outside gardening in my Sunday best, or walking two miles in high-heeled shoes! So let's take a closer look at the concept of the ten item wardrobe.

• The basic idea is to choose ten articles of clothing that form the core of your wardrobe. You will, of course, consider your lifestyle and the type of weather you have in your area. If you wear skirts/pants and tops, each piece counts as one. By choosing your clothing carefully, however, you can mix and match things to get way more than just ten outfits! 
• Sweaters, jackets, and outerwear are extras; they are bonus pieces that can change a look and add warmth. Even when it is hot outside, air-conditioned stores, restaurants, and churches can be chilly. I almost always take along a sweater, shawl, or jacket when I go out.  
• Tee shirts and camisoles are extras. You can use them for layering, or simply as tops. Usually, these items don't need to be hung in the closet. They can be kept in drawers or baskets. 
• Shoes, handbags, and accessories are not counted. After all, if we counted a pair of shoes as two pieces (or even just one), most of us would be in serious trouble! But do try to be reasonable. The idea is to minimize the clutter and simplify things -- and you can't do that with 2000 pairs of shoes!
• Exercise and work clothes are extras. I think that I will choose ten items for this category, as well. This will be a separate group that will reside in a dresser drawer. That way, I will have what I need for walking and digging in the dirt, while keeping things as simple as possible. 
• The ten item wardrobe can be changed for each season. The rest of your things can be stored elsewhere so they don't get in the way. You may have a set of clothes for spring/summer and another set for fall/winter. Or you may opt to have four different capsules of seasonal clothing. It really is up to you! What fits your lifestyle? I think that I will sort my clothes into four groups to be changed every three months. Some pieces may find themselves in more than one group and will remain in my closet for an extended period. The general idea gives me some variety throughout the year. When December comes, for example, it will be time to swap my fall things for winter clothes. I will do the same in March, June, and September. 

If you feel that you need more than ten pieces, guess what? You make the rules! Maybe you have twelve or fifteen items that insist on taking part in your life this season. That's ok. Just do what is best for you. But I think you will find life so much simpler if you can keep the quantity of clothing to a minimum. And just imagine how beautiful your closet will look when it is finished!

Cleaning Out My Closet

Well, I'm taking the challenge. All this talk about a ten item wardrobe got me motivated! So this week I did something crazy -- I emptied my whole closet. I took everything out and piled it on my bed, and then I wiped out the inside. There are no built-in closets in the master bedroom of our home, the result of a former owner adding on to the house and, I'm guessing, taking out the previously existing closet in the process. So I have, instead, a free-standing wardrobe with shelves and a small rod for hanging clothes. It's just the right size for a ten item wardrobe!  

As I looked at the heap on my bed, I realized that there were clothes in my wardrobe that I had forgotten I even owned! Some still had tags on them. Others had shrunk in the wash and hadn't been worn in years. There was even a cardigan sweater that I bought over 40 years ago! The hangers were mismatched and included cheap skirt hangers that had come with the clothes when they were purchased. They even had colored tags with numbers on them, announcing the size of the garments they wore. Millions of belts and handbags cluttered the shelves. And shoes were stacked in their boxes, taking up half the shelf space. Yes, it's time to do something about this mess.

The first thing I did was to determine whether or not I could make some sense of the things I had. Could I put together a capsule of clothing that would be coordinated in some manner? The way I had everything in the closet before made it look like a hodge podge of unrelated pieces. But a closer look revealed a pleasant surprise! I have quite a few skirts and tops that work well together. In fact, it looks like I can do the same thing for each season. So I will  keep just the clothing for fall in my closet now and change it out when winter comes. That way, I won't get tired of wearing the same clothes year round. The extra clothes that aren't part of the basic wardrobe will  be moved out of my closet to storage.

Now that I have my strategy, I can take action. I already started a give-away bag for those items I no longer wear. I will need to get some decent skirt hangers, and maybe some sort of baskets or boxes to use on the shelves. I will not be going to an upscale store to get lots of fancy organizing paraphernalia; I am doing this on a budget. I was so pleased to see that I don't really need any new clothes for this season. I may replace a top that is getting slightly worn with a new one, and I think I might purchase a piece of fabric to make a scarf to wear with a certain skirt. But other than that, I'm good to go! Check back next week to see if I make any progress. What about you? Would you like to join me in the ten item wardrobe challenge?

The Ten Item Wardrobe

We've all seen them -- those pictures of beautifully organized closets filled with perfectly coordinated clothing that hangs freely from matching hangers. Sweaters are neatly folded, shoes are meticulously lined up, and handbags stand at attention in a neat row. But when we open the door of our own closets, we find a mess of mismatched garments shoved in so tightly that they hardly need hangers to stay in place. Sweaters are piled up so that, when we pull one out to wear, the whole bunch falls over in a heap. Shoes are strewn about looking for their mates, and purses are thrown in wherever they will fit. Perhaps your closet is properly organized. But for those of us who are organizationally challenged, or just don't have enough room for our clothes, that beautiful wardrobe seems like a dream. If only we could find a way to straighten things out! Well, I may have found a solution.

Recently I discovered two books by best-selling author Jennifer L. Scott: Lessons From Madame Chic; 20 Stylish Secrets I Learned While Living in Paris, and At Home With Madame Chic; Becoming a Connoisseur of Daily Life. When Jennifer was in college, she lived in Paris for six months as an exchange student. The lessons she learned while living with her host family were life changing. She has written these two books based on her experience in Paris, and a new book, Polish Your Poise With Madame Chic; Lessons in Everyday Elegance, is set to be released later this month. Jennifer's blog, The Daily Connoisseur, is filled with ideas on how to achieve that je ne sais quoi possessed by her hostess and others that she met during her study abroad. I am impressed by the way Jennifer turned that six-month experience into a career that she is able to maintain while staying at home with her children. One thing, in particular, that made an impact on her was the fact that, in spite of having tiny closets, French women always seemed to be dressed so nicely! It was then that she learned the concept of the ten item wardrobe.

The idea is to have ten quality pieces that are worn throughout the week, with the addition of tee shirts, outer wear, and accessories. By limiting yourself to ten key items, the closet is not packed with clothes that are rarely worn. This makes getting dressed so much easier, since you don't have to wade through a forest of garments in your wardrobe. Because I am always searching for ways to be more organized, I found this idea intriguing. I have so many clothes, but I always seem to grab the same couple outfits to throw on in my haste to get dressed and get on with my day. And since the weather is always warm here, with the exception of a few chilly winter days, I can wear the same clothes year round. The trouble with that is, it can get rather boring. So I have decided to try this concept of the ten item wardrobe.

I am sure it will be a challenge to choose which things to keep, which ones to store away, and what to get rid of altogether. But I think that, by choosing wisely, I will be able to put together a practical wardrobe that looks nice and serves me well. Perhaps I might even achieve that picture perfect closet I have coveted for so long. So stay tuned for updates on my progress! Meanwhile, perhaps you would like to give it a try, as well!