This is going to be a long ramble. I was reading your answer and this is exactly how I feel. First of all, forget about getting your number down. That is not a thing that needs to be done timewise, so it can wait. You want this stylish minimal collection, but why do you want a minimal collection? I think part of it might be because you are overwhelmed and part of it might be because in a short youtubeclip they make it look so easy and they sound so confident.
Being easily influenced sounds familiair. If someone said they need five bags, I need five bags. If they have a new redbag, I need a new red bag. Someone in an article mentioned a red bag, someone else opened a thread and that night I bought a red bag. I love my bag but I do keep screenshots of that post that made me realise that this was not the way to go. I kept on thinking in wants and not in needs. I read lists of all the bags you need in your collection without ever wondering if they would suit me. I bought everything and more, got overwhelmed and hit a wall.
You sound overwhelmed and want a minimal collection. Start with making a minimal collection. What are the bags you want, what are the bags you need and pick those from your collection. You have the feeling of getting your life together, a collection that does not overwhelm you and you do not have to get rid of your bags just to have a minimal collection! You avoid the mammoth of grabbing all your bags while taking care of a small one. You don't need to do that, do not put that kind of unecessary stress on yourself. You have enough going on already. And maybe that plays a part in it too? You just had a baby and that changes everything. The world as you know it is gone. Everything is uncertain and you need something tangible, something that makes sense while everything else doesn't. Maybe it's not the number of bags that's gotten under your skin but you have no mental space for bags, so you feel that limiting them can give you some clarity as a whole.
This is why a capsule collection might help, but just start small. Building a capsule collection from what you already have is enough for now.
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What helped me was putting my bags in storage and taking my time with that. Because I had so much bags, I forgot what I had. When I looked at them after 6 months, I noticed that I was less attatched to some of them. After a while I knew what I wanted in a bag. I could see why I was using some, why I was not using others, why I kept some, why I let others go and why for the life of me I could not let go of bags I never used. I let go of bags that I missed and bought back. Made mistakes but grew while doing it. I learned so much about myself, what I want and who I am. The bags were a part of me and I never looked at it that way before.
You make your own rules. You said that you have regrets letting them go but you do not have to let them go. I think the
Coach bag is a great example. Other people raved about it and you bought it. This is your memory. You think about why you bought the bag when you see the bag. If I would see you I would only see a bag. You say that the leather is amazing and that is why you can't let it go. That is the small voice you should listen to. Listen to your gut. Do not reason a bag away because that are the bags we miss.
Put the Coach bag away because you do love it. Do not think that the quality is great so someone else might use it more. This is your bag, you already own it and regretting letting go of a bag, and finding that exact same bag, takes up mental space. Just move on to other bags. Create your minimal collection and if you feel up to it, grab another bag from storage and see how you feel while using it. If it does not make you happy or you gravitate to another bag that has the same function, make a mental note that it can go. Put it in a closet and leave the bag alone. If you see the bag after six months it's easier to let it go and you'll get more joy from wearing the bag you love more. That is how I weed out the clutter.
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So now you have a small minimal collection you use, a bigger collection in storage that you want to weed out. The only thing left is what to do with the bags you still want? If you buy a bag your hormones are going haywire. I know that this is my downfall. Somebody mentions a bag, I find the bag, buy the bag, yay new bag feels. Creating distance work for me. I want this bag. If I still want the bag next month, then I can think about it. Take two steps back and define why you want that bag and if you have another bag that looks like it. I put myself on a diet. I'm on ban island and if I can only get two bags a year, will this be the bag? Is this the bag I can not live without? I do not need more bags, there is no void so I know that I can live without. That two mark number works wonders. And for me the most important part is to know myself. The week before you menstruate your hormones are unbalanced and you are less prone to long term discision making and more prone to buying. Not even impuls buying, buying in general. Ever since I read that I blocked my agenda and straight out forbid myself to buy something I don't need in that week. That helped a lot.
After a while I noticed I like new things. Ever so often I get a new bag and resell a bag that I'm not attatched to. I wanted to be this minimal girl and I finally am. I thought I would end with a minimal premier designer collection but I'm just to afraid to wear it. I feel a lot better with bags that cost less. Sometimes I look at my bags and can't breathe. That is the moment for a trendy bag. Pufferbags were so hip it hurts. I want that. All the regular reasoning didn't work anymore and I just gave it. I love the puffed Coach Tabby but wasn't willing to spend that amount of money on a bag that wouldn't last. I spend less, enjoyed my bag so much and now I am quite done with it. I am not beating myself up for buying a bag I wore for a year. I didn't spend a fortune on it. The bag is still like new and my niece loves it. Years ago I would have bought the Coach, think less of myself for spending that kind of money on a bag I didn't need and I could not let the bag go because it would feel like an even bigger waste. And I know that there will be another trendy high street bag around the corner. Only the essentials just doesn't work for me. You live, you learn. You can do this. Just start small and know that this is not something you have to do but want to do. Do not put that kind of pressure on yourself. And thank you for reading all of this. I know it's very long but I know exactly how you feel and didn't want to cut any corners