Once that difficult task is out of the way… it’s time for some fun! Get a mirror- heck get a bunch of mirrors- and let’s get this party started! Lights! Camera! MC Hammer pants! You know you look sexy- but would your friends want to be seen in public with you? Hmm… as for the rest of the wardrobe, let your posse be your guide. If you haven’t worn it since the 1980s, or even as recently as a year or two ago, it should probably go.
Remember to keep a positive attitude!
You know what comes next… celebrate! Movie night with everyone… or game night! Ice cream all the way around? The sky’s the limit! If it is just you, you could rejoice by (dare I say it?) buying yourself a new clothing item! Keep in mind this does NOT mean an entire new wardrobe! My Mom has a “one in, one out” policy. If she buys one item of clothing, she gets rid of one item of clothing. It is a good rule to follow, so you don’t fall into the same pattern. Remember 21 days to make or break a habit?
When you are all done with the festivities, here are your options: Sell, consign, donate. Make a plan! Going to have a yard sale? If you live in New York, as I do, it isn’t a very likely prospect in January. There are, however, a few shops in town that buy decent, clean, second hand clothing. If it is worth it for you, load up the car and head over to the local resale shop to see if you can make a few bucks. If you have a local consignment shop (again, it takes a little time and effort), head there. Sometimes if you bring things in and they don’t sell within a certain period of time, you can then allow them to become property of the consignment shop. A win-win!
There are also a number of places who are always happy to receive good quality previously loved clothing. I like to make sure that I know where my donations or the proceeds thereof are going, so it requires a little research or asking around. Sometimes it is dependant on your area locally, if a local family has lost everything due to fire (or in our case, I donated recently to “Love Knows No Bounds” for the flood victims in our area). If you don’t have any preference, any local Goodwill or Salvation Army will do! Keep in mind that donations are also tax deductible if you have an itemised list!
Make a deadline! After the fashion show, after the yard sale, get those items out of your Bagua (living area)! My recommendation is within a week. Then for all that effort… celebrate! Okay, so maybe I like to see people treat themselves… nothing wrong with that! You deserve it! It’s the little victories as well as the big ones that make this whole process worthwhile!
One of my favourite ways to celebrate is to take a good long walk or hike. This helps to meditate on my accomplishments and goals, pat myself on the back for a job well done, and can help prepare for the next Bagua. Which is…
Next week: Area 3. Food and Food Related Items