How Many Pairs of Jeans Do You Have?

I know Sandy is bearing down on the East Coast (Prayers to all my friends out there. Don’t be stupid. When the powers that be say leave, leave.), and there are more pressing and important matters at hand.

But I’ve almost emptied my inbox, and the sun is shining. Which means I start to look around my office and notice all of the dust and clutter that cloudy days seem to hide so well. And I’m wondering how many pairs of jeans my readers and friends have.

We recently had a garage sale, and did some major purging of a household that I thought was fairly purged. But when you start thinking that someone will pay you money for things around your house I am more apt to make quick decisions. The extra rug that we might need just in case? Garage sale. The shoes that I bought at rummage/bag sale that I wore a few times resulting in vanity pain? Garage sale. The bath bomb that went unused because I don’t take baths? Garage sale.

I am an organizing freak. I don’t like clutter. I have a list of personal projects, home maintenance projects, Pinterest projects, etc. I don’t scrapbook, but I have a binder system to keep each child’s important papers from each school year. My shoes are in clear plastic boxes with labels. My shirts are hung according to sleeve length and color.

I told you I am a freak. (Local friends, I don’t judge you and your homes. I’m only a freak about my own space.)

But the battle is never won. One of the bigger battles (minus the color, sleeve-length, shoe box thing) happens to be my closet. I enjoy shopping and finding a great deal. My favorite places to shop are not the outlet stores but the resale shops and garage sales. Yesterday I stopped at an estate sale and nabbed two great glass dishes, four cans of spray paint, three vintage ties, a pair of pjs, a paint roller, and a beautiful old copy of the Book of Common Prayer for $8. I’ve learned to buy with purpose, each item, even the vintage ties, are going to be put to use within the next month.

But when it comes to clothes, I have a more difficult time (I know, first world problems) discerning what is a good range of “stuff” to have. I also keep clothes for a long time (my favorite and only Benetton sweater from high school is now in my daughter’s closet!). I am mindful of the family budget. I don’t want to put too much emphasis on external beauty, but I like being put together.

So I am curious, how many pairs of jeans do you own? I think my husband owns three pairs. He spends most days in scrubs and then another chunk of time in running gear in prep or recovery. I own six.

Again, no judging. How many pairs of jeans do you own?