As someone who has worked in fashion retail for nearly four years, it’s safe to say that I enjoy clothes, cosmetics and everything in between. It’s also safe to say that I enjoy the shopping that goes along with the fashion industry.
“Retail Therapy” is a very real thing. Sometimes the only thing that makes one feel better is a new pair of shoes. Of course, in my case, new shoes, new necklaces, new lipstick and new perfume doesn’t actually make me feel better. It makes me look adorable, and that might temporarily make me feel good, but it doesn’t solve anything.
At the end of the day, buying new things is a result of me trying to fill holes, to replace the things/people I’ve lost. Realizing that I have way too many clothes, too much clutter, and a whole lot of junk, I’ve made it a mission this year to start clearing things out.
I started reading The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, and while some of it is a little new-agey for me, one of the points that resonated with me was that if your stuff isn’t bringing you joy, you should feel free to get rid of it.
This isn’t as simple for me as it should be. In addition to being a bit of an impulse shopper, I also get sentimentally attached to my stuff. Even if something I own isn’t bringing me joy now, I can easily remember a time when it did, and therefore, I can justify keeping almost anything.
But that has to stop. There are a lot of clothes I bought in moments of weakness that have been sitting in my closet unworn for years. I own a lot of shoes that I bought when I was grieving that aren’t even comfortable. My vanity drawers are full of lipsticks that I used for a season and then forgot about.
After losing someone, it can be hard enough to find joy. The stuff I own shouldn’t make it even harder.
Jordan has lost her father, grandfather, mentor and friend in the past five years. Dealing with sequential losses has been difficult, but her faith in God and an abundance of conversations over coffee have helped her push through. She has always considered herself a writer, and she currently studies English and Journalism at Northern Illinois University. In her spare time she enjoys serving at her church, wedding planning and cuddling with her cat.
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