How I am Shopping Smarter: Cataloguing my clothing onto my iPod Touch

By
FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com
 – January 26, 2011Posted in: Life

Now that my 2010 shopping ban is over, I came up with the idea of cataloguing my clothing onto my iPod Touch for easy access.

Before I started the process, I didn’t realize how many grey sweaters I had until I did this.

To be fair, I feel like each grey sweater is a different shade, serves a purpose, style and whatever else, but I was still surprised at the final number.

Why am I cataloguing my clothing?

  • I would know how many grey sweaters I have 😛
  • It would deter me from buying duplicates/similar pieces
  • I would look at the pieces and be instantly demotivated to shop
  • I’d know what I have so I can dream up ideas for mixing/matching
  • It’s kind of cool for any clotheshorse to be able to say: Oh I can match it with this

I have a real problem with duplicates, which stands to reason. I like the same style of clothing, I know what works on me and what doesn’t, and even what colours.

So is it any wonder that my wardrobe has a lot of teal, magenta, purple and grey? 🙂

How I am catalouging my clothing:

  1. Take photos (lay out clothes, hang them, wear them)
  2. Organize it into categories
  3. Upload to iPod Touch
  4. Review

1. TAKE PHOTOS

Lay out the clothes on the floor

The first (and laziest), is to lay out every piece on the floor, hope you have a good angle and good lighting, and snap a shot.

I’ve actually completed this for every piece in my wardrobe, but I hate the results. I wish I hadn’t taken the lazy route.

As a perfectionist, I hate that I can’t see how it looks on me (its owner), and all of my shots either have a shadow where I held the camera over the piece, or is on a weird angle.

I present you: Exhibit A – A gorgeous Japanese-Paper like dress my mom bought me from Spain, laid out on the floor.

See? No likey. It looks blah, weird. I know it’s silly, because I know that piece of clothing, how it feels, how it fits and what it looks like, but it isn’t exactly what I want.

Hang it up and photograph it

Better, but I still don’t like it for items like sweaters or things that cannot be hung easily.

Exhibit B: Same dress, on a hanger

Wear it and take a photograph *DING DING DING*

This is what I’m working towards.

Wearing each and every piece of clothing and taking a picture of myself in it.

It makes a girl want to get rid of everything, so it becomes easier 😛

Here is Exhibit C: Wearing the piece and accessorizing it. I am going to embark on a long process to complete this.

Here, I can mark that I have 2 items: magenta sash and strapless dress (above) The shoes and necklace, I’d have to photograph separately because you can’t really see it.

2. ORGANIZE IT INTO CATEGORIES

You can combine the categories as you see fit, but I like everything REALLY separated because it just makes it difficult to scroll through everything and keep it all in mind.

I made folders on my iPod Touch in the following:

  • Dresses
  • Sweaters
  • Long-Sleeved Tops
  • Blouses
  • Tank Tops
  • T-Shirts
  • Pants
  • Skirts
  • Suits
  • Sleepwear/Lingerie — Update: Clarifying that I am taking a picture of these, not wearing them & taking a pic 😛
  • Shoes/Boots/Sandals
  • Necklaces — I have a separate category for this, because I have a lot
  • All other Jewellery
  • Belts and Scarves
  • Winter Accessories
  • Other Accessories — whatever doesn’t fit into the rest of the categories

3. UPLOAD TO IPOD TOUCH

I organize all the photos by folders on my computer and then I upload it all to my iPod Touch.

4. REVIEW

I now go through each category on a regular basis, and I start mentally removing items as I see that they don’t fit into my wardrobe, or I think are not needed any more.

See all my old outfits and combinations from my old style blog.

I’m still in the process of going through and naming everything, but most of the images are there.

It is also not my entire wardrobe. I never got around to photographing or cataloging everything, but that’s something on my To Do list for 2011.

It will be a slow but fruitful process.

The good thing about all of this, is I will have to go through every piece in my wardrobe to photograph it which means I will donate/toss each time I think it doesn’t look good any more.

So what do you think? Am I crazy? 🙂

Would you do something like this to help you shop smarter and to shop less?

N.B.: To the reader who called me “vain for posting photos when it’s really just for myself“:
1) You’re right. How did you know? The blog is all about me. ME ME ME ME ME ME MEEEEEEEEEE!!!
It’s why it’s called a lifestyle blog with a hint of money talk. All I do is talk about myself. My money, my finances, my thoughts. This is because I’m a selfish, narcissistic beast.
2) I had a style blog before, and these are all my old photos I had originally posted on there.
By calling me “vain” for posting photos, you’re really insulting every style/fashion blogger friend out there as well.
3) I’m going to assume you are quite unhappy with something in your life to be so negative. Or maybe you just had a bad muffin this morning.
So I’ll pass along good thoughts and hope you will choose a better muffin to eat tomorrow.
P.S. I marked you as spam and deleted your comment for your own karmic good.
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About the Author

Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver. I cleared $60,000 in 18 months earning $65,000 gross/year. Now I am self-employed, and you can read more about my story here, or visit my other blog: The Everyday Minimalist.