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Housekeeping

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Original poster

How ruthless when deciding which clothes to throw out?

47 replies

alicebiscuits · 07/08/2016 23:15

I have accumulated alot of clothes over the yearsand haven't enough storage for them now ( and don't want more storage!) Despite having a yearly chuck out there are still too many. How do others decide when to give away that sentimental T-shirt / cardigan with missing button / that skirt that is really good quality but just doesn't suit you / top you just never wear but like in theory etc?

Reading that back - maybe I have a problem... Is it just me??
Help! Need...Space...! How to get it done?

OP posts:
Thundercake · 07/08/2016 23:22

Keep it all! You never know. Wink

BestZebbie · 07/08/2016 23:23

First, allow anything that you can't wear right now but which "might come in useful one day" to actually come in useful, by giving it to a charity shop for someone else to buy and use.

Create a mending pile. If the pile hasn't been touched in three months, get rid of it.

Keep the sentimental t-shirts, but remove them from your wardrobe unless you do actually wear them - they are personal possessions rather than clothes at this stage, so are just confusing matters by being in your wardrobe.

Titsalinabumsquash · 07/08/2016 23:26

I did this recently, I got rid of loads of stuff, I went with the rule that if it didn't fit, was damaged/stained in anyway or I hadn't worn it recently then it went to charity.

Original poster
alicebiscuits · 07/08/2016 23:57

Haha thundercake!
Bestzebbie, I like the mending pile & glad you think sentimental t-shirts are a thing :)
Wise words Titsalina

OP posts:
GipsyDanger · 08/08/2016 00:01

If you haven't worn it in a year bin it

AnnieOnnieMouse · 08/08/2016 01:23

I'm in a very similar situation. I have quite a lot of formal clothing, which I no longer wear, so that got bundled away. I still have far too much casual stuff, but I like it, I wear it, just there is a lot of it! I'm trying to wear a few things to destruction atm, then I can get rid. One thing I didn't want to destroy was my fav white jacket. Guess what?

Kiwiinkits · 08/08/2016 02:20

YY to if you haven't worn it for a year bin it. You'll never miss the clothes you give away, I promise. It will feel like a huge weight off your mind once your closets are cleared.

Original poster
alicebiscuits · 08/08/2016 08:02

Ok I'm going to be strong...and start binning/ giving away

OP posts:
homeaway · 08/08/2016 09:24

Only keep things that make you happy. Thst is MK principle and it works for a lot of people. You have to think about how you feel when you wear the item. It might help you. I have things that I have not worn for a year but I know that I will wear them again so I have kept them.

bimbobaggins · 08/08/2016 11:31

If you haven't worn it for a year id definitely get rid. I do regular donations to the charity shop and if you find you regret getting rid of an item at least you haven't binned it

mathair27 · 08/08/2016 13:00

I was regularly trying to declutter my wardrobe but in reality very little ever left,as I seemed to like everything! Inspired by the idea of wearing each thing and then deciding,I did a marathon session of trying everything on. It was the only thing that worked! About 80/90% of my wardrobe was gone. Once I actually started trying on stuff and saw how it looked on,I was able to be very definite on what went!

GrumpyOldBag · 08/08/2016 19:57

My rule is nothing new comes into my wardrobe without sending the equivalent thing to the charity shop.

New shirt, say, means I have to get rid of an old one.

newroundhere · 08/08/2016 20:23

YY to one in one out - it's the only way I manage to keep my wardrobe in check!

Trashcanoracle · 08/08/2016 20:27

Another Marie Kondo vote. Got rid of all clothes that didn't 'spark joy' (or at least pleasure!) back in March. This included getting rid of things that were OK but just didn't suit my taste anymore. Asked myself two questions. Would I buy this if I saw it today? How do I feel when I put it on?
Despite feeling very twitchy, I haven't regretted anything I chucked/charity shopped. Have replaced far less than I thought and after the de clutter could see much more clearly what I actually had and needed, eg one short dark winter skirt. Have also kept wardrobe/drawers tidy and ironing up to date since which is a nearly fifty year record. Do it !

FiddleFigs · 10/08/2016 14:01

If you can find the time to do it (and this might take a while!), try each item on. And consider whether it easily forms part of an outfit that you'd wear; whether it still suits your lifestyle. You might need to repeat the process in the winter, if you have a winter wardrobe packed away. It's the only thing that worked for me. You can't be sentimental when wearing a slightly too tight frock that once gave you joy.

lasttimeround · 10/08/2016 15:00

I keep the odd sentimental piece of clothing. Quite random items but they remind me of me at certain times in my life.
Otherwise getting better at mending of replacing clothes that are looking a bit shabby

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 10/08/2016 15:04

I'm very ruthless. If it doesn't fit, is looking shabby, you haven't worn it in ages, it doesn't suit you etc - get rid!

I cull every couple of months and rarely regret getting rid of stuff (apart from a beautiful silk dress that was too tight - but better to get rid than to feel depressed because I couldn't fasten it!).

crazymissdaisy · 10/08/2016 15:10

I like that advice about would you buy it today? I also find it psychologically better to have a halfway house/ binbag full of clothes that I am willing to give away but feel a but thriftless doing so. Then I keep them in a cupboard or something. The next time I am spring cleaning the bag can go - sounds bonkers but somehow it's easier!

annie1959 · 10/08/2016 15:15

I keep a list of all my clothes and their age on a spreadsheet, then I can see what I've got, what I'm not wearing and, what I don't need to buy (why do I have 22 T shirts? I wear business dress at work ...). I also find I have some clothes that I'll come up with a mental 'excuse' not to wear - they go when that starts happening

MrsHathaway · 10/08/2016 16:25

If you're sentimental about things, you can keep one thing from each sentiment.

eg one old t-shirt from college, one jumper your late granny liked, etc.

Giving them away helps me to let go. Sometimes that can be staged, eg by lending first. My friends and I have a kind of informal shared wardrobe for things like "dresses to go to weddings in" because none of us can justify new for every occasion but it's nice to have something new-to-me.

FayaMAMA · 10/08/2016 22:02

I sell all of mine online. It helps to get ££ back from losing something precious. I had a lot of designer clothes from my late teen years (I used to save up like crazy for them and ask only for them for birthdays, etc) that don't fit me at all anymore since having kids. I kept them in my wardrobe for years "just in case" I could wear them again. Most of them were a size 6 and I was utterly kidding myself. I kept a few classic pieces for when my DDs are older but threw the rest out.

Be as ruthless as you can be. Evaluate each item. Do you REALLY wear it? Or do you just put it on and take it off again while working out an outfit because it doesn't actually suit you?

LumpySpacedPrincess · 10/08/2016 23:18

Kondo is the way to go. Get all your clothes on the bed, every last item, clean your wardrobe then only put back what you love.

Then fold and hang each item beautifully and enjoy your clothes.

KeyserSophie · 11/08/2016 02:16

If I havent worn it for a year, it's gone.
If it doesn't fit, it's gone.
Get rid of duplicates: Max 2 (basic colours- e.g black vest, blue jeans), Ideally 1 (i.e. dont need 3 fushia coloured tops)
One in, one out policy.

There's a thing on the internet by someone who got her entire wardrobe down to 33 items (excl. underwear and sports wear). This takes a decent amount of planning and it helps if you dont need to be super formal for work (I dont) but I'm aiming to get to 55-60 (I live somewhere with massive seasonal changes so 33 is a bit light) by the end of the year as part of a wider minimalism project.

MiaowJario · 11/08/2016 02:37

Split into three piles- keep, donate/throw and undecided.

Put the undecideds in a carrier bag by the front door, all ready to go to the charity shop. Leave it there for a while- something between a week and a month. If you go hunting in the bag for something, let yourself keep it. If you keep missing the "deadline" and not going, go through the bag and work out what item (s) you are trying to keep. Repeat until you are happy to take the bag to the charity shop. (But don't donate ripped, bobbled it dirty things- if you can't bear to throw something in that condition you a) need help b) have a sentimental attachment and need to keep it or keep a bit of it, like a button or c) you haven't got your "money's worth" yet in some way. In which case you can either repurpose it for anything from a quilt to dusters, or just resolve to learn your lesson and be more careful with what you buy in the future)

albertcampionscat · 11/08/2016 07:56

Ripped/bobbled stuff can go into clothing recycling banks.