Smell the pits. Remember, your coat’s lining (sleeves especially) may not be made of a material which is naturally resistant to picking up stink. If the lining is polyester, it may be more prone to hanging onto funk than we’d like. And the bus/subway/elevators get hot & stuffy during winter. So give the pits a sniff. Also, give the whole coat a once over. Any random splotches or stains from kicking up slush or spilling coffee? Time for the dry cleaner. If somehow your winter coat made it generally unscathed through the brutal winter months, then skip the cleaners. But do shake it out, give it a good brushing, and store it for the summer with some cedar blocks away from moths and dust.
It’ll take a a month or two to fully execute, but get started now. This is a technique used by professional organizers to help us identify and clear out clutter we’re simply not wearing enough. All you have to do is take all of your hanging clothes and hang them from the back of the rod instead of across the front like you normally would. Pull items from the closet and wear them as normal, but when they’re washed and go back into the closet, hang them as you normally would on the front of the bar. If a shirt or polo or pair of pants lingers for months and months, donate it.
Confession #1: It took me most of my 20s to realize an iron requires you to put water in it. (Dearest 25 year old Joe: Water is where the steam comes from.)
Confession #2: It took me most of my 30s to figure out just what the “self clean” or “de scale” function was.
If your iron is spitting out what appears to be boogers all over your clothes, you probably need to use the de-scale/self-clean function. Instructions can vary depending on the iron, but it shouldn’t be too hard to figure out. The minerals in water can build up inside of your iron over time, just like congested nasal passages clog up during allergy season. Inevitably, you’ll be trying to iron your best shirt on the day you need it most when your iron goes “ah-CHOO.” So blow your iron’s nose.
Life’s busy. Nobody relentlessly cleans and polishes their shoes and boots. Especially during the cold & messy months, when simply moving through the weather is more cumbersome. Now’s a good time to clear off any salt and grime from Old Man Winter, give them a polish, and prepare them for spring and summer.
Consider something leaner and meaner. Same goes for the gnarly face sweater a lot of us have been wearing since October. (I’d raise my hand to that, but it’d probably get stuck in my gross, overgrown beard… which still smells like soy sauce from sushi last night. Yum!) Cutting your hair and beard shorter after a long winter will 100% look and feel a little unfamiliar at first. But it’s cooler. In all the ways.
Above: Invicta 1953 Automatic on a Crown & Buckle Supreme NATO
Put on a podcast or a basketball/baseball game. Open your closet. Take everything out. Marvel in wonder at the dust bunnies which have accumulated. Vacuum and dust every nook and cranny, and carefully wipe down the shelves and walls with a gentle cleaner like Simple Green. Maybe throw some Odor Busters in there.
Confession #3: In my early to mid 20s I had an ancient bag-style vacuum cleaner. Pretty sure it had been my grandma’s. During those multiple years I never once considered I may need to, at some point, change the bag. Damn thing just kept getting heavier, and (surprise) stopped working as well. Years went by, I kept mostly pushing dirt around, and by the time I realized what I had been vacuuming up wasn’t magically disappearing, I had singlehandedly created a bag of particles with a density rivaled only by osmium. Or maybe a black hole? Isn’t that how they’re formed? A star’s matter collapses down upon itself to create an entity so dense even light can’t escape? Maybe that’s really what I was going for. Keep pounding atoms into that bag until its incalculable density rips a hole in the universe, and then yes Virginia, the dirt really has disappeared. I’ll never forget that poor bag when I finally opened up the vacuum. Damn thing looked like a badger filled with concrete.
Above: Amazon Basics Wood Hangers, 30-Pack – $31.99
Small shift, big joy. They don’t have to be fancy. They don’t have to be wood. But a cacophony of mismatched hangers, while totally normal and what 99.9% of us do, really does add to visual clutter. Yes this sounds stupid. But take it from a guy who after decades just made the switch. It makes a difference.
A pile of shoes on the floor isn’t great. Storing your shoes in the boxes they came in is better. But true, drop front or swing-door shoe storage boxes? That’s elite. Being able to see what’s what & not having to drag one box out from under another keeps things tidy. There are lots of different options out there, but look for ones that are stackable, fit your shoes (if you’re a big-foot or wear boots or high tops), and generally don’t look flimsy.
Now that your closet has been cleared out (and perhaps you’ve made some strides with the aforementioned “Reverse hanger technique”…) it’s time to sell or donate what you don’t use. Certainly doesn’t hurt to have a little extra cash these days. And speaking of…
Above: FormFunctionForm’s USA Made Money Clip Wallet – $108
Because all of this is for naught if your finances are a cluttered mess. Cleaning feels good. Cleaning up your money situation feels even better. Especially if it’s not where you’d like it to be. Knowledge is power!
If you want to educate yourself, try Cultura & Cash by Giovanna González. It may not be written from a perspective you’re necessarily used to (wasn’t a familiar one to me), but the advice, context, and storytelling is brilliant. And it’ll resonate with those of us who feel a little lost in our current, extremely fast moving (and often misleading) financial environment.
For those who are more experienced and already have a budget, try Money: The True Story of a Made-Up Thing by Jacob Goldstein. It’s a great read about the history of money. Being aware of the backstory gives immense context to both the present, as well as perhaps where we’re headed.
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