Saving things "for best" (hoarding..)

[CountryMouseCityMouse]

So my New Years resolution is going to be to try to stop hoarding clothes/bags/shoes, saving them "for best". I have some really nice things, especially bags, but rather than use them, keep them stored & take them out to admire them, in fear that if I use them, I'll somehow damage them & only wear them on special occasions. This means despite having nice things, I end up wearing the same old bag and few items of old clothes. Then because I'm wearing old things, I think there's no point in bothering with hair/make up, so I generally end up looking a bit rubbish. On the rare occasion that I am going out to dinner somewhere nice/meeting friends in London, I will use my new things & do my make up/hair & I feel so much better within myself but if I'm just heading out locally with my DD to baby groups or shopping etc, I feel it'd be a "waste" of my nice things & end up wearing my old things & then feel rubbish when I see other mums carrying nice handbags/wearing nice outfits with their hair and make up done & I'm using my oldest falling apart bag/clothes because I'm saving my others "for best". I do the same thing going out locally with my DH & then wish I'd made more of an effort for him. It's getting ridiculous & I need to start enjoying the nice things I have. I've just been given a lovely watch from my DH for Christmas but because I know it is valuable & don't want to damage it, rather than put it on, I've made excuses about it being too big & needing to be resized so I can keep it in the box. I was even like this with my engagement ring, keeping it in a box & only wearing it when I went out to nice places rather than just the shops etc, until I got a telling off!

Am I the only one who does this? If you've been like this, how did you get past it to start using your nice things? I'm worried I'm going to keep doing this for years then one day realise I've spent my 30's dressing badly & in old clothes when I could have been using nice things & by this stage, my clothes will be all out of fashion. Does anyone have any motivational quotes about making an effort with appearance/dressing nicely everyday rather than just on special occasions? I find hanging quotes in frames serves as a good reminder to me of what I should be doing.

My Mum used to do this. It stopped me doing it to an extent because it is daft. Especially not wearing new clothes at all. But if you don't have a lot of money for clothes then I think it is good keeping one or two items for best rather than wear them every day and then they're scruffy.

I think Carpe Diem is quite a good motto. It means Seize the day. Think I've got the spelling right. But you need to get a balance right. But buy some nice things for everyday wear and get rid of anything really tatty looking. Haven't got any quotes. Wouldn't mind hearing some myself!

Thank you for your response that's a good quote/idea. Maybe I'll choose a few things to save for special days and then try to force myself to start using the rest. The problem is that I do it with everything! I have about 5 handbags I've never used because I'm worried I'll damage them & a whole wardrobe of woollen/cashmere jumpers because in my mind if I wash them I might shrink them..so they still have the tags on. I think I finally realise how ridiculous I am after buying an identical handbag to one I already own so I can use one of them as I know I now have a backup if the first gets damaged. I've been known to do the same with clothes too. To think I watch those hoarding shows on TV and pass judgement...I'll end up on one of them in a few years at this rate buried in all my unworn clothes! I'll set myself a challenge to wear something new every day in January...and to not buy any duplicates in the process!

You should put this in chat as it's a really interesting point. At even AIBU if you can brave it! This 'what would you do' doesn't seem to get much traffic. I've never even bought a cashmere jumper because I think I'd spill something on it and ruin it. Or DH would put it in the wash by mistake with his gym stuff.

I was like this as a teen/early twenties, loved storing my pretty things away to admire, smelling my unused toiletries.. it was a love of having nice things! Then someone I knew my age died suddenly and I instantly stopped as I realised I could die and not have enjoyed my things that I was so lucky to have. So I use everything and enjoy it now.

This is me, really not as bad as I was but love to have new or lovely things in my room, but I just won’t wear them or use them unless it’s a special occasion.

My kids are older now so I’m wearing make up and using my things as I can’t see what it is I’m ‘saving’ them for. I just feel now I’m worth making the effort for and I might as well use the lovely things I have before they go out of fashion or I don’t like them anymore.

I have days of old jeans and no makeup sill though as don’t always have the time but I do try my best these days. You’ll feel better for it. Start small and work your way up 😊 x