Last year, I successfully completed 40 days of lent; I gave up purchasing personal possessions. Other than a pair of socks that cost $4, I bought nothing else for myself (except for food, which I obviously needed to sustain my hyperactive lifestyle). Going through the experience last year opened up my mind to appreciating rather than owning, enjoying rather than wanting. I want to revisit that state of being again. I think it’s going to be more difficult this year because I keep exposing myself to fashion blogs and shows and forums and things to upgrade myself as a wannabe-fashion blogger. BUT, no excuses. I will do it and do it well.
I always hear people talk about shopping their own closets and I wonder how successful I would be if I tried it. In order to facilitate this “shopping”, I have started a wardrobe inventory spreadsheet on Excel. This is an ongoing project I have yet to finish due to the amount of work it requires, but I feel like keeping my closet virtually organized will help me make sense of what I have and how I can maximize my wardrobe capital.
Here’s my layout:
Current Value: This is set up to automatically calculate the sum of all entries in $. It’s right on top of the page to present a reality check.
Category: Assign a category for the item (e.g. blazer, dress pants, blouse, belt)
Dominant Colour: I like to sort by the main colour of the item for ease of mix and match
Brand/Designer: Self-explanatory
Place of Purchase: Sometimes I forget where I purchase things. It’s a good idea to keep track if you travel and pick things up all around the world (eBay counts too!)
Description: I try to describe the item in my own words and include any special characteristics (e.g. pleated, gold buttons, metallic finish)
Wear rate: This is the number of times an item is worn if you update this on a regular basis. It will show you just how much you love a certain pair of skinny jeans (dingdingding!!) or how much money you’ve wasted purchasing something you never ever wear.
Price: Obviously this is important information to capture!
Outfit ideas: Room to make other notes..
My spreadsheet is set up so I can sort by any of the above categories, giving me the flexibility to find out what the most expensive item in my closet is, how exceedingly often I shop at BCBG and Hugo Boss or how many darn blazers I already have. Oh, knowledge is power indeed!