Kondo - clothing - quick advice re "spark of joy"

[carrotcut]

New to this and apologies if this has been well covered in one of the long threads. Have some unexpected time over the next few days to declutter clothes and wonder about the following.
I "get" the spark of joy thing about a lovely coat - a nice dress -scarf etc. But a good deal of my wardrobe has to be very functional for my lifestyle. So the long sleeve thermal tops I wear all winter are never going to fill me with joy or the sensible shoes I have to wear to work. But I don't see how I could do without them - so wondered how other people interpret this.
Also - I have a load of lovey joyful things that no longer fit or can only be worn on very rare occasions. Again I would like to know what people do with them and the rational behind it.
All advice and thoughts gratefully received.

[BatshitCrazyWoman]

Being warm enough is joyful, surely . And having comfortable shoes to wear to work?

And just how joyful is it to have something lovely, but not be able to wear it because it doesn't fit? Not very, I would imagine ...

[carrotcut]

Thanks BSCW
The Kondo way is just so different from traditional clothes declutter advice - I am confused.
It doesn't fill me with much joy in general to have things that don't fit - but if I lift up a garment as she says you should) and it is something I really like - then handling it DOES give a sense of joy - even if the garment is a little too tight- too dressy for current lifestyle or whatever. So I don't know if that means under "Kondoism" it should be kept - where things that are wearable but no longer liked should be ditched?

[lilttlemarvel]

I agree - very few of my clothes fill me with joy at the moment - but it is a joy having something to wear!
I got rid of a lot of my clothes a few weeks ago, arguably ones that gave me more joy than those I kept. The difference being I can actually fit into the ones I kept!

[maleenteringfemalefacilities]

Hmmm, I find that something fitting me is a pre-requisite for me liking it!
(i.e. if it makes me feel fat it can feck off)

Also I have a few "workhorse" type tops - long sleeved round neck t-shirts - and getting rid of the not-quite-right ones (slightly too short, too much lycra so rides up, has gone grey in the wash) means the only ones I have left to put on me are the ones I feel completely comfortable in.

I did the same sort out a couple of years ago with thermal vests - I was keeping one just because it was thermal, no matter that it was gone grey, and was too small so I kept having to pull it down. It meant I had to wash the others more often - but whenever I put one on, I felt better in ot for the day.

[AdventuringAbout]

Yes, agree with PPs, if the thermal tops fit you well, and do their job in keeping you warm, then that is a joyful thing! However, clothes that don't fit quite correctly, so in reality are never going to be worn, are (to most people) not a source of joy to have in their wardrobe. They just take up space and give the illusion of having lots of things to wear.

If those clothes bring you joy because of a memory, Kondo would say to photograph the clothes and let the actual items go to a new home and bring joy to someone else. Some other posters on the main thread are considering making quilts/cushion covers from clothes they have emotional connections to - but the trick is actually getting round to it!

[carrotcut]

That is useful advice re all the "workhorse" type things - get rid of those that ride up or are not quite right in other ways. That would at least half the pile I think.
For some time now I have been photographing outfits that my kids looked cute in - then passed them on.
Don't know why I have never thought of doing same with my own stuff.

[Countyourchickens]

I've just done my wardrobe and chucked out any clothes that make me feel frumpy/fat/yuk , if they don't fit or are stained/poor condition. That inevitably meant I ended up keeping clothes that don't fill me with joy but are useful and work with other things. However, I have made a mental note to work out what's missing from my wardrobe once I have finished so I will focus on buying joyful clothes to fill the gaps.

[greeneggsandsocks]

OTOH a lot of my workhorse-type-clothes sparked a sense of ghastliness so those went even if they were perfectly 'serviceable', this felt rather decadent...but I decided that with a little extra washing and a little bit of money spent each month I can wear stuff 7 days a week that make me feel good.

I had kept the most atrocious clothes to do housework in, they were like rags, holes in and everything. I've throw away the rags and bought a pair of supermarket jeggings and a nice charity shop top, not high fashion but at least I can leave the house in them if I have to!

I am on the hunt for (and successfully finding) very practical clothes that are still joyful, even if they are 90% practical 10% joy!

Do you wear a uniform carrotcut or can you wear your own thing?

[carrotcut]

Hi greeneggs - I don't wear a uniform and can wear my own thing. However I have to have shoes that I san walk and stand in for long periods (few fit the bill as I have foot problems) Also I have to be able to move freely in my clothes and be prepared for unheated buildings.
Every so often I have to look slightly smarter for a seminar or similar - but mostly quite casual.
However I do still like to wear at least what I consider to be a nice top as work is usually the only time I'm seen by other adults.

[BatshitCrazyWoman]

Oh yes, definitely get rid of stuff, which although beautiful and joy-sparking (to look at) is uncomfortable because it rides up, falls down, itches, bags out etc. I find I don't choose to wear things like that anyway, so really if I keep them they are just hanging in the wardrobe to make it look like I have lots of clothes. I'd rather have less, but wear it all so I clear things out regularly (I know Kondo-ers say you only have to do it once, but I think with clothes I need to be permanently vigilant!).

[greeneggsandsocks]

but I think with clothes I need to be permanently vigilant!

I think that is why MK likes folding because then you get to see when things are starting to wear out and also if you fold and no longer feel joy it is time to get rid (I feel like I have joined some kid of MK cult...), but she has a point.

[HermioneGrangerHair]

I just did my clothes... Was actually a bit harrowing to get rid of some things I loved but were too small. Not surprised I'm fatter than that, but I am surprised I've spent so many years playing second fiddle to some hypothetical thin version of myself. All those clothes I might diet into took space in my wardrobe (and mind) from things I could have, genuinely, been enjoying right now.

This is where you thank the beautiful but obsolete stuff for the good times, get rid of them (and the functional but joyless stuff), and then you can make an unfettered decision about whether you actually need to buy something beautiful that also fits and flatters you now.

As for the functional stuff, I got this much more easily. I have had quite a collection of vests, which I wear all year round, layering them with other tops in winter. Some were a bit small, some had a bit too much stretch, some went baggy after 10 minutes wear, some were a bit cheap and cut off grain... Precisely four were smooth, and pure cotton, and fit nicely, and just the right length, and stop my tops clinging, and every time I rummaged in the bottom of the laundry basket and found one, I thought BINGO! I now have precisely four vests. They are as dull as ever, but they are the ones that bring me joy! If I find I need more than four, I will seek out the same again.