Oh goodness! How did I get to this point? I thought I had it under control.
Today, I would like to share with you all a part of me I have never spoken of. I just discovered that I am still bound to hoarding and a high level of endless buying. I feel helpless, and I seek freedom. I hope I get one sooner.
It's broad, but I would like to talk about my one-year-old knitwear collection. I just realized he has over twenty two different knitwear pieces that still fit him. I have not worn the majority of them on him. I just can't help but ask myself repeatedly how I got here.
Anyway, do you agree with me that kids' wear is the most adorable?
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I bought this before I found out I was pregnant. Its thickness was perfect, and it had a fluffy lining underneath. It is attractive and has a durable strength of 99%. I actually have a thing for the orange colour. I got this for just ₦1200 in anticipation for conception. They are all thrift outwears.
This was my mother's first gift to my baby. I don't know what she was thinking when she got it—maybe she thought it was a baby girl. I can't give this out because it makes her happy whenever she sees him wear it. So, I guess I'm stuck with this.
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These two were the first knitted wear he put on after he was born. He rocked them consistently until he was a month old. I actually paid ₦13,000 for both to be hand-knitted, and seriously, the lady tried her best. They were neatly knitted.
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This one was a gift from a friend who also had a baby six months before me. I had gone to visit her when it started to rain, and I didn't know I had forgotten to put my son's sweater in his bag. It was cold, so she gave me her son's jacket, although her boy had outgrown it. I insisted on returning it, but she insisted I keep it. I told her he had more than enough, but she wanted him to have it. It's really cute, though, and hubby was in love with it.
Some were bought on impulse, while some were a matter of "just in case." We are approaching deeper into the rainy season, and it's usually cold here in the northern part of Nigeria. If it rains constantly, those sweaters might take days to dry. That was my thought and consideration when purchasing them. I’m not justifying the fact that I got too many.
The actual reason behind this endless purchase was because they sometimes looked too adorable, and then the vendors offered them at very cheap rates considering the quality. It gets too tempting to avoid falling in—and now the drawer won't close.
Aside from eating deep into my savings, most of them have not been worn by him. Most times, he repeats two or three of the outerwear because it fits perfectly and could go with just any outfit. I know I am in charge of his clothes, but I find it difficult to instill the habit of minimalism into his life. He has just too many outfits, and sometimes his wardrobe gets disorganized because I am supposed to manage my time in order to meet up with my daily schedule. But I do carve out time to organize and take out things he doesn't need anymore.
So today, I made up my mind to declutter his outerwear. This is not the easiest thing to do. Making a choice of which to keep and which to let go gives me a headache. I better get done with it and be freed.
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There are Nine hoodies, although he has outgrown just one. I will be keeping five of them, excluding the one he has outgrown. Above are the ones I will be holding onto, and below are the ones I will be letting go of. What do you think?
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There are three knitted sweaters, all still fitting and essential. I will be keeping them.
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There are eight thick outerwears in the form of tops. These ones—he could wear them on his vest and still feel warm. I will be keeping the four above and letting go of the four below.
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I will be keeping these two. I love how cute he looks in them.
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After this declutter, I have promised myself not to purchase any more outerwear until there is a necessity to get one. And if I must, then I will have to give an old one out and replace it with a new one, so I don’t end up with a drawer filled with unused clothes that he might outgrow without ever wearing.
The thought of how much I spent buying these clothes over and over again makes me feel stupid. There is no better way to get rid of that feeling other than knowing when to STOP! When to say NO! Get only his needs, not my wants.
This is just one small area of my life, but it's a reminder that freedom sometimes starts with a drawer you can finally close.
