I've had a major wardrobe clearout and it's just BRILLIANT!

[becstargazeypie]

I'm all evangelical about it. Do it! Do it now! It's brilliant!

My last major clearout was a year ago, but I was more ruthless this time - I invited a very candid friend over who knows what I wear and I like her style. She sat on my bed and asked searching questions like 'When did you last wear this? What do you wear it with? How did you feel when you wore it? Isn't it exactly the same as the other red t-shirt over there? Do you really need two?'

Three big refuse bags full of clothes have gone to the charity shop - I don't have a huge amount of space (narrow IKEA wardrobe and three drawers), so it's pretty amazing that I had enough clothes to get rid of that many and still have anything left.

My clothes hang freely in the wardrobe instead of being bunched against each other, and my drawers open and close smoothly without having to cram things down. Everything is sorted into tops, bottoms, jackets, dresses. I can see exactly what I've got and I only own things that I feel fabulous in apart from a set of comfies, and two sets of exercise clothes. Everything else has gone. Ahhhh. Better than shopping...

Sounds fab! I really need to do this!! Far too many clothes that I don't wear are cluttering up my limited storage space. Did you find it hard?

It helped to have a trusted friend at my side - I don't think I'd have been as ruthless without her. But I think the key thing is to feel ready to let go and to just set aside time. Do it, lucidlady, do it!

Get a roll of bin bags and pull everything out onto the bed. Put all your jumpers together, all your trousers together etc. so that you can see duplicates. Then just keep the single most fabulous one of the identical items. Throw away anything that makes you feel a bit 'blah' - things with bad memories, things you're intending to slim into or you're hanging onto in case you put on weight in the future. Throw away anything with a stain or a hole. Anything you haven't worn in a year (apart from snowboots and similar oddities!). Anything that looks a bit tired that you don't really love. Anything you're hanging onto because you spent money on it and haven't worn it much, and feel like you need to hold onto it to make your purchase worthwhile - remember it will make someone in a charity shop very happy. Check if your clothes are for a different time in your life when your life has actually moved on (eg if your wardrobe is 80% SAHM clothes, but you've actually gone back to full time work - then throw away more SAHM type clothes). Throw away things that are 'Well, I like this in theory but it doesn't fit me properly at the waist, but it's a shame because if it did it would be my sort of thing' - either take it to a dressmaker this week, or throw it. Throw away anything that you think 'Well, I don't like it, but the only other thing I have that's similar is too lovely to wear so I'm saving that for best, and will wear the blah one in the meantime'. Throw away the blah one, and don't save the lovely one for best - keep it as your one and only and wear it to rags.

Then hang everything up by category and you will suddenly have far more clothes to wear because you can see them and they're all things you like.

(Crikey, I really have turned into a zealot! Perhaps I should get a megaphone and a placard....)

I've done something similar this week. I gave away, to my sister, shoes that are practically brand new, but are uncomfortable on me and will therefore never be worn, and shoes that look better on my sister I've gone off. Have also taken two pairs of boots to be resoled and have the zips replaced.

Have slung out unflattering clothes. Did it on my own, so probably not as ruthless as I could have been, but I've made a start!

I don't think I have 3 bin bags worth of clothes

I did a clear our when we moved to find that I immediately lost weight and I had got rid of everything that might fit

I see your three bags and I raise you four! Well, some of that was DP's stuff. Am evangelical about it also. I'm still not satisfied I've gotten rid of everything, there are a few bits left in the 'well I spent money on it' category - but can't wait to actually move those binbags from my hall and to the charity shop and textile recycling bin.

Ahhh.

I totally love a good old clear out and have several bags waiting friend collection this weekend.

'Ahhh' indeed IShallPracticemyCurtsey - its a great feeling isn't it?

bronze - do you have some clutter prone slightly bigger friends you can have a swap party with?

I am going to get all my clothes out again next weekend and see if I can create some new outfits by styling them a bit differently. The clear out has shaken me out of a rut somehow.

I did the same thing this morning!

I am quite ruthless, and cull things every 3 months.
But I now have about 20 excellent quality(some unworn) things to ebay, know I need to keep an eye on the weight so everything fits, and have a rough idea of what I need.

I seem to have lots of trousers/jeans but not very many tops.....need straight tunic styles.

I just love doing it.
I am not stock size...very long legs and big feet, so make a lot of mistakes when buying things because "they fit" rather than "they suit/I like"

Right. . . I'm inspired. Will cull ASAP. Thanks for thread becs!

If I did that, I would have nothing left in my wardrobe.

I do this alot, but only prob is I end up with ebay pile of expensive stuff as too tight to give it all to charity, then I have to force myself to ebay which is a hassle...not always worth it either.

But gain real satisfaction from wardrobe decluttering

i tried a lotof times, but i return all the clothes back in the end, i can't closed my wardrobe easier, the problem, i love all my clothes, nearly all new, worn once or twice. hope i will be able to do that one day.

You've inspired me. Tomorrow I am clearing out mine and the children's clothes. We have far too many!

How about people just don't buy all this shit in the first place ? In these financially turbulent times I can't believe the waste still going on.

Mosman in my case at least (I'm doing a gradual clear out) it's because in the past 6 years I've gained, and then lost most of 20kgs, gone from high-powered-suit-only -career-woman to SAHM-&-student. It's been a slow accumulation rather than spending sprees.

I'll be doing another hour tomorrow. And then looking through the boxes of "too small" clothes from 5 years ago to see what might actually fit now.

What do you do with things that have holes etc or that charity shop won't want? Where can they be recycled?

rikers British heart foundation take clothes that they can't sell (tears etc) as they raise money by selling them for rags.

rikers not sure about the UK, but the 3 places I've lived most recently (itchy feet ) have those big clothes bins for charity - while they do prefer things that can be sold/re-worn etc, they will take stained damaged stuff as it is recycled for use as rags.

If it's really very bad I just throw it out or cut it up for use as rags at home.

oooh i'm going to do this today - so satisfying thanks for the inspiration

I love a good clear out!! Like you OP, I'm tight on space... Share wardrobe with DH then have 3 drawers and a large open basket.
Had a big clearout in July. Have lost weight in the last year, going from a 10 to 6-8 (am short). Got rid of all the stuff that was hanging off my hip bones. Put good stuff on ebay and gave the rest to charity.
It's so nice being able to see clearly what I own. I also realise I don't need nearly as many clothes as I thought I did. I will be buying a couple of jumpers, a pencil skirt for work, some tights and some boots for autumn.
Have also made a start on kids things. They are in uniform during school time so really don't need the piles of stuff that clutter the house.

Mosman
Well, quite. But sometimes you have to get to a certain point before you can see the error of your ways, so to speak. In my case also I've been hoarding stuff for years 'to get more wear out of it'. And my DP is far worse, I've found decades-old stuff on his shelves!

As in decades-old shite, with extra holes and deodorant stains..

But are't you afraid you might need somethign in teh future?

I'm still wearing my jeans from when I was 17 (stealth boast there). Hasn't stopped me buying more, like, I just struggle to let go.

Got my old army shirt from when I was 13, but now grunge is back in, maybe I should wear it.....

Congratulations! I'd love to do this, but I have to have wardrobes in every size from 12 to 22 due to yo-yo dieting.