(An abbreviated version of this post originally appeared on The Vintage HouseKeepers Circle and is part of a series of articles I will be posting here before the Yahoo group is closed)

To me the most difficult thing to de-clutter in the house is my wardrobe. In all honesty I find it difficult to talk about because so much of who I am is wrapped up in the clothes hanging there: and thus because I find the clothes hanging there so absolutely without the Je ne sais quoi I crave, I stand gawping at the glaring disparity between who I am and who I think I am every time my wardrobe doors swing open.

Once upon a time in the hallowed halls of Vogue, Miuccia Prada declared that "Clothes should always represent your vision of yourself" and that is how and where we are going to start the culling of our wardrobes: not with what is old, or holey (Aren't those old and holey items amongst some of your favourites?) but with the clothes that don't make you feel shiny and beautiful. The ones that aren't any good for snuggly days in the house or glam nights on the town. The ones that were expensive but make you feel fat. The ones that look fine on, but really aren't you....

There is nothing sinful about throwing or giving clothes away if they make you feel bad: even if that means most of your wardrobe is going to be hanging in Oxfam tomorrow. You really shouldn't feel guilty about wanting to be truly, deliciously, authentically you.
In an article here on BrocanteHome once, Mimi wrote about embracing your "signature" and I know that a fair few of you took it to to heart and really did take the time to consider what really shouts "this is me!"...

Authentically I wear big jewellery, gypsy skirts and bohemian tops: but the authentic side of me went for a holiday twelve years ago and never came back and since then more often than not I live in my uniform black trousers (designed to disguise big bum syndrome) and I can't say it makes me feel quite as glorious as it ought to. Comfortable, yes. But not GLORIOUS. So it's time to start living out loud. And in our world that starts with not giving BrocanteHouse room to clothes that don't represent our most treasured visions of ourselves...

This doesn't have to be about extremes: it is about giving yourself permission to throw away the 1985 Donna Karen dress that makes you look like a waitress and finding someone to love the fur you adore, but would never dream of wearing....

I don't need to give you step by step instructions: you know what to do and in all truth, only you can really deal with the emotions wrapped up in even the most innocent looking t-shirt...

So do this one just for you. The time is right to be who you were meant to be.