How ruthless when deciding which clothes to throw out?

[alicebiscuits]

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?

[BabooshkaKate]

I hoard and one day just snap and get rid of things that I later regret. Bad habits.

[Fintress]

My rule is if it doesn't make your heart sing get rid, recycle or charity shop.

[blitheringbuzzards1234]

We can be divided into keepers or chuckers. Like you I don't have a lot of space, my wardrobe is a bit cluttered but could be worse. With my 'capsule wardrobe' I don't accumulate a huge amount of clothing. Many of my clothes are old but in reasonable nick.
When a charity bag comes through the letterbox for old clothes for charity I think, 'I'm still wearing 'em.' As a patchwork quilter I've learned to not throw things away as they come in handy for a project. My wardrobe is tidy but my spare room is a mess!

[WildwestWind]

One of the best things I ever did with my wardrobe was to replace all of the hangers, now it's much easier to see everything as they are all hung at the same level. sounds odd I know but it really helped me

[MaybeDoctor]

I keep a clothing 'archive' for really sentimental items.

I have one box of items which are too small by one size, but which I would definitely wear again if I ever slimmed down.

I buy fairly good quality mid range clothing - Boden, Seasalt, Hobbs - so a lot of it lasts quite well.

Apart from that I am quite strict about ebaying or passing on anything that isn't quite 'right', plus I have had several really huge culls in the last 5 - 10 years. So the number of pieces I have isn't huge.

[allthebestplease]

I read Marie kando, plus we moved house and so gave away so many clothes, best thing I did. Now I have half a hanging rail. We have a small chest of draws too. That's it.
You can do it.

[MaybeDoctor]

Just had a count up and it was 44 items across my winter and summer wardrobes.

Not counting things like beach kaftans, nightclothes or PJs.

The only thing I do find is that tee-shirts etc wear out quickly due to frequent washing.

[MackerelOfFact]

I struggle to throw things out (either I am too reluctant to get rid, or I am too keen and chuck things that I later wish I still had) so I have a system.

I am really ruthless and put everything that I am potentially going to charity shop into a big bag, including sentimental items, which I then put in the garage (or loft or somewhere you don't go often - so not in a drawer or a cupboard) and leave it there for about 3 months. If I haven't gone to the effort of retrieving anything from the bag by that stage, then I don't need or want it - and most of the time I have completely forgotten what I put in there anyway. I then chuck/charity shop the bag WITHOUT OPENING (this is crucial as otherwise you'll 'rediscover' everything - so make sure it's all charity shop condition in the first place, or sort into two bags).

This works for me and allows me to ditch stuff without feeling that sentimental pull, because you are only storing it in the first stage, and giving away a random bag of stuff you can't remember in the second stage.

[GeorgiePeachie]

Does it bring you joy?

I have a top that I wear quite alot but everytime I wear it I worry about it being too loose/people seeing down my top etc. It makes me too anxious to wear it. even though Ive tried hard to make it part of my wardrobe.
It's in the charity pile now.

[RebelandaStunner]

I get rid of things that start to look tired or dated or don't suit or fit properly. And the dreaded mistake buys that have rarely been worn but you can't get rid of because they cost a lot. Just get rid.
Then buy nothing for a while to break the habit of buying.
When you start buying again be very selective.

[notarehearsal]

Almost everything I own Ive bought through ebay. Lovely and good quality clothing but at a price I can afford. I've recently had a sort out of everything I can't wear as it's too small or just don't like it anymore. Mostly back on ebay and I've made £1000 in a month ( not all clothing but same with household items) Lots to charity too. I've worked out that I actually don't end up spending anything and have an ever changing wardrobe. What I won't do is hoard things, if I can't use it, someone else can

[purplevase4]

Because I work from home I have very little in the way for formalwear which was interesting last week when I went into the office three days running and had to find something different to wear each day! I don't think I am as low as 33 items but will have to count up, I certainly don't have much as we don't have a lot of storage space.

I also found it quite difficult to find something to wear for my father's funeral last month and ended up wearing navy linen trousers and a navy top. A couple of years ago I wore a bronze/brown suit to a funeral. I do have black trousers now but they were winter ones so no good for a warm July day. So I've learnt that it's important to keep something you can wear for a traditional sober colours funeral even if that means keeping something you've not worn for over a year.

[MrsHathaway]

Good point Purple (and I'm sorry for your loss). I have a black cotton jersey dress for funerals - vest and thick tights in winter with black winter coat, thin tights in summer.

[Bearlet]

Gah, I’m terrible at throwing stuff out. Before I had DD, I had a bad habit of buying more party dresses than I ever had occasion to wear. Now I have even less occasion to wear them, which is lucky, as they don’t actually fit me anymore. I haven’t thrown them out yet because I still harbor vague hopes that DD will start sleeping through, I will have the time and energy to do some exercise, I will stop breastfeeding, the baby weight will drop off, and my life will suddenly morph into an endless stream of glamorous parties. Ha! In reality, DD is 16 months old now and I can’t seem to manage to get out for even one drink. I should just get rid of them all and make a fresh start. At least motherhood has cured me of my posh-frock-buying ways, which is something.

[MuffyTheUmpireSlayer]

Scrap the "might be useful" rule AND the "I wear this all the time" rule. Pick each item up and ask yourself if you would buy this item in a shop right now. If the answer is "no", it goes! No matter how often you wear it.

[Youcantscaremeihavechildren]

KonMari approach definitely gets my vote! I've found I buy much less too. For sentimental the shirts or clothing, get cheap canvases from poundland etc and stretch the t shirt over it, staple on the back and you've got something you can hang on the wall. Same for the fabric from a sentimental dress etc.

[randomsabreuse]

I've just had a huge clearout of my wardrobe. My major breakthrough was moving my "keep" criteria from "would I wear it" to "do I want to wear it" (apart from necessary things like basic black trousers).

Comfortable lounge wear has to be comfortable not just relegated smarter stuff.

Sort of modified Kondo philosophy - the sparking of joy can be in the purpose of the item (white shirts used for riding and band uniform are in themselves pretty meh but no shirt that is compatible with a tie is really going to spark joy of itself for me!)

For things that don't quite fit I looked at the general shape - if it's just one problem area then it's worth keeping but if it's huge on the waist and tight on the thighs the shape is just wrong for me.

[alicebiscuits]

Like the ideas around "does it make you feel good?" as a selector question...alot of the maybe pile is there for other reasons so that may help me chuck a bit more...I want tidy wardrobe with increased clothes...! Thanks everyone!

[alicebiscuits]

Uncreased not increased! Not sure if tis a word, but it'll do!

[AnnieOnnieMouse]

I have a large bag of discarded tshirts I am currently making into a rag rug for my bedroom. It's slow going, tho, so the rest of dh's tshirts are safe for another year or two!

[blitheringbuzzards1234]

Rag rugs are super, annieonnie I made one out of old t-shirts, jeans, fabric which I'd bought and decided I didn't like it as much as I'd thought. It's unique and hard-wearing. Spurring you on!

[specialsubject]

If no regular formal wear requirement (work from home) then keep no more than two pairs smart trousers, a couple of smart tops and a jacket. One set in dark colours for funerals.

do check occasionally that it still fits.

otherwise I am trying to run down stocks by chucking worn stuff without replacing. When I actually get to the point of needing something, I'll go and buy it. With the exception of underwear, that point is years off!