Looks like I’m starting to get back on track with this whole blogging/vlogging thing. I mean, let’s not all hold our breaths, okay – I’m starting to get back into it. But it’s exciting! And fun! And gives me something to concentrate on that also aligns with current life goals! Win/win/win situation.

Anyhow, I’d like to welcome you all to a new series called Get The F*** Out (GTFO) 2015, which will chronicle my transition to living on my own (with a roommate) and include tips, lessons learned, and triumphs along the way.

I’m planning on having a YouTube video AND a blog post for each instalment (I’m not quite sure what to call these things – parts? instalments? episodes?), so we’ll see how that goes. I’ve tried to get back into YouTube a number of times over the past few years, but I’m extremely hopeful and optimistic this time around. Cross your fingers for me!

PART ONE: HOW TO DOWNSIZE YOUR POSSESSIONS

In this video, I discussed two basic steps in downsizing your possessions:

1) BE BRUTAL. You have to be honest with yourself. This is the most crucial thing you must remember to do. You’ve already realized that all of those 40 t-shirts won’t be able to move with you to your new place, or you simply don’t have the room for your collection of Beanie Babies anymore (that was a sad, sad day in the Wong household) – well, now it’s time to do something about it. Sentimentality or laziness has held you back, but not anymore. Be strong! People were not lying when they said that a person only needs, like, 10 items or less in their daily wardrobe. I always hated reading those articles when I was younger, but I’ve seen the truth of the next statistic in my own life and the people I live with. On average, *most people only use around 30% of the clothing that they own, while the other 70% languishes in the closet. (Just as a sidenote, I’m sitting here right now typing but I keep getting distracted because there is fresh salsa in my fridge and I just want to kill the whole container and, you know, I probably will. Because salsa.)

You could also take this time to reflect on your own personal style, because you’re basically going to be curating your wardrobe; you might have items in your closet from five years ago that you definitely will never wear again (that’s in your donate or sell pile), but there might also be some things from that time that still mesh with your current tastes that you haven’t seen in eight months because they’ve been hiding behind a horrendous taffeta contraption you’ve had since fourth grade. Whatever the reason, go through your items piece by piece and ask yourself if you really need (or even want) them.

2) LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES. That taffeta contraption we were just cringing over? It’s still in excellent condition, and could be considered vintage. That’s cash sitting in your closet just waiting to be claimed! Whether you take them to a consignment store or an online marketplace, there is potential money to be earned from your unwanted items. I know my sister has a bunch of things lying around her closet that still have the tags on them, that are in an obviously unworn condition, that could be sold easily. Right now I’m trying out a website called TrendTrunk, where you can easily post your items and sell them to other Canadians. I took a bunch of pictures today and edited them all to make them look pretty for potential buyers.

Looking for opportunities can also mean donating items that can still be worn – there’s a local non-profit thrift store that my mom likes to donate to that 100% benefits women and children who are victims of violence and abuse. It’s an opportunity to give back in a simple way, and to know that you’re not just throwing out perfectly usable items.

The best thing about downsizing your possessions? It’s fun. It makes you feel good. You are literally pounds and pounds lighter after dropping the dead weight of items you don’t need anymore. Your possessions become easier to manage, and everything becomes neater and cleaner and just awesome. Okay, so it might take you some time to clear out the crap if you’ve left your purging to right this second, but it’s all in the process, yeah? I have all the faith in you.

If you’re currently downsizing or are thinking about doing it, I wish you luck, dear friends. Don’t drown in a pile of clothes.

xoxo
Kristi

*unless you are a hardcore style blogger etc., in which case, I envy you and your horde