closet and wardrobe planning

I have a large closet, so the temptation is great to fill it. But one thing that I do with my clothes closet is fantastic. I have a limited number of hangers. If all my clothes are clean, and I don't have enough hangers - something must go! I am not buying any more hangers - my wardrobe must fit on the space and within the limits. When I make or buy something new, something else must go.

Of course, I have some things that will never leave, for sentimental reasons - a few of my own baby clothes, saved all those years by my mom, some of my Mom's old dresses, and two Chinese silk dresses that once fit me as if designed for me. The navy blue has aged not so gracefully into an ugly purple. The teal one is still wearable - but floor length, and I used to wear it when I chaperoned proms. Those times are gone, but the dress remains. I am sure I am still too large for it, but some day....


I have a dress rack, with some that are too large, some that are too small, some that fit, some that are favorites from years ago, and totally out of style (super large shoulder pads anyone?)
But I rarely wear dresses. I weeded out a couple when I turned them into elastic-waist skirts for a school play production. But I ned to do more. Also need to check them for mold, wash the ones that are salvageable, move some to the "sewing room" for alterations, and get rid of several.

(Let me explain about the mold - my closet is on the lower level of the house, built into a slope. The closet is technically underground, although the bedroom attached to it has an outside door with a patio. Also, there is a bathroom with a tub right next to the doorless closet. While this seems like a good idea - it's not. Think of how the mirror steams up when you bathe or shower, and imagine all that moisture drifting into your closet. NOT GOOD!)

Then I have jackets - in one section are jackets I never wear any more (more giant shoulder pads) and in another area, my trusted friends - some of whom must now be too large. I need to go through al of those.

Then I have two sections for tops- those that I wear now, and some that were previously too small, but may fit now. I need to go through those too.

Then there are two pants sections- current and smaller. I have been going through these, and have moved several from the too-small to current. I have also released into the wild several that were too large now (Imagine that! I have clothes in my closet that are too big! Yea me!)

I am slowly getting rid of those things that I will never wear again. I have made one (ONE!) new top, and I have made my closet clean-out a priority.