krissi_sixorless

Day #15b, jean skirt joy

2010-10-12T15:11:00.000-07:00

Just can't get enough of this jean skirt. No cleaning today, as I have French class tonight. Three hours long!

Day #14b, flat surfaces collect stuff on their own (?)

2010-10-12T15:05:00.000-07:00

Is it possible that flat surfaces just collect stuff without our knowledge? That they have some sort of stuff "gravity" that scientists have yet to identify? Maybe stores should sell furniture with no flat surfaces. I will go to great lengths to absolve myself from blame :)

Here's another newly clean (but not dusted) surface in my office.

Day #13b, the basement

2010-10-10T17:10:00.000-07:00

Here I sit atop a pile of stuff from a box in the basement. Things I have not gone through since we moved into this house over two years ago. And I am embarrassed to say that there are many more boxes just like this one (you can see some of it spilling out of a closet behind me). They are an eyesore and a fire hazard and must go! The second picture is the stuff I kept. It will feel so good to have this stuff out of the house.

Day #12b, clean drawers

2010-10-08T17:14:00.000-07:00

Clean drawers. Of the kitchen variety, that is. I spend a minimum of an hour a day in the kitchen. It would be nice to be able to grab the things I need without a struggle. Well, here's one drawer done. The Tupperware drawer. We are always losing the lids. And I hate throwing away perfectly usable food packaging, even in the recycling bin. The Tupperware drawer quickly gets packed.

Day #11b, slacking with no excuse

2010-10-06T18:26:00.001-07:00

The good news is that the jean skirt made it's debut today. It was comfortable and appropriate for work. It also went well with my cowboys boots, a personal favorite.

The bad news is that I didn't clean up a darn thing. And had no excuse. Just didn't. I scrubbed the stove to a sparkly shine to make up for this. But there are still piles of clutter spread around the house, waiting for attention. Better luck tomorrow.

Day #10b, anudda sweadda

2010-10-05T19:05:00.000-07:00

Here's the new white shirt again with the black dress pants. And over it, anudda sweadda. I find as the weather changes, I am reaching more for belts than for scarves. Maybe it's time to take the scarves out of my closet and put them in the summer box.

Didn't get to any clean up again because of the weekly French class :(

Day #9b, drum roll please...

2010-10-04T17:05:00.000-07:00

Drum roll... Here is the new long brown skirt. The new brown short sleeve shirt is under the blue cardigan. The big loophole in sixorless is that jackets and accessories don't count. I didn't take much advantage of that loophole in the summer. But as the cold weather descends, sweaters will be appearing. That is Mr. Fatty on the right looking on with approval.

This entire outfit (boots, sweater, shirt, skirt, belt, and necklace) came from a second hand store. A friend had recommended a shop in the mall where she had bought a cute, black skirt. I thought I'd treat myself to something similar. But not one of the sales girls offered to help me or even said hello. As an experiment, I practically walked into one of them on the way to a clothes rack, but she turned to ignore me and talk to her friend. If the store wants to sell me something, they will have to extend some common courtesy. Non-negotiable. So, the second hand store got my business.

My clean up today was the bottom shelf in the clothes closet. I found some overdue library books and a big pile of sand. Both will be returned to their proper place.

Day #8b, some substitutions, eightorless!

2010-10-03T18:46:00.000-07:00

Didn't get to do any clean ups today, but did make some clothing substitutions. Here's the new sixorless for this month:

t-shirt dress ---> jean skirt
jeans (same)
long-sleeve white shirt (same)
balck dress pants (same)
short-sleeved striped shirt ---> long sleeve stretchy shirt (pictured here)
pink sweater ---> black cardigan sweater

plus short sleeve brown shirt and long brown skirt!

Yes, I added two pieces. With the cold weather, I just need more layers. We will see how this goes. Right now it feels like too much clothing :)

And... here's lunch for today. Tomato and cucumber slices on sprouted grain muffins with tahini. The side is green beans sauteed with olives, garlic, and scallions, then topped with pine nuts. So good it ought to be against the law. Also had some miso-lentil soup. I have followed a vegan diet for over a year now and don't miss meat one single bit.

Day #7b, $ for cleaning!

2010-10-02T18:44:00.000-07:00

This was the clean-up that REALLY needed to happen. That's right... my purse! Here are pictures of what came out and what went back in. Yes, that is a pair of socks. And the best part? I found an uncashed check for $93.94. Fabulous! And I won't spend it on clothes :)

Made some lentil-miso soup. Could not be easier or more delicious. Onions, mushrooms, bok choy, carrots, lentils, and water. Simmer for 30 minutes then stirred in miso.

Day #6b, wet rat

2010-09-30T19:02:00.000-07:00

The flood gates of heaven opened today. It alternated between heavy rain and super, heavy rain. I wore my new black cardigan with the jeans tucked into my boots and a cute bumble bee pin. It would have been a fun picture until I made an umbrella-less dash from my car to my kids' dance lessons. I will wear this outfit again in dry weather and get a photo.

Did manage to squeeze in a shelf clean up today. The most notable find were receipts from Christmas presents. Yes, from 2009! But no, I did not remember what they were for, and I found it interesting to see what I had actually bought for people. I bet they don't remember either. This year, maybe I won't waste time shopping and instead buy gift certificates.

I find it calming to look at these before and after photos.

Day #5b, freezing

2010-09-29T18:48:00.000-07:00

OK, I have got to replace some of my sixorless items. The stripped t-shirt is not warm enough on these damp fall days. Especially when the shirt itself is damp because I washed it last night and it wasn't dry by morning :(

But I did get to clean up a little spot today: a little cubby hole next to my computer monitor. There were some paid bills that needed disposing, which required me to crawl around on the floor to plug in the paper shredder. Identity theft does not sound like fun. Also found a CD I had been looking for.

Day #4b, parlez vous?

2010-09-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

Sadly, today I did not get to clean up any spots in the house. I started a weekly French class and was pooped when I got home.

But the joy at seeing those clean little spots around the house is off the charts. It's like having my clean closet all around the house. Well, in just a couple spots. But it made me feel good.

Before the French class I had a few minutes to look around a department store for some clothing replacement items. Big zero. Lots of cheaply made stuff, none of it plain enough to go with anything else. Don't get me started on the clearance racks! Land of the misfit clothes.

Then, perhaps by serendipity, the woman sitting to my right in my French class works at a clothing store! I will definitely pay her a visit. Desperately seeking skirt :)

Day #3b, hard to let go

2010-09-27T19:15:00.001-07:00

One of the reasons for my former closet of clothes and the piles of stuff around the house is that I find it hard to let things go. That may require some work on a shrink's couch. Today I wore the t-shirt dress even though it was too cold and no longer summer, but I didn't want to give it up. And this pile on the table is stuff that has been sitting there, ready to be donated for weeks. But again, just don't want to give it up. Hoping that the first couple steps will make the next easier.

Ha ha, just noticed the dog sleeping under the table. Glad my clean up is not disturbing her beauty sleep.

And... baked a vegan apple pie tonight. Delish!

Day #1b, cardigan debut, dusty desk

2010-09-26T18:26:00.000-07:00

Here's the premiere of the black cardigan. It couldn't be more comfortable. I actually managed to save the spare button that came with it (although at this moment I came remember where I stashed it).

And here's the project for today... a dusty desk. The lamp moved into the living room where it belongs, the dust has been removed, the paper shredder is now under my desk, and voila. Would be nice to get some coordinated frames for those photos.

Day #1b, black is the new pink, and new challenge

2010-09-25T17:47:00.000-07:00

A busy day! Some of the sixorless clothes from last month must be traded out. And I had to: a) decide on, and b) start the new challenge.

The pink sweater, versatile but just not flattering in any way (color, cut, or fabric) was replaced with a snappy, black button down cardigan. I can wear it alone or with a shirt under it. Pictures to come...

And as for the next challenge... well, this picture of the area next to my monitor says it all. There are little corners and surfaces all around my house that have collected "stuff". Yes, that is an Easter card from 4 months ago! The challenge this month is to get some of those cleaned up. Some are big and some are small. And some are deceptively big. I thought I'd start with this teeny, weeny corner spot just to get the ball rolling. Turns out it contained, among other things, a door handle that fell off over a month ago. It took me 10 minutes just to find the tool to put the handle back on the door. But the good news, is that this little corner is now clean :)

Makes me feel better just looking at it. I apologize if these pictures aren't as fun as the ones from the clothing challenge. But I promise to keep posting clothing photos since I am actually going on round 3 now.

And when I think of it, I will also post some photos of my vegan meals. Some people are curious what a vegan eats.

Day #30a, made it!

2010-09-24T18:15:00.000-07:00

Ce...le...brate less clothes, come on! Let's celebrate! (sung to the tune of the old Kool & the Gang song). Made it!

And what's next?

I'm pretty sure it will be the decluttering. Now that my closet is clear, the rest of the house needs the same treatment. It would make me VERY happy.

I still plan to stick with six or less clothes, though. So I will continue to post about this as well.

We're gonna have a good time tonight...!

Day #29a, almost there, almost where?

2010-09-23T17:40:00.000-07:00

I just can't get enough of my scarves. They can create so many looks. Some are hippy, some are chic, some are hippy-chic.

Well here it is, the eleventh hour. I'm on the verge of victory (again), yet feeling a little lost. What now?? What will fill the gap that sixorless leaves? Can another sixorless challenge even fill the gap? Somehow it feels like it won't.

Whether or not I officially challenge myself again, there are no plans to go over 6 yet. The t-shirt dress and pink sweater will be replaced. But that will be enough to keep me feeling satisfied in the clothes area. More than satisfied, actually. Ironically, I don't normally shop for key wardrobe pieces so regularly.

This will fill my thoughts tomorrow... on day 30 of the 30 days :)

Day #28, more press... and better decide soon!

2010-09-22T17:23:00.000-07:00

My good friend Jason wrote a follow up article about my challenge that was published in the Cornwall Free News (the link is also on the main blog page on the right):

http://cornwallfreenews.com/2010/09/six-items-challenge-a-success-by-jason-setnyk-six-items-challenge-a-success-cornwall-ontario-by-jason-setnyk-september-21-2010/

I really want to bring a copy in to Echo Trends to thank them again for their help. I also need to get my butt in there because there are only 2 days left in this challenge! Where did the time go? Will I plow forward? I really want to. Sixorless makes a world of difference for me.

Day #27a, working from home

2010-09-22T17:17:00.000-07:00

It is rare that I get the luxury of working from home. Most of the time, I absolutely have to deal with things at work face-to-face. But there is a massive deadline coming up, and I must get a mountain of paper work done without distraction. So I got to wear my jeans mid-week. Woo hoo!

Family ate the left over turkey-newburg for dinner, but I guess it didn't reheat well because they didn't dig in like the first time.

Day #26a, stress free din-din

2010-09-22T17:13:00.000-07:00

Yay! Things went well tonight. The meat eaters had pasta with a tomato, red pepper, and pepperoni sauce. A big hit. I had a beautiful vegan meal. Here's a picture just in case you think that all vegans eat is salad :)

Day #25a, new challenge... maybe

2010-09-22T17:03:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking over possible challenges for the next month as a possible replacement for sixorless. The thing that is really stressing me out, now that getting dressed isn't, is dinner time. My three kids, three cats, two large dogs, two fish, and myself(!) (husband is always still at work) are starving and want to eat as soon as we get home. Problem is that nothing is ready, we are all grumpy, and none of us eat the same thing. Obviously, the pets don't eat what the people eat. But I follow a vegan diet and am the lone plant eater in a sea of carnivores. This makes for a frantic evening.

So today I did a big food shop and tonight I cooked 4 meals and froze them. Dinner for the next coupe nights, anyway, should be a breeze. This is the turkey-newburg that I made for the meat eaters. Maybe my challenge should be to do what it takes to lighten up the stress at dinner.

In case anyone is wondering, I wore the jeans and striped shirt today.

Day #24a, burning questions

2010-09-18T17:09:00.000-07:00

Managed not to put my hands on my hips in this photo!

There are 3 burning questions tumbling around in my brain today...

First, am I cheating with the workout clothes? This morning, I managed to get my jeans on before I had to dash out the door for my kid's hockey practice. But I'm still wearing my work out clothes on the top. There are obviously no sixorless police who will haul me in. But I like to think that I will do what I say I will do. This workout clothes thing is bugging me.

Second, there is less than a week left to this challenge. How will I update my wardrobe? I am enjoying having just a few clothes to worry about so much. Even if I don't formally initiate another 30 days, I will probably stick with six clothing items anyway. Maybe I can switch from the six-or-less challenge to the six-or-so challenge :) The black pants, jeans, and white shirt are fine. The pink sweater is blah. The striped short sleeve shirt is not warm enough any more. Neither is the t-shirt dress. I'd like to swap these last three items for a different sweater, a long-sleeve stretchy shirt, and a skirt (yes mom, wherever you are, your baby is finally wearing skirts).

Third, what will the new challenge be? It doesn't seem fair to call the clothing thing a "challenge" anymore because I like doing it too much. I have been mulling over things that are bugging me similar to my packed closet used to, and here's what I got: 1) areas in my home that need cleaning, 2) piles of stuff that need to be sorted (and mostly tossed or donated), 3) on work days at dinner time I am stressed to the max trying to get food in front of my hungry kids as fast as possible. I wish all of these three issues could be solved. But which one first???

Day #23a, one pose pony

2010-09-17T17:18:00.001-07:00

This is too funny. In looking over my blog photos, I notice it's almost impossible for me to pose without my hands on my hips. Ha ha! I don't know what to do with my hands in the pictures, so I always apparently do the same thing. I need to think of 7 new hand poses for the last week of the challenge.

Out came the pink tights again today. Yes, they are pinker than bubble gum but I just like them, and before long it will be too cold to wear them. One friend at work said I looked "spiffy". I can live with that.

Day #22a, still loving the scarves

2010-09-17T17:07:00.001-07:00

I want to thank the folks at Echo Trends for pointing me toward scarves. I never wore them before, and now I feel under-dressed without one. I used to think they were something that "old people" wore, and was convinced they would make me look old. Can a little scrap of fabric really have that much power :) ? Or can the absence of a scarf really make me look young?

Well, now I've updated my view of scarves and decided that there are "old ways" of wearing scarves and "young ways" of wearing scarves. An old way would be babushka style, over my hair just after I had my rollers set, or in a giant bow around my neck. A young way would be loosely tied and thrown over my shoulder like in this picture.

Of course, I could just ask someone, "hey, does this scarf make me look old?" But it's probably like the "hey, does this make me look fat?" question. No one would give an honest answer, and I don't really want an honest answer anyway!

Day #21a, again with the slacking

2010-09-17T17:05:00.000-07:00

Not only am I slacking with the clothes (today white shirt, black pants, and out the door), but I am slacking with my posts. Just so busy. But will use the time saved on my clothes to keep up with the posts!

Day #20a, slacking off a bit

2010-09-17T16:54:00.000-07:00

Today, I took the "spend less time thinking about my clothes" mantra a little too far. I threw onthe black pants and stripped shirt and ran off to start my day. If I want to be able to pull off such a basic canvas, I need to be mindful of the details. Need to do better tomorrow.

Day #19a, another layer attempt

2010-09-13T18:43:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned before, I love it when other people layer clothes. It looks very cool to me. I had picked these six items hoping to layer some of them. Today I tried the pink sweater over the t-shirt dress. I think this worked just OK. The colors don't quite go together. Maybe a scarf could have pulled it all together. And the style of the sweater doesn't really go with the style of the t-shirt dress. Well, it definitely changed the look of the t-shirt dress. It really looks like a skirt. To really do this sixorless challenge right, I would try all of the combinations of the magic 6 before(!) the 30 days began. That is a level of proactive that I don't possess at this moment in time. Maybe next month.

Day #18a, did I cheat?

2010-09-13T18:32:00.000-07:00

Maybe this is one of those "if you have to ask, you know the answer already" things. But I will throw this question out into the ether anyway.

The sixorless challenge permits unlimited workout wear (and outerwear and accessories). This seems reasonable. Anyone with even a modest workout routine needs a couple tops and bottoms which would leave a total of two items for all other activities. But the workout wear should be just that: workout wear. It should not be part of the regular wardrobe.

Well day 18a was a Sunday. I wore sweatpants, a t-shirt, and a sweatshirt to work out in the morning. At mid-morning, my family was ready to dash out the door to food shop. "Let me just get changed," I called. "Just wear what you're wearing," they replied. And so out the door I went in my workout clothes. Suddenly, it was mid-afternoon, we were headed to the playground, and I still had my workout clothes on. Then it was dinner time, then it was bed time. Still wearing my workout clothes.

Arg. The shoe shopping binge was worse. But, I definitely thing this all-day-sweats episode violated the spirit of the challenge. Double arg.

Day #17a, life after sixorless?

2010-09-11T18:39:00.001-07:00

On the weekends, the absolute last thing I want to do is think about what to wear. Sixorless solves that problem. Today the pink sweater and jeans were just right. Note that while I have figured out the self-timer on my camera, I have not figured out how to aim the camera properly. But, at least your can see that I am wearing the shoes that I binged on last weekend. I wore the black pair almost every day to work this week. This means there is no excuse for getting rid of all of the unworn shoes in my hall closet and in a large box in the basement. It should be no different than the purge that occurred in my clothes closet. But somehow it's harder.

I've been thinking about what to do when this second 30 day challenge is over. It seems silly to do it again, although I am committed to continue in the spirit of the challenge (rethink wardrobe monthly, mercilessly purge old clothes, get clothes that fit and work together). But on a day like 9/11, I would like to try a new challenge with more meaning, more impact. What could that be? One possibility rolling around in my head is to go day by day, room by room, drawer by drawer, and donate all of the useful stuff that I am not using to the second hand store. That would be much harder than the sixorless challenge, but at least would make a small positive contribution to the world. I'm going to surf around the internet for other ideas. Only 13 days left for this challenge. Time flies.

Day #16a, same clothes 3 times this week!

2010-09-10T14:13:00.000-07:00

These pictures are paying off. By looking at them, I just realized that I wore the same white shirt and black pants 3 times this week. And it was a short week because of the holiday! But with the accessories, it did not feel like the same shirt and pants at all. Today, I rolled up the sleeves and wore this hat and scarf. The hat received several compliments. And no one said "hey, aren't those the same pants?", but maybe they were thinking it.

Day #15a, layers

2010-09-10T14:08:00.000-07:00

I have always admired when people wear layered clothing. It all looks so pulled together and chic. I wouldn't say I was chic on day 15a, but I really did like this outfit. It just felt like a little more that just a pants and shirt. I bought this shirt purposely to be able to do this, so I glad it worked. The nice thing about this combo is that either shirt can be worn alone. Next month, I will for sure be adding a sweater to my magic six list. Fingers crossed I will find one that can work in this way.

Day #14a, Pink!

2010-09-10T14:04:00.000-07:00

Well, I figured out the perfect way to get people not to notice my six items of clothes. Pink tights! These didn't look nearly that pink in the package. Or maybe they did, but they look even pinker on my pink legs. People at work stared at my knees like there were six of them. To be honest, I quite liked these tights and will wear them again. Maybe some of the shock value will have worn off.

Day #13a, using the scarf book

2010-09-07T18:50:00.001-07:00

Today was a better day. I wore the white shirt and black dress pants (both clean!) with the new black shoes. The scarf knot came out of my new "How to Tie Scarves" book. I am back on the sixorless horse and feel good. Every experience is an opportunity for learning, right?

Day #12a, Miss Lazy Bones

2010-09-07T18:47:00.000-07:00

Another challenge stumble. I just could not bring myself to hand wash any shirts on the night of day #11a. And so for the first time I wore an unwashed shirt. I'm certain not a single person noticed. But I knew. I didn't even want to take a picture.

Tomorrow is a new day.

Day #11a, shopping binge

2010-09-07T18:38:00.000-07:00

It has taken a couple days to make this post. First, because things have been so busy. But second, because I experienced my first real stumble in the challenge.

I once went a month eating only raw food. I felt absolutely fantastic. But, on the day I went back to "normal food" I was at a friend's house for pizza. I must have eaten 6 slices. It was awful. It didn't feel good or even taste good, but their was so much pent up cooked food cravings that the flood gates opened.

Well a similar this happened on day 11. I was at the mall and saw a shoe sale sign. I came home with not one but two pairs AND a watch. I didn't need any of this stuff, but there was pent up shopping desire that I did not recognize until it was too late. I'm trying to enjoy the shoes that I bought, but so far they just make me feel a little guilty. Clogs are my Achilles heel.

Day #10a, lovin' the t-shirt dress

2010-09-04T17:46:00.000-07:00

I really love wearing this t-shirt dress. As the name suggests, it can be worn as a shirt or a dress. I have already done both. Why aren't they more popular? Now that the temperatures have dropped a bit, I am going to try layering this... definitely with the pink sweater and maybe even with the white shirt.

Went to the second hand clothing store and came home with two nice scarves. One all silk Oscar de La Renta for just $0.99! Why so scarf happy tonight? Because earlier at the library I found a book on all the different ways to tie and wear scarves. Only $2 at the Friends of the Library book sale. Hard to believe someone didn't snatch this little gem up before I did.

Day #9a, casual Friday, self-portraits

2010-09-03T18:33:00.000-07:00

Fridays at work are casual days, so the striped top and jeans were just fine. Now that I am spending more time thinking about accessories, I am spending less time (OK, no time) putting on makeup. As you can tell by this lovely self portrait. I never have the time in the morning to put it on, and just hate taking it off at night. This picture suggests that I might want to make the time :( It has been an extremely odd experience to have a photo taken every day. I have been hiding from cameras since forever. I try to focus on the clothes in the pictures, but can't help being critical of how the rest of me looks too. Maybe there is a sixorless version for makeup that would help.

Day #8a, tricks of the sixorless trade

2010-09-02T17:40:00.000-07:00

Today was hot as Hades. I couldn't bear the thought of wearing the black dress pants (orange juice washed out) with the humidity. The jeans are not dressy enough for work. And, the t-shirt dress was not clean. What is a sixorless girl to do? Look carefully, and you will notice that the skirt I wore today is actually the scarf I wore on Monday! I kept waiting for someone at work to figure this out (a couple folks know about the challenge and check in everyday to see what I'm wearing). Finally, I started telling people that my skirt was actually a scarf. No one seemed as tickled by this fact as I was. Well, to each his/her own.

PS - From this picture, I can see that I need to get some bras that do a little more for the girls.

Day #7a, Murphy's Law of sixorless

2010-09-02T17:36:00.001-07:00

There is a reason why I did not post a picture on the 7th day of the challenge... Murphy's Law of sixorless...

I wore the striped shirt with my black dress pants and a pair of peep toe heels. For lunch, I came home, washed my hands, put on an apron, prepared my lunch, washed my hands again, carried my lunch over to the counter... then promptly sat in a puddle of orange juice on a stool.

So I had to change into my workout sweats (my evening wear) much sooner than usual. A shout out to my five year old for the fruity surprise!

Day #6a, weather issues

2010-08-31T17:11:00.001-07:00

Trying to look cool here, but to be honest I'm hot as heck. It was nearly 85 degrees today, and this shirt dress is too short to wear without stockings or tights. You'd think with a planning window of only 30 days, that it would be easy to pick clothes appropriate for the weather. But I got faked out by the cold air two weeks ago.

I felt good at work today, proud that I put in a little effort to look nice. As I said earlier, I've never paid so much attention to my clothes as now when I have fewer clothes. Quite the paradox. I wish you could see the cute , thin leather belt around my waist. I thought it really made the outfit look unique.

Day #5a, the stress of a white shirt

2010-08-30T18:28:00.001-07:00

During the first challenge, I decided to have no light colored clothes. But there is something so sharp about a nice white shirt that I wanted to add one to this magic six. Well, the stress of a white shirt reared it's ugly head immediately. First, it was hard to find the right one. I saw lots of Seinfeld puffy shirts, eyelet shirts, collarless shirts, etc. But a classic, slightly fitted white shirt was hard to track down. And did I mention they were all see-through? I could see the back of my hand through all of them, even the one I ended up buying. I had to buy a camisole, which I have not done in forever years.

Then as soon as I put it on, the stress came back in a new form. I have 3 kids, two big hairy dogs, and 3 cats. I jumped left and right, bobbed and weaved, even wore an apron while fixing my kids morning bowl of cereal to avoid stains. At work, everyone seemed to be lunging at me with pencils, pens, and gads... permanent markers. I made it home safely and quickly changed into a t-shirt and sweatpants.

If my shirt is compromised by one of these stain monsters, would it be breaking any rules to replace the shirt during the 30 days???

Day #4a, a tad too warm

2010-08-29T18:20:00.000-07:00

And here is... drum roll... the pink sweater. It was in the 80's today. So this was not the most comfortable thing in the world. But during the hour that we went ice skating it was just right.

The unclutter of my closet is making the rest of my house look like an overstuffed junk yard. I really want to call in sick at work and spend a full day tossing stuff out! This week, things are too hectic but I already feel the sniffles coming on for next week :)

Day #3a, top heavy

2010-08-28T15:51:00.000-07:00

I have always thought of the weekdays as the top of the week and the weekends as the bottom. Well, my wardrobe is definitely top heavy. This striped shirt is going to be seeing a lot if not all the weekend action. The only other top that will work for the weekends is the pink sweater.

The clothing reduction has worked so well for me, it's time to apply the technique to other members of the family. My five year old has a closet plus a three drawer chest packed with clothes. How much clothing does a five year old need? Especially when I am doing the laundry more frequently to have my clothes clean! Please note that I am not directing that question at my daughter. It is pointed squarely at myself. My daughter's closet and chest have clothing that doesn't fit, is the wrong season, or is too soiled to be worn. That is my doing. So far I have tackled the shirt drawer. It now opens and closes easily. Yeah! It would be nice to be able to go through all of her clothes before school starts in a couple weeks.

Day #2a, never more... never less

2010-08-27T18:46:00.000-07:00

Today, I decided to wear the shirt dress as a dress with my new black boots. As I stood in front of my closet, trying to find the accessories to match my fushia tights I had a funny thought. Part of the allure of the sixorless challenge is the time savings from not having a lot of clothing options. This promise was indeed kept. I have never spent less time getting dressed. I can grab a top and bottom and go. If only one top and bottom is clean, well that makes dressing even quicker.

But the funny thing is that I have never spent more time putting together "outfits". I don't have to do this, but I want to. My necklaces no longer get lost in the loud pattern of my shirts. The neutral colors let the accessories stand out. I now want to express myself through careful accessory choices.

So, overall I time wasting less time doing what I didn't enjoy but spending more doing something fun. That is definitely a good trade.

Day #1a, nerd at heart

2010-08-26T18:06:00.000-07:00

Voila! Here are the new magic six! A pink sweater (looks like a vest but it's not), gray shirt dress, beloved jeans, white shirt (I actually switched this for a long-sleeve one given the chilly weather of late), black dress pants, and short sleeved striped shirt. Totally different color palate. I feel reborn. Following my nerd star, I figured out today that there are 17 different ways that I can wear these clothes, and that's not counting the scarves. This seems too good to be true. Five or less, anyone? I went back and bought the black boots I saw at Echo Trends yesterday. They were only $20, whereas I saw boots not nearly as nice today for $150. ET is awesome.

I wore the shirt dress over the jeans today with a little pair of black flats. I actually recorded this combination in a notebook and am thinking I might continue to do this so it's 17 days before I have a repeat outfit. But I don't know if I will keep this up as I am not that much of a nerd. Well, actually I am, but I am a lazy nerd.

Transition day

2010-08-25T17:25:00.000-07:00

This was the one day transition between the first 30 day challenge and the second. I went to my appointment with Susan at Echo Trends for some much needed and appreciated help. She and I looked around the store together, and I tried on lots of stuff. But, just as before it was hard to find neutral clothes that 1) worked together and 2) fit. Seems like you only get one or the other.

After an hour, my only magic six purchase was the shirt dress. But Susan, the genius accessorizer, picked out two perfect, gorgeous scarves that will work with everything. I decided to change my palette from browns and cream to grays, white, and black, so none of my old scarves would work. These are just great and I love them already. She also found me a great pair of black boots. They aren't as comfortable as I would like, but I am going to sleep on it and may go back to get them tomorrow.

Next stop was another second-hand store. Again, there are 1000's of clothes with patterns, but very few neutral, useful pieces. Clothing designers either don't care or don't design clothes in this way. Yes, L.L. Bean makes useful, (really!) neutral pieces, but they don't make me feel very pretty.

I am just one white shirt away from my new magic six, which will be revealed tomorrow.

And... I took all of the clothes that I saved from the first time I cleaned out my closet 30 days ago... and gave all of them to the donation bin (accept for a couple sweatshirts). This was very hard for me! But as I held each piece for the last time, I repeated my new mantra: "It's just a piece of clothing."

Days #29... and #30!

2010-08-24T17:34:00.000-07:00

Day #29 was the first full , full, full day of work for the fall semester with meetings all day. I threw on the black dress with some coordinated accessories and felt very comfortable. I'm still scratching my head over why I decided to include a dress as part of the magic six. I never, ever wear them. As a child, I insisted that my mom do my back-to-school shopping in the boys' departments. Yet, I loved wearing this dress over the last 30 days, and it received the most compliments of any piece of clothing. Just so weird. Which brings us to...

Day #30!!!! And what did I decided to wear of all the possibilities? The tribute to the crocodile hunter outfit: khaki shirt and shorts. Again, I surprised myself with this choice because over all of the 30 days, my khaki with bling combination was my least attractive look. So why this choice? Well one reason was that the daily high temperatures are dropping fast, and shorts will not be part of the next 30 day magic six. So this was the last chance to wear them. But the second reason was that I really am a huge Steve Irwin fan. I was so heartbroken when he passed on, and this little private tribute comforts me somehow.

What's next? The next 30 days of course! Tomorrow I am headed back into Echo Trends to create the next magic six. As I mentioned, I found a great shirt dress the will be item 1. I've decided to keep the same jeans for another 30 days as item 2 (they are just so comfortable). I want a pair of dress pants as item 3, and then three more shirts as 4, 5, and 6. This sort of shopping with a plan is so new to me and I love it.

The plan is to start the next 30 day challenge on the day after tomorrow. Can't wait to see what my wardrobe will be. I just want to take a moment on day 30 of this challenge to thank the originators of the first @sixitemsorless challenge. I was so inspired by their story, and it has changed my life in a very positive way.

Day #28, just a little research

2010-08-22T15:11:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the mall to go skating (purple shirt and jeans), and I did a little "research" at some of the shops. I swear! I wasn't going to buy anything. It doesn't hurt to look, does it? I found a cute little leather jacket that I don't need, a nice pair of Calvin Klein jeans that I don't need, a great short sleeve hoodie that I don't need, and a white cotton shirt that I don't need. All 75% off. I guarantee you that at least one of those items would have come home with me last month. But this month, I acknowledged that they were nice clothes then passed them by.

To console myself, I went into Bath and Body Works and tried out every tester in the store. Big mistake. I have been sneezing non-stop for 2 hours and may need to take an antihistamine to sleep if my nose doesn't stop running. What do they put in that stuff?

Two more days and the challenge is complete.

Day #27, seasons change

2010-08-21T18:34:00.000-07:00

There is a good reason why this challenge is only 30 days long... seasons change! Today, I wore my jeans, my cream colored tank, and three(!) jackets. It was cold and rainy and we were determined to go apple picking. The dress and the shorts just won't work anymore. It's also good that the challenge places no restrictions on outerwear, or I would have been wearing all of the magic six at once.

Rather than boring anyone with another picture of me or the clothes I have been wearing for 27 days, I chose a photo of the friendship bracelet in progress. Turns out that impulse buy last weekend wasn't so bad. This is my fourth bracelet. Working on these brings me back to my favorite part of summer camp: making crafts. This is in direct contrast to my least favorite part of camp: capture the flag. I think it's why I cringe anytime someone invites me to play paintball.

I have a dilemma approaching... there is a one day gap between when this current challenge ends and Wednesday when I get my clothes for the next challenge. Do I go nuts and wear whatever I want? Kind of like eating an ice cream sundae on a diet cheat day. Or do I turn this into a 31 day challenge. I really do not have a strong longing for my unworn clothes, so will probably go with the latter. But ya never know.

Day #26, purposeful shopping

2010-08-20T17:33:00.001-07:00

Here I am in my jeans again(!) at our favorite frog catching spot. While it somewhat uncomfortable for me to take pictures of myself, it is a really great way to get a real look at my clothes. Reminds me of a funny scene in the movie Clueless. These jeans are super comfortable, but will they be a part of the next 30 day challenge? They have to be something I could wear to Casual Fridays at work, but these are so worn... maybe they are too casual.

Today, I returned to Echo Trends to begin the search for the next magic six. It was so fun, so... purposeful. Definitely one of the funnest shopping days ever. And that is saying a lot since I am from NJ where we are taught the joys of shopping from an early age. I found a fabulous gray shirt dress that could be worn as a dress, over jeans, or as a skirt (with a jacket over it). That's a definite go. I found two other tops which I also liked, but they don't have a lot of versatility. In the past, I would have snapped those two tops up in an NJ heartbeat. But today, I just put them on hold until Wednesday when I will return to Echo Trends to get some help from a particular sales girl, Susan, that Colleen says does a lot of the mannequin dressing.

Day #25, smoke and mirrors

2010-08-19T17:40:00.001-07:00

Here's the scarf I wore on my head today (matching the orange shoes on my feet) to distract viewers from the shirt and jeans I have been wearing for 25 days. And guess what, it works! People pay way less attention to what I wear than I imagined (ego is a foolish thing). And they are much more interested in colorful accessories. We are like bowerbirds, attracted to shiny, interesting objects. The male bowerbird decorates an otherwise boring nest with trinkets that make the female say "wow". I am attempting to decorate my basic wardrobe with trinkets as well. Smoke and mirrors!

Five days left. I need to get my butt down to Echo Trends. Maybe tomorrow.

Day #24, coasting downhill

2010-08-18T17:23:00.001-07:00

Feeling triumphant today, as there is less than one week until the challenge is over. I must get going on finding the next magic six items. But I don't feel like clothes shopping. Did I just say that?

One thing weighing on my mind is what to do with the clothes from my closet that did not make the magic six list, but I liked enough not to send immediately to the donation bin. I almost want to tape up the bucket that they are in and take them straight to the bin. I know they are in good shape and someone else can wear them. But I think I am going to take a look at them before they are banished. See if I can figure out what was so special about them that I was willing to jam them in my closet. Will this cause me to fall off the horse? Will I fall back in love with them and hang them right back up? Only one way to find out. I think I will do it this weekend.

Day #23, to do or not to do

2010-08-17T17:47:00.001-07:00

Tried to get creative today with a scarf tied at an angle around my waist. I think it looks OK. Also tried to get creative with the photography. I think that was less successful.

I've been pondering the question of why this sixorless challenge has been relatively easy for me, and it hit me today. This challenge is about not doing something. Not buying new clothes. Not wearing other clothes except the magic six. I am a master at not doing. I invented not doing, as they say. Why? Because I have been dieting since I was 13 years old. Dieting is all about not doing. Not eating certain foods. Not eating after 6PM. I have spent my life practicing not doing things (which I am finally working on, by the way).

The place where I would run into trouble would be a challenge that involves doing things. Cleaning one drawer per day. Vacuuming one room per day. This blog is fun to do, but I have to tell myself to park my butt in the chair every night to get started. This is harder than the clothing challenge.

If I really wanted to challenge myself, I would commit to doing something on a regular basis instead of not doing something on a regular basis. Maybe everybody is like that? I know I am.

Day #22, a little repetitive

2010-08-16T18:19:00.000-07:00

OK, I admit that today my clothing choices felt a bit dreary. I looked in the closet, and the words "Black dress, again??" may have slipped out of my mouth. But I dug out a green scarf that hasn't been out of the closet in a long time and felt renewed. Matched it up with a green pair of earrings (which you can't see because I waited too long before getting a picture), and felt even better.

This week I am going to head in to Echo Trends to start looking for items to create the next magic six. Will any of the current six reappear in the next 30 day challenge? Well, temps are dropping so dress and tank top are no and no. The purple shirt is drooping mightily, so that's going in the donation bin, as are the unflattering shorts. The jeans are very comfy. I wish they were a smidge dressier, but they are good weekend wear and will certainly work for casual Fridays at work. So I think they are a yes. Only question mark is the khaki shirt. It can go over lots of stuff or be worn alone. Only problem is that it really does need to be ironed after it's washed, and I have not managed to do that once. It may get replaced with something that does not need ironing.

Day #21, routine or rut

2010-08-15T16:41:00.000-07:00

Today, I wore the khaki button down shirt and jeans. But I since those items appear in many photos, I decided instead to show that I have indeed made use of yesterday's impulse purchase: the friendship bracelet kit. I made two others before this one and gave them to my kids. I'm not sure if you are supposed to give yourself a friendship bracelet.

Anyway, today I was thinking about how easily the sixorless practice could turn into a rut instead of a routine. Routine, to me, means a repetition of actions that minimizes effort or thought. Sixorless can be a healthy routine, providing almost a uniform to wear that can then be embellished in an infinite number of ways. But, without the embellishments, without the little bit of thought every day to try and dress up an outfit, it becomes a rut. Then people DO start to notice that you are always wearing the same thing. I had a high school teacher that wore the same food stained(!) tie and shirt every day for the whole school year. That was a rut. I do not want to be in that rut.

Day #20, the urge to shop

2010-08-14T18:16:00.000-07:00

Much to my surprise, I have no urge to add to my wardrobe. It is just so easy to grab the clean stuff and run out the door. Maybe this is not such a surprise after all. When I was 8 years old and at sleep away camp for two weeks, I wore the same red and white Phillies shirt and blue pants every single day. The camp counselors gently suggested that there were other clothes in my suitcase. But I can remember every morning looking at that Phillies shirt and blue pants and thinking, "yes!".

But while the urge to shop for clothes is nonexistent, the urge to shop still exists. I'd like to chalk it up to some primal hunting-gathering instinct. Really, it's probably just a bad habit. Today, in shopping desperation, I bought two books off the bargain table and a friendship bracelet making kit. A friendship bracelet making kit??? Was that necessary? I have promised myself to make at least a couple of bracelets for my kids, while I ponder the strangeness of that purchase.

Day #19, preparation... or lack thereof

2010-08-13T17:57:00.000-07:00

Better luck today with the self-timer on the camera. But gads, those shorts are not flattering. They will not be returning to my closet when the 30 days are over.

One of the key principles in successfully navigating the sixorless challenge is preparation. Making sure the right clothes are chosen... and then making sure they are available for wear.

Well, I dropped the ball on this one yesterday. Last night, all six items needed washing. But for some reason all I did was hand wash the tank top. With the humidity, it did not dry overnight. So, I greeted the world this morning in a damp shirt and unclean shorts. I was the only one that seemed to notice. Several people actually commented that I looked pretty today (that pink scarf always gets compliments). If they only knew. If anyone hugged me, the wet shirt would have raised some eyebrows.

Day #18, "corporate" sponsor!

2010-08-12T14:40:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking about what to do when this 30 day challenge is over. One option is to choose another category, like (gasp!) cookbooks to scale back on. But, honestly I want to try the clothing challenge again. It has been such a pleasure to grab clothes from my nearly empty closet... to start wearing accessories that mean more to me than my old shirts... to have the extra few minutes every morning.

And very soon, my clothing needs will change. When school starts again, I'm going to have to wear more professional looking clothes every day. Can I stick to just six clothes items for the workplace and the weekends?

Since I clearly fall into the category of "fashion challenged", I decided to ask for some help. The consignment store where in the past I have bought the clothes directly off the mannequins is called Echo Trends (the store link is now on this blog page). They have great clothes and accessories, and the sales people have always been exceeding kind and helpful. Today, I met with the owner, Colleen Campbell, explained what I have been doing, and asked for her assistance. Over the next two weeks, I am going to visit her shop and create my new 6 or less work/weekend wardrobe. The sales people will help with my choices. I will, in return, submit articles to the local newspapers again explaining my new challenge and the aid I am receiving from the store.

I am very grateful to Colleen and can't wait to see what we come up with.

Day #17, what else would I give up?

2010-08-11T12:06:00.000-07:00

I seriously do not know how to operate a self-timer on a camera. Well, you get the idea... purple shirt with jeans. My shoes are nice black flats, and there are also black earrings.

This clothing challenge has so far been easy. Almost a little too easy. It makes me think that clothes are not that important to me. Why in the world was I buying so many and moving them from house to house???

But do I own things that I would not be willing to scale back on? I did a quick scan around my house. It seems to be full of stuff I would part with without a second thought. Now I am super motivated to give it the boot.

But there are a couple categories that would be hard for me. First is cookbooks. I will do a count tonight, but I'm guessing I own about 50. I use them. They are all meaningful to me. But there must be some that I would give up, right? The second category is shoes. Again, 50 pairs sounds like the right number. I love shoes, but I do not wear them all. Again, there must be at least some that I would be willing to give up. Then I will just have to walk the other way every time I see a shoe sale sign.

Day #16, coordination

2010-08-10T17:43:00.001-07:00

Today I attempted to dress up a simple pair of jeans and a tank with a couple accessories. There is a cute green bracelet on the wrist you can't see (darn it), and the earrings have some blue in them.

It is way easier and way more fun to coordinate accessories than it is clothes. I am an earring ho. Never met a pair I didn't like. Is my over-purchasing of clothes simply going to be replaced with an over-purchasing of earrings? I hope not because it somehow seems to violate the spirit of this exercise. But, at least it will take a lot longer to fill my closet.

The photo pose is a bit hokey, but I just ate a huge meal and was trying to find an angle that didn't show my belly :)

I'm already thinking about the next 30 days. What six items will work in the work place? I am considering going into the local consignment store and asking them if they will "sponsor" me (give me a little discount) and give me some advise. As mentioned before, their mannequins always look good.

Day #15, half way through... poor fashion sense

2010-08-09T13:40:00.000-07:00

Looking at this photo, it is clear that my fashion skills are still in need of work. I began with the shirt and shorts, which look exactly like what the late Steve Irwin wore on a 24 hour basis. I was and am still a huge fan. So if my outfit is an homage to him, even if unintended, well that's OK. But then I oddly decided that the outfit needed some bling, so added a woven rhinestone encrusted belt and rhinestone necklace. As I type this, even I can hear how ridiculous that sounds.

Where does one learn to dress fashionably? Magazines show clothes I would never wear. Sales girls (they are usually female) in clothing stores are so unhelpful, it seems that they are purposely so. Several times I have entered stores, credit card in hand, and asked for assistance but received none and a little attitude to boot.

Last fall when I needed clothes for work, I went to the local funky consignment store, pointed to their mannequins which they always dress really cool, and said "I'll take that!". Then I wore those exact outfits, just like on the mannequins, over and over again. Sad, right? But I don't know what else to do.

Well, Rome was not built in a day. Maybe there are some websites out their that can help. In the meantime, I will celebrate that I am now have way through the 30 day challenge.

Day #14, temptation and another benny... laundry!

2010-08-08T18:21:00.000-07:00

Rainy days and blue jeans go together, and the purple shirt makes it an outfit. I managed to find a cute belt that I have not worn for at least 6 months to tie it together. Unfortunately, the purple shirt is getting saggier and saggier. It is just not up to this kind of frequent wear. Next time, I will buy my sixorless wardrobe at Mark's Work Wearhouse. Or at the very least, save the receipts from the store where I do buy the clothes. I have never been in the habit of saving receipts except for at Christmas time. Usually, I wear something once, then when I wear it a second time two months later and the button pops off, the receipt is long gone.

I must confess that today I was VERY tempted to buy a pair of pants! But please, hear me out. It was the perfect pair of low rise, dark blue dress jeans that would have been the perfect magic six item to replace my shorts in September when I have to dress up for work again. I want to say I resisted because of my commitment to my current sixorless challenge. But truth be told, I was in a rush. I don't know what I would have done if I had more time, but like to think it would have been the right decision.

And finally, I got another little thrill today when doing the family laundry. It was about 25% less than normal! Most of it was kids clothes (they wear six shirts a day!). The remainder was my husband's clothes. He has lots of clothes in his closet, but seems to wear the same things over and over. I bet I could get him down to six or less without his even knowing it :) Anyway, the laundry reduction was very welcome.

Day #13, branching out

2010-08-07T17:34:00.000-07:00

Today the little black dress was paired with a blue scarf and a jean jacket. It really is a useful piece of clothing. But it makes me feel fat. I think it's the way it hangs on my hips. I need to get over that, because I like the dress.

Well, now that I'm feeling a little more confident with my selection of the six items of clothing, I am a hammer looking for a nail. Where else might I be able to get rid of some unwanted/unneeded/unloved stuff?? The undies drawer! Seeing the contents strewn across my bed, it's no wonder it didn't close properly. There was a 10 year old running bra in there, for goodness sakes. It begs the question yet again, why in the world am I hanging on this stuff and even packing it up and moving it from house to house??? It also begs the question: what do you do with old undies? I thought of using them as rags, but decided that was gross even though they are technically clean.

Tomorrow will be the first time in 40-ahem-ahem years when looking into my undies drawer gives me a big smile.

Day #12, successful sixorless vacation

2010-08-06T17:53:00.001-07:00

I wore the tank and the jeans on the plane ride home. Comfortable.

Hard to believe, but the sixorless approach made my vacation easier instead of harder. I didn't ponder what to wear for more than a second, and I'm not coming home with a suitcase full of dirty clothes which is always a huge drag. I didn't feel limited by the clothes at all. Instead, I could concentrate on fun. My in-laws complemented me on how lightly we packed. That felt good.

There is one looming problem now, though. The temperatures in my home town dropped 20 degrees F in the 5 days I was gone. It's going to be chilly in those shorts and the dress. Not much I can do about this. I can wear unlimited outerwear, so maybe I will wrap some sweaters around my knees :)

Day #11, weather

2010-08-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

The latest issue to be overcome: weather! Just after this photo was taken, the heavens opened and down came the rain. My purple shirt and shorts got soaked. The black dress needs to be washed, and the jeans and khaki shirt are in the laundry. So, all I have to wear is a tank top. I have never heard of a dress code for air travel. But I would imagine that they expect you to wear pants. Something should be dry by the time we need to leave. Good thing our flight wasn't sooner.

This is the first trip ever that I am returning home without a single souvenier t-shirt or sweatshirt. I didn't even feel the need to buy any for my kids, since they grow out of them so fast anyway. A small miracle. Or at the very least, a small victory.

Day #10, stains

2010-08-05T07:02:00.000-07:00

With all of the interesting philosophical issues that the sixorless challenge raises, what am I thinking about? Stains! With three kids, stains are a constant issue in my world. Food, body, dirt... the sources are endless. In the past, I would have taken the stained clothing item and stuffed it back in the closet or in the bottom of a drawer. There, it would have festered for the next who-knows-how-many years.

Now, on day 10 of this challenge I do not have this luxury. My 3 year old managed to get more chocolate ice cream on my khaki shirt and the salad dressing stain on the jeans did not come out comlpetely. So now, I am not the girl wearing the same clothes for 30 days. I am the girl wearing the same stained clothes for 30 days. When we get home from vacation (today), I am going to surfing around the web to look for some stain removal tricks. Never something I ever would have spent time on before.

Day #9, sixorless... in this economy?

2010-08-03T15:41:00.000-07:00

Today the little black dress and khaki shirt made their return. It was a comfortable outfit for walking around. I will probably keep a dress in my rotation after the 30 days, which I have never done in my life. Turns out to be very versitile.

I had a discussion with my mother-in-law today about this challenge. She had actually read the New York Times article about the @sixitemsorless group already. She thought it was an interesting, if not new, idea and also raised a good point. She said that in this economy, the worst thing we could be doing was to stop spending money. I have heard this argument before. I wish one of my old economist friends was around to give a more informed response than I could. But in the last 9 days, I have absolutely been spending money on services that I might have spent before on clothes. For example, in the past I would have bought clothes to get ready for a trip. This time, I got a haircut and would have gotten a pedicure if time had permitted. Spending money on services seems more environmentally friendly than on goods (most of the time), so I am happy with this shift. But I would like to read up a bit more about this line of reasoning, time permitting of course.

Day #8, just knocking about

2010-08-02T13:13:00.000-07:00

It was sure easy to get dressed for the day. The tank, the jeans, and I'm out the door. If I added up the hours I have wasted thinking about what to wear since I started to think about what to wear... Vacation is no time for such thoughts! Only challenge is that at lunch my daughter smeared my pant leg with ice cream and then salad dressing. So the jeans will need to be washed after just one wearing.

Another benefit of the sixorless challenge: I am not going to waste a single instant of my vacation buying t-shirts or sweatshirts. I don't need them and I don't want them.

Day #7, off to vacation land

2010-08-02T13:07:00.000-07:00

Well, the packing did take A LOT less time. But I managed to stress myself out anyway. Old habits... The purple shirt and shorts were the outfit of choice for travel. But, I realized that: a) the shorts are kinda outdated, and b) the shirt is kinda worn out. That's part of why it's so comfy, I guess. Well, Rome was not built in a day, so I'm not going to be too hard on myself for not having the best sixorless eye for clothing. But it will definitely improve my scrutiny of clothing from this point forward.

Day #6, the six or less vacation

2010-07-31T10:09:00.000-07:00

Here is my favorite accessory, Princessa. Today, everybody was in a rush to get out the door (after 2 hours of doing nothing while I cleaned), and so I threw on my shorts and purple shirt and rushed out with them. I must have set a personal speed record for getting ready. With three kids, it's certainly nice to keep the momentum going.

Tomorrow, we are leaving for a 5 day vacation. I absolutely dread packing for trips. Hate it! Yell at everyone and everything while I am doing it! Well guess what? My packing will be done in 2 minutes. I'm even thinking of giving everyone else a hard time for how much stuff I know they will bring. I also dislike returning home with a suitcase full of dirty clothes. Again, almost as if by magic, this unnecessary travel stress has been eliminated.

We shall see how much I like wearing the same thing over and over on a vacation. We shall also see what my mother-in-law thinks of it. Probably not much.

Hopefully, I can continue my posts while we are out of town.

Day #5, self expression

2010-07-30T15:28:00.000-07:00

It is certainly premature to declare this exercise a success. But I really wanna! This morning, not only was I smiling at my clean closet, I was smiling as I rifled through my scarves, belts, and jewelry box. Especially the jewelry. I have a lot of it, of the costume variety. No surprise :) But I never wear much of it because I get so frustrated trying to pick out clothes. Well, today I just quickly picked what to wear (the little black dress and khaki button down shirt make their first reappearance), then put on a cute pair of earrings and a funky silver pendant.

I can still express myself through what I'm wearing. But for the next 30 days, it will be with little bits of accessories that actually show up against the plain palette of the magic six!

This all sounds a bit foolish but, to be honest, I am feeling more than a bit foolish that it took me such a long time to figure this out :(

Here's hoping that the lessons learned over the next 25 days will stick.

Day #4, Why all those shirts?

2010-07-29T10:20:00.000-07:00

Today is an important day in sixorless land. I'm wearing the last two items in my "wardrobe", meaning tomorrow the repeats begin. I often wear the same jeans for a couple days in a row, anyway. The hassle is going to be washing items (probably by hand since we don't do laundry every day) every night so I have a clean top to wear. Truth be told, I wear the same shirt for more than one day on occasion (if it passes the sniff test, of course). But it would be good to save that for the dog days at the end of the challenge.

With all the new found time, I have been pondering the steps that led me to this madness. Why all those shirts? And why so many unworn? Here are some thoughts:

1- New things are fun (aren't evolutionary biologists claiming we are wired to enjoy novelty?)
2- I rarely try things on before buying
3- I rarely return things if they don't fit
4- If I throw out (or donate) things, I may have to acknowledge that they were foolish purchases
5- I rarely bother to think through how new items might coordinate with old ones
6- I don't set and/or stick to a clothing budget
7- I ignore the fact that seasons and styles change
8- Cleaning a closet is boring

This is a long list, and there are probably more reasons for my predicament. But after reviewing this list, I realize I can do something about all but #1 (and maybe #8). Maybe history will not repeat itself!

Oh, and by the way, I didn't lay out my clothes last night because I just couldn't settle on the sixth item. Originally it was supposed to be a greenish shirt, but I like the color of this purple one better and it's super comfy. After a night of thinking about it, the green one was out!

Day #3, motivation

2010-07-28T09:59:00.000-07:00

A friend submitted an article to a local newspaper describing my sixorless challenge. I was thrilled to see my name in print until the first two comments rolled in. Both negative :( Well, you can't please everybody. But, maybe a couple thoughts on my motivation for this challenge is a good idea.

I certainly understand that the sixorless challenge will not end wars or hunger. But it seemed like:

- a lighthearted way to get me to clean out my closet
- an opportunity to re-examine my shopping habits
- a path to remove a tad of the stress in my life

That's it. No big deal. I don't mean to offend anyone or downplay their problems. When I tackle the mess in my utensil draw, I will keep it to myself.

Anyway, Day #3 has gone well. It makes me smile to look in my orderly closet. I picked the outfit and accessories last night while watching "Brothers" (not too bad of a movie). The jeans are from yesterday, but this is the debut of the khaki button down shirt.

(Photo credit goes to my 5 year old. I will try to take a less blurry one after my batteries recharge).

Day #2, replacement tank... emerging questions

2010-07-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

After realizing that not a single one of my tank tops fit properly or didn't have ugly pattern, I decided I needed to shop. It wasn't breaking any of the sixorless rules, since I've haven't yet worn six items. But it still bummed me out, darn it, that I once again had to buy something in order to stop buying things.

It took some intense searching in 8 different mall stores (I was getting a haircut, so was there already) to find a plain, comfortable tank. Yes, it violates my no light colors principle. But finding a plain, comfortable, dark tank was impossible. The sales people acted like I was a heretic for seeking such a bizarre item, and at least one surely called mall security on me.

So here are items two and three (tank and jeans). All of the accessories were selected the night before (while watching the final episode of Jericho). This evening prep made getting ready in the morning a snap. I had even consulted weather.com so I knew the jeans would be OK.

But now questions are creeping in that I don't quite want to answer. Why in the world did I, until two days ago, have a closet full of ill-fitting, unattractive, unworn clothes? Why did I continually add to this collection? Was it simply laziness and a love of shopping, or something deeper? Maybe the answers will reveal themselves as the challenge continues.

Day #1, little black dress

2010-07-26T11:33:00.000-07:00

Today, I opened my closet and smiled. That's the first time in 40-ahem-ahem years that that has happened.

But I then spent way too much time getting dressed :(

The choice of the black dress was easy. But I changed my shoes twice, and retied that scarf around my waist at least 10 times.

The tank top does not fit. Period. I've been wearing it under other shirts, but it doesn't work alone. It will definitely be replaced.

Turns out it's quite straightforward to use the self-timer on the camera. Good to know. Now I need some better poses, and to remember to keep my eyes open.

Tomorrow I'd like to put together a better outfit, but spend less time thinking about it!

A clean closet

2010-07-25T18:43:00.000-07:00

I figured to make this as pleasurable (or painless) as possible, a little up front preparation would be good. So today, I took EVERYTHING out of my closet and made three piles:

1) candidates for the "magic six"
2) items that I will be happy to wear again when the 30 days are up
3) items headed straight for the local charity bin

There were 18 shirts in category #3!!! No wonder there was no room in that little closet. I can actually see my belts and scarves now.

Then I rehung the magic six:
- jeans
- shorts
- dress
- button down short sleeve shirt
- short sleeve t-shirt (green)
- tank top (coral)

The only piece I feel uneasy about is the tank. It turns out that I don't own a single tank that fits me comfortably and properly. Again, I am learning a lot. So, I may try to find a substitute before the day comes to wear it. I don't think that's cheating.

By the way, my friend Jason Setnyk put an article in the local online newspaper about this adventure. Gads, this is not the kind of journal article I am used to:

http://cornwallfreenews.com/2010/07/six-items-or-less-kris-rothley-takes-the-challenge-by-jason-setnyk-cornwall-ontario-july-26-2010/

To stop shopping... I shop!

2010-07-24T18:43:00.000-07:00

The plan is to start the challenge in two days. Which means the six clothes items must be chosen NOW. But as I pawed through my closet, I realized that there was nothing plain enough to actually work with anything else. That in itself was a useful observation. So, it was off to the store...

Now before crying foul, note that the store of choice was a second hand store. And its offerings unfortunately resembled the selection in my closet. Lots of "distinctive" pieces, but not a lot of plain stuff that could be mixed and matched. Again, another useful observation.

As I made my selections, I had a couple guiding ideas:

- avoid light colors (I am a messy eater)
- solids only (a cute pattern might grate on my nerves after 30 days)
- no bells or whistles (minimize the likelihood that someone will recognize my clothes)
- no ironing required (hate it!)

I have not shopped with such purpose since looking for my first interview suit. And I tried on EVERYTHING. Usually, I don't bother, which may explain a lot of the unworn items in my closet :)

As the store closed, I came home with 3 shirts to go with pants, shorts, and a dress already in my collection. Will sleep on these choices, then lay them out tomorrow and make the final selection.

Getting started

2010-07-23T14:45:00.000-07:00

My relationship with clothes is the classic cliché. A closet packed with items rarely worn. The daily, frantic morning rush to find something to wear. Time, money, and natural resources wasted. And the result (the clothes I actually end up wearing) is less than inspiring.

Well, all that is about to change... I hope.

Yesterday, I discovered a group called @sixitemsorless:
http://sixitemsorless.com/the-project/

The members of this group chose six items of clothing, then live in them and only them for 30 days. Sounds easy. Sounds impossible. Sounds like an interesting challenge that could help me to redefine my relationship to clothes.

With three kids, two dogs, three cats, two fish, and a full-time job, I'd sure like to find a way (or two), to make life a little less complicated. Yet, here comes a new complication... which six items of clothing?