Ep 32 - Not Just About the “Stuff”

Hello there! In this episode, we're going to take a unique approach and tell you a story about a shirt. You may be wondering why we're discussing a shirt, but trust us, it's going to make sense. We'll break it down and explain why this particular shirt has a significant meaning. The reason we're sharing this story is that even if you declutter regularly, certain things can still hold sentimental value, and it can be challenging to let go of them. As someone who frequently helps people with their decision-making and decluttering, it's important to recognize that these issues and principles arise for everyone, and you're not alone. So sit back, relax, and listen to this episode as we explore the emotional attachment we have to certain items and why it's okay to hold onto them, even if it goes against conventional decluttering advice.

You can listen right here, on Apple, Amazon, Spotify or you can read the transcription below. Enjoy!

Hey there, friend. So today is going to be a different kind of episode. Disclaimer, as with all the episodes, you might hear Gim sleeping, maybe snoring a little bit. I am recording this podcast episode from a couch because he is all snuggled up. This was the next thing on my to-do list and I decided not to bug him because we were all snuggled up. So I am just going to let him cuddle and hope that it is not too loud.

It might be but this is going to be a different kind of episode. This episode is a story about a shirt. Why, you ask? Why the hell are you telling me a story about a shirt? Well, I promise it is going to make sense because I am going to break it down.

I wanted to tell you this story because I want you to know that even if you declutter all the time… I declutter day in, and day out with folks, and I give advice constantly on helping people work through this decision-making. There are some things that just still come up and this is a story about one of my shirts and I am just going to go ahead and, and get into it.

These same issues and principles pop up for everyone. You're not alone in it.

So this shirt is just a cute button-up chambray shirt, and I got it when we traveled. We were on vacation in Australia and that trip happened to be when we got engaged.

So it has been over 10 years since I got this shirt. This is not a new shirt. I got it, I want to say, and I could be wrong, so please don't fact-check this. I want to say that they had just gotten a new Top Shop in Sydney and I was excited about it because I love Top Shop in London.

It was like a store that I always wanted to go to if I was there. And so, I was like, oh my gosh, Top Shop Sydney. Like, I want to go, I want to go shopping. And I got this button-up Chambray shirt and I just liked it and I was like, oh my gosh, you can go with everything. And I didn't have another one at the time, actually, I still don't because this was my favorite.

So now I need a new one. So because I had gotten it in Australia at this Top Shop thing, and because it was Top Shop, and because it went with everything because it was on the trip when I got engaged I just really loved this shirt and I wore it all the time. I wore it buttoned down.

I wore it like, like, yeah, buttoned down. I wore it open. I dressed it up. I dressed it down. I would wear it over dresses. I would tie it up at the waist. I would. Have it open. I would wear it on sessions with clients towards the end of its life. I would wear it on Zoom as a light layer. I wore it while traveling.

It packed well. The wrinkles, you know, would fall out of it. It was just this great shirt and I wore it a lot, a lot.

So it recently ripped. I think I might have been trying it on, maybe moved weirdly or something and it just ripped and it was in an area. Where if you tried to fix it, it would be really, really noticeable.

it is kind of on your back but underneath your shoulder blade. And it was just, it is, it would be a completely noticeable spot. And it was just one of those things where when it ripped, I was like, it is, that's it. That is it. And the rip itself makes a lot of sense because the shirt is quite worn and you know, not like a little bit, like a lot, a lot of bits. So it makes sense why it ripped, even though I know that the shirt got its full amount of use. I have worn this shirt hundreds of times.

When it ripped, I immediately, my brain went to think about brainstorming all the ways that I could save it. I was thinking about all the possible solutions and that is where my brain immediately went. I was thinking, Of things that, to be honest, would add, would add projects to my plate. And at the end of the day, I wouldn't want to wear the shirt as much because of the rip because again, it is not, it is not in a spot where you're going to be able to fix it and just be like, I'll never notice this.

it is, it will be very noticeable and it is a very worn spot. So even if you try and repair it, it is probably just going to happen again very soon. So I thought, All these different things. I thought about repairing it myself. I thought about sending it away for repair. I thought about maybe putting a cute patch where it was, but since it is a really weird spot.

I was like, maybe I'll just cover the whole thing in patches. Maybe I'll just have one of those cute patchy shirts that I wear, and then that's, that's my new look. Which, you know, that's not, and even if it was, there would never be a patch there, so it would just look silly. I thought about making the shirt into rags.

Ps I have enough rags. I have more than enough rags. I was thinking, you know, maybe I could take part of it and like make it into scrunchies or a head wrap or you know, just all these different things.

Even though I knew that I could do those things. I knew that logistically if I set the shirt aside, this is just going to be this project that I don't do, that I am going to feel guilty about because it is not really at the top of my list. I am going to set it aside for like, you know, five years. And then the next time I go through my sewing kit, I am going to notice this project that I meant to have that I didn't do and that I am going to feel guilty about because of my shirt. It is just going to be like this ongoing set of extra delayed decisions because I don't care enough to put any of those things into action, which is fine. I am not excited about the result of any of those things. I think I just feel bad about getting rid of the shirt. I am not actually excited about the end result of any of those things.

I think I just feel bad about getting rid of the shirt, and if I am being honest with myself, I feel bad about the actual shirt, like I feel for the shirt for letting it go. But that's when I really had to put my organizer hat on because what would I say to a client, right? And the truth is, I know by saving it, I am just putting this big project that I don't really want to do on my plate, that it is already full and it is kind of like this form of self-sabotage.

So I am going to do the thing that I would recommend to a client if they were doing these mental gymnastics with me in person or virtually, and if we talk through all the different possibilities, but if they're not really excited about it, if none of that lights them up and if it is really just going to be this extra project for the sake of not wasting the shirt.

I would say let's go ahead and recycle it. And that's what I am going to do. I am going to go ahead and recycle it, and I am going to send it away to Retold Recycling, which is our preferred vendor for all things textile recycling. And they are going to give it a second life somehow. And I don't know exactly how, but I am going to let them make that decision because that's what they do.

That's their whole thing. So I am going to let them decide and I am going to ship it off to them. Side note, we have an episode dropping next week with the co-founder of Retold Recycling. I am very excited about it. We will share all of the details next week. You're going to get it all. Also, I need you to fully understand that I am not talking, I am not talking about Retold Recycling, right now because we have the co-founder on it. I am talking about Retold Recycling because I am such a fangirl of their product. That's why I reached out to the co-founder to see if she would come on the show and tell everybody about it because I am like a dorky fan girl over here. And I just really love their mission and what they do.

So I am excited about it. We'll talk more next week, but the point of today is, If you are finding it hard to let something go, I totally get it. You're not alone at all. And if it is feeling hard for you, again can't stress this enough. I do this for a living, for my full-time job, and I still feel all those pangs of guilt even though I do this literally constantly.

You totally got this. And over here I am going to put that in my recycling bin. Not my recycling bin like my household one, but my Retold bin. And I am going to continue to clean out my closet this week. I have a thrift exchange event that I am going to this weekend with the Sacramento Thrift Exchange.

And by the time you hear this episode, It will have been last weekend, so I am sorry you missed it. But I am going to leave a link to the Sacramento Thrift Exchange in the show notes so that you can check out further upcoming dates and follow them on Instagram. If you're in the Sacramento region, I'll also have the Retold Recycling link in the show notes as well.

But yeah, I am, I need to do more of a closet cleanout. I have decided recently that I am going to be letting go of any of my taller heels, and they're not even really that tall, but anything like three inches are over. I think. I think I am over it. I am never reaching for them, and so I think it is time.

I am just going to let 'em go. I am just going to let 'em on, go. So don't mind me. I'll be clearing out my closet, but I had to share this lesson with you and I appreciate you and I'll talk to you real soon.

We would love to make sure that your questions are answered for a question of the week or a future episode. So we love to hear from you. DM (on Instagram) or you can always email me, carly@tidyrevival.com. We love hearing from you. We love hearing your thoughts about the pod, and thank you so much for hanging out.

If you wanna learn more about how I can help you, feel free to head over to tidyrevival.com to learn how I work with people one-on-one or in the Clutter-Free Home Process private community. If you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe so you'll always have access to the latest episode.

We would also love to hear your takeaways. Feel free to tag us on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok. The Tidy Revival podcast is written and hosted by me, Carly Adams, and edited by Brittany McLean. Title Song Maverick is by Dresden The Flamingo.

and until next time, remember that…