Help me cull my wardrobe, please!

[GrendelsMum]

I'm about to pack away loads of clothes before building works commence, and it's given me the impetus to cull my wardrobe. Right at the moment I have everything from clothes I wore when I was 19 to lots of lovely evening dresses to piles of manky t-shirts. Basically, I'm not very good at getting rid of clothes.

Can people give me their top tips for wardrobe culling?

Are there certain things that one should always keep one of? e.g. I have a long black skirt that my mum bought me when I was 20 or so (which is some years ago now) - should I keep it in case I need to have a black skirt for some event?

Be ruthless- if it doesn't suit you, get rid. If you haven't worn it for a year- get rid (except very special occasion stuff perhaps). If it's manky- get rid! Personally I have virtually nothing black left in my wardrobe- it doesn't suit me. If the black skirt looks good on you, keep it, if not, get rid!
I'm trying to fill in the gaps in my wardrobe after my culling process by imagining events I might need to have something nice to wear for e.g. wedding, christening, night out, smart lunch etc.

Ah, thanks very much! I shall follow the rules and see where I get...

Think about what you wear and when too - you have piles of t-shirts, but do you wear t-shirts day to day or do you have a smarter job that means you only wear them at weekends. Dump all but the nicest stuff.

The black skirt - is it a size/shape/style that flatters you? Some basics are worth having BUT only if they suit you. Often the occasions when you have need of a good basic are when you also need to feel pretty good. I don't wear shirts much day to day but they it is useful to have a well fitting shirt for interviews for example, but pointless if it looks crap.

I have done this recently too. My top tips are:

• Get rid of anything that doesn't fit, especially if its too small- keeping it just makes you feel bad
• Get rid of anyhting you know you will never wear again, even if it was expensive- you can sell anyhting decent on ebay
• I found I had 5 pairs of black trousers which is frankly excessive given I have so many other clothes. I kept the 2 best/nicest fitting pairs.
• Look at the style of things. If things are dated, rather than classic, you are unlikely to wear them again.

Thanks, people.

I shall compile a full list, print it out, and then take action on the wardrobe!

You're quite right about a basic only being useful if it's also flattering, because you only wear them for smart occasions.

I would take everything out of your wardrobe and sort by type. Bin anything that is ripped, stained etc... Anything that is too small, unflattering or you dislike should go to the charity shop. I would ebay anything very special.

Think about your life now - what type of clothes you need and keep just a couple of the nicest things for special occasions.

Right, so the Mumsnet guide to culling currently runs as follows:

• take everything out of the wardrobe
• examine it all for rips, stains etc. Get rid of anything with rips.
• sort it all by type
• if there are unnecessary duplicates, get rid of them
• try everything on
• if it doesn't fit you, dump it.
• if it doesn't suit you, dump it.
• if it's dated, dump it.
• has it been worn in the last year? If not, strongly consider dumping it.

Look at what you've got left!

Then hang it in the wardrobe with the hangar facing the wrong way. After wearing return clothes to wardrobe with hangar facing right way. After a few weeks / 6months / suitable time consider again those clothes you haven't worn - denoted by hangar facing wrong way.

Another thing I do is to have a stash of eg tshirts. When I want one I have to take the top one from the pile, after washing it goes to the bottom. The day comes when I don't want to wear 'today's' tshirt - toss it.

Tiffany that is fab advice, I am going to nick both of those! I have an overflowing wardrobe and a sneaking suspicion I don't wear any half the clothes in it... Thanks

I'm having a clearout at the moment. One thing I find useful is to ask myself if I would buy that piece of clothing if I saw it in a shop now. If I'm not sure I ask myself if I would buy it if I found it in a charity shop for a fiver. That usually makes my mind up

er . . hanger many apols, t'was late

Tattycoram - my friend once gave me that advice, too - very useful. She said that you should always get rid of things at a point when someone would still buy them in a charity shop.