Clothes de-cluttering, what worked for you?

[LassoOfTruth]

Any top tips for clothes de-cluttering?
I’ve a lot of clothes I never wear. Mainly because I put on a fair bit of weight in the last few years. Determined to lose it, I’ve been more active/eaten fewer biscuits and have lost a stone since September. BUT I still have probably 2 stone to lose. I’ll get there, hopefully, but have to do it the slow way.

In the meantime, I still need to de-clutter, as I just haven’t been able to let go of stuff thinking “I’ll wear that again when I lose the weight”. But will I? I have way too much and need to be harsh.

So far I’m jettisoning:

• Most office wear as I now wfh
• Anything damaged or worn-looking (unless a good quality item that could be repaired eg things I’ve knit and then argued with the cat while wearing)
• Anything that is basically identical to something else even if it fits me now
• Things that are in colours/styles I no longer like

Like, how many t-shirts is “normal”? I seem to have lost my way with that sort of thing.

On my weight loss journey, what worked for me was when I go to my first goal - down to a 14 - I pulled everything out and tried it on . Did I love it? would I truly wear it again if I got small enough ?

Things I no longer loved which were now too big - charity shop

Things I still loved but were now too big, I vac packed and stored - just in case

Everything that was still too small I left

Then another dress size down, everything out again, and the same process, only I replaced the beloved but too big when I was a 14, with those that were too big but still loved now I was a 12

And so its been for the past 3 years, and now Im having to restock the wardrobe :)

I now have clothes size 8 and 10 at hand , the 12's in vac bags - JIC

Long process as like many women, Ive yo yo'd with the weight and spent a fortune on clothes that Ive not worn or got the wear from. Parking the guilt was difficult for me

For the clothes which didn’t fit I sorted them into size and chucked anything not in fantastic condition and I really liked. The rest I put in labelled rubble bags and put in the loft.

I looked at fit & condtion and the last time I wore it.

Anything good went on Vinted and the rest was charity shop or recycling.

Gosh yes @suki1964 the guilt! I’ve found multiple items with tags on still that I barely remember buying and clearly didn’t need. Vinted pile for them I guess!

I bought far too many clothes for far too long. And shoes.
Also collected vintage clothes for a while, and sold at some vintage fairs.

I have spent days of my life 'sorting out my clothes', and still have bags and suitcases full.

I have sold some through a couple of vintage shops, and am about to try selling online through a couple of sites.

I've also given lots to charity shops.

A good friend of mine said something that helped with my guilt from all the money spent - she said that the money's long spent, pleasure was had from the stuff, now it's time to let it go.

Good luck.

I’ve always found it easier to focus on separating out the clothes I can wear right now, rather than trying to figure out what I should get rid of.

Anything that isn’t wearable right now, I store in boxes on the floor of my wardrobe and under my bed. I roughly categorise them into sentimental/ may fit again/ funerals (because I don’t wear black any other time)/out of season, etc. Because space is limited, I usually have to make some decisions but the process is structured enough not to be overwhelming.

The advantage of only having wearable clothes hanging in my wardrobe is that I can see what I really have, what works together, what doesn’t really fit my style, or doesn’t go with anything else, what I never wear. That decluttering can happen over a season, and again it’s not overwhelming.

That's the thing isnt it ?- the money - which you can read as wasted

DH would tell me that, give me all the "why did you buy it and not wear it? " but his idea of getting dressed up is a blazer - with jeans

Too months on from my last post, Ive maintained my size and now Ive dived back into the abyss yet again and Im now at the " do I really love this or is it the cost that's making me keep it ?

Each time I do a sweep I become more ruthless

Finally got shot of my wedding dress ( wasnt a bridal gown )

And now clothes arent just something that fit and cover me, Im getting used to making mistakes and not hanging on to it - away it goes . Clothes have to earn their space , have I worn it this past year, does it flatter me, do I feel comfortable wearing this are my criteria now. From a wardrobe where the rail was bowed, the sides bugling, 3 years down the line I have space to hang clothes properly

Split into winter and summer. Work out how much storage space you’re got.

I use those old skool laundry bags either zips. Spray inside with moth spray first.

Each season gets 4 bags:

1. keep and store
2. vinted (it adds up)/give to mates.
3. charity shop
4. unsure - bag in hall for a week, if you don’t mourn anything, take 3 and 4 to charity shop on day 8.

Fashions last about 4 years, big trends eg trouser width last 7. Cull anything cringe accordingly.

Keep really good stuff if you have DDs/DNs. Everyone laffed at me keeping Alexander McQueen samples from the 90s as I grew stout in middle age, DNs love it. Ditto cashmere jumpers.

I’ve done pretty well, probably got rid of 30% of stuff including a lot of “office” shoes I don’t need or even like!
Vinted does add up but I’ve only ever really been successful at selling kids things. I’ve put away all the more occasion wear things too so that I can see what I have for every day. And I’ve got rid of a few old favourites that don’t fit now. Time to let them go!