Talk some sense into me! Decluttering old clothes

[Iamlikesorry]

I've recently moved house, its lovely but smaller. We've got rid of years of useless possessions that have accumulated. (Now late 50's).

But....

I have a huge wardrobe of clothes, some go back 20 years, very few fit me now. I really struggle to let go.

Even I were to lose 4/5 stone, I'd surely want to buy new things. I'm not so hard up I couldnt start the process.

But I think underneath I feel that if I give them all to a charity shop (they're decent but not high fashion) I'd finally be admitting I wouldn't be a 12 again. Plus I think of all the money spent over the years!

Being a 12 again is not dependent on what old clothes I still possess. That could happen regardless (with a huge sustained lifestyle change!)

Help me!

Why am I struggling so much? (Suspect I might be ADHD, DD and nephew have been diagnosed recently and I see lots of behavioral/emotional similarities! Not sure its remotely relevant though)

Talk some sense into me.

Cant move properly into our bedroom, its full of clothes with not enough space to put them!

Don't save old clothes that you think you might lose weight to fit back in. I've done this over the years and finally lost a significant amount of weight and although I can now fit into the saved clothes my shape is different/they look dated/ I don't actually like them any more/ I'm actually a bit thinner than I was so they're no good anyway!

If you really can't get rid of them then pack them away in vacuum bags and reassess in a year's time after the move,it will probably be easier than if they are hanging up /in a wardrobe.

OP tell yourself very firmly that there will be a lot of very happy and grateful people who would love to have your clothes! Won't that make you feel good, plus you will then have more space again.

I had a think today about buying some new things with any Vinted earnings. Starting to feel more exciting and slightly less terrifying.

Some really useful points on here.
I have a similar problem but for a different reason. I'm 65 and the same size I was at 25 so I have a vast amount of clothes that all fit but I never wear.
Some are vintage pieces that are fabulous but too young for me, some have sentimental value, but most are just taking up room.
I'm imagining the space I would gain if I got rid of it all.

That’s a good thing to think of and when I’m doubting certain things to donate to charity (big long chunky cardigan) then someone would be happy with that. I barely wear it.

I actually found size the easiest category to use to declutter clothes. Check label - in my size ? No? - out it goes. Now everything in wardrobe and drawers fits me.

Also allocated eg a drawer for each category - nightwear one drawer, t-shirts one drawer. Life is so much simpler when you don't have excessive amounts of clothes to wash and iron.

I used to find this hard too

Try and reframe it - you got lots of pleasure out of them, and now that’s done you’re passing it on to someone else who needs them. And, you are making space for some new pieces when you want them.

Anglo collections will pick up from your house if that’s useful.

I never sell things as it just creates more steps to getting rid of them (awaiting ADHD diagnoses..)

Well, I've made a good start

Stuff for recycling, stuff I I like that fits, stuff that's fairly recent and only a bit small (in the loft for the short term) and stuff for charity shop/selling.

Less traumatic than I feared. But i can feel myself weakening decision wise now, so I'm going to come back to it a bit later.

Cool!!!!

Well done OP.
Get it down to the charity shop while you are feeling emboldened

Well done on making a positive start!

So many great tips on here. One thing that helps me is to not to make the decision on things ‘in situ’. Which means I don’t just open my wardrobe and go through it and take things out. They feel too ‘in the present’ to do that. So I would have to take everything out, lay it on the bed in piles, then go through it and only put back what I want. It’s too easy to just skip past something hanging up because you can’t make a decision on it at that moment, and tell yourself that you’ll come back to it, but never do. This goes for anything you’re wanting to get rid of. I found it much easier to be ruthless once they weren’t in their place that they lived, if you know what I mean. I could see them much more objectively.

Late 50s here too.
I moved house a year ago and rather than move the stack of old clothes (dating back years, many sizes too small in some cases) with me I took them to charity before moving.

I'd been holding onto them for the same reasons as you - I remembered the slim, younger me who'd felt wonderful in them and couldn't let that go. Eventually though I had to admit it would be mad to hold on to them and also, I felt sure I'd never lose the three stone I'd need to lose to get into them.

Well I had a good clearout and moved. I soon realised how depressing it had been having all those old clothes in the wardrobe taunting me. That clean sweep feeling and the happiness of being in my new house inspired me to lose weight.

Since Christmas I've only blooming lost that three stone!!! It's a miracle.

One of the motivators for losing weight was treating myself to new clothes as I dropped dress sizes. It's fair to say that I wouldn't have wanted to start wearing 20 year old clothes again....fashions have changed, my lifestyle's changed and even where the clothes might have been ok and a good fit the fabrics, buttons etc would all have been dated.

Clear out. Move on. Good luck!!

That's brilliant - how inspiring!

I live in hope. I did have some positive thoughts today, thinking about taking more care of myself so I can have more choice in how I present myself.

This new house really feels like a weight lifted. Its period with lovely views but light and warm. The other place was larger but ancient, dank and mouldy, complete with slugs and various other infestations. We've filled 2 large skips with festering junk that was in the outbuildings.

All left behind...

A lot of these clothes were musty and dusty. I've put two big bin liners of stuff into the fabric recycling this afternoon. Everything for selling / charity shop has been through the washing machine - fresh and fragrant! That's been a pleasing process, regardless of their destination. Going to try some of the best stuff on Vinted for a short time.

Now I need to keep up the pace and not do my usual thing of getting half way through and losing interest!

Thanks for all the support and insights

I sold over 200 items of my mothers clothes this summer- too big for her now and she wouldn't wear them. She was a total shopaholic and had 3 of the same dress but in different ones of her 8 wardrobes and didnt know.

Motivated me to sell loads of mine as well

Been an eBay seller for 20 years- over 10,000 feedback but I love Vinted- I will list it now- at least half will sell this evening and be in the impost box when I walk the dog in the morning. eBay has just collapsed for clothes as a result of Vinted- so Vince prices may be lower than eBay was 4 years ago but you just dont really sell anything on eBay anymore- it just sits there.

Well done OP

A few unsolicited tips for vinted: take three photos: front back and label with brand and size. Also any defects

I buy 50 A4 postal bags from eBay and blank document enclosed wallets to slap the labels on quickly! ( my husband brought a few home from work and then I had to buy them)

If larger items I recycle Amazon / next parcel bags.

I have one bag of clothes and on bag of shoes and bags to sell and keep them under my bed so all easy to find. I

Another tip: keep a box in your wardrobe for things that need to go to be recycled - so faded /stained.

The price recommended on vinted I find is two low but if no interest after 1-2 days shave a few quid off. If non after a week I like the half it idea from PP.

It's such nice feeling when your items get a new home! (I think I am in the minority with this but

I've finally accepted that I will never be a size 10 again. I have admitted I have a problem and I buy too many clothes (often second hand, but this doesn't help the storage space issue!) and I am on a MAJOR declutter.
I'm selling on Vinted. I'm listing most things at £1-£2 and a few things that I might want to keep at a bit higher. I've made £30 so far and am starting to have room to breathe in my wardrobe. There is a long way to go... After about a month I will either change the price to £1, or unlist it and keep it. I'm hoping to make £50 by Christmas time.
You can do it!

@Iamlikesorry It really sounds like you've turned a corner in your life. We've never met, but I really couldn't be happier for you.
We left behind an infestation of woodlice and mice when we moved and started a whole new chapter - so I know exactly how you feel. Good for you, you're on the up.

I have just recently started putting my 90s clothes on Vinted. It's all selling, I've resigned myself to only getting £25 for something that cost me £250, it's so liberating. I found a half tailors dummy (ikea I think) in the street and everything goes on it. I wrap stuff in nice white tissue and off it goes and so far I'm £300 up. DO IT!

I love selling stuff on Vinted and thinking it has a new home where someone gets a lot out of wearing it. I also love getting stuff on Vinted and really appreciate someone passing the stuff onto me quite cheaply, then looking down and thinking- wow, I look nice in this. To me, it's a virtuous circle. Plus I only get new shoes on Vinted (with/without tags, unworn outside) and those are always pairs they bought by mistake, or didn't like or were going to return and forgot and I like to think at least they are £30 up or whatever from that mistake!

I just like the ethos of it all.

Plus you can't have the great looks and lovely life you want when your wardrobe is full of older clothes that don't fit you or aren't just current you. I think of it as making space.

Well done for getting started with it all OP, I think you are already half way there by the sounds of it.

@Iamlikesorry if you are a curious reader, I think attachment to objects is a subject worth googling. Going on memory, so I can only give a rough and vague summary. Psychologically, we invest a part of ourselves into objects and make them a part of us in some way. Take an example of the sort many of us know. I have a mug, I got it from my mum a few years before she died. It only really took a special meaning to me after she died. It's nothing special, but I've encoded within it a memory or a connection with her. I found articles I read interesting, anyways

Humans do this with a lot of things, some more than others but I'm pretty sure everyone does it to a degree. This era of humans aggressively takes advantage of it. You've mentioned something of your own attachment to the clothes. I tackle getting rid of things periodically, in whatever dose I can manage. Like all things, if you find yourself being less ambitious than you hoped, relax about it & be proud of what you've managed. You can try again another time. It's natural to find it quite stressful. If my house move in 5 or so weeks goes ahead, another round is coming its way for me

I’ve been the same - hanging onto clothes that I’d spent a lot of money on and hardly worn or didn’t fit me or I was keeping hold of for emotional reasons.

The best advice I can give is start to follow Trinny Woodhall on social media. In the words of Trinny…. Does it bring you joy and does it reflect the woman you are now? Her advice is fabulous!

That’s really interesting re vinted. I need to look at and sell/donate some old sequin/going out tops.

I've been inspired by this thread to get rid of some more things. I'm quite good at decluttering but I do have some very old clothes that are good quality and fit.
I never wear most of my clothes because I simply never go out anywhere. I'm retired so no more use for smart clothes. I've kept one black jacket for funerals.
I have sold stuff on Vinted but if it doesn't go in a few weeks even after putting on very cheap I take to charity.
We also have a houseful of nerdy board games acquired over 40 years. Some, such as Ticket to Ride, get played whenever the DC come home but there are many that don't and I've sold quite a few on Vinted.

I put my first item on Vinted today - just to see how it works!

That's exactly how I feel @SeaPool - thank you!

I now wake up to this view every morning.. can't help but feel inspired and excited.

What a beautiful view!! This thread is so inspiring. I have a gorgeous very 90s very fitted little black dress at the back of my wardrobe. It covers about half of me now!!! I can't believe i used to just slip it on. I must have looked amazing!!!