Starting your wardrobe from scratch. Have you regretted throwing out loads of clothes?

[ISpidersmanYouMeanPirate]

I need a style overhaul. I'm getting a "re-looking" done this weekend (my colours, styles that suit my body shape etc.) and in preparation I was asked to send a list of all my clothes that I have (i.e. how many t-shirts, work trousers, jeans, dresses, smart tops, jackets, etc.).

I was and at how many clothes I have that I just don't wear. In my defense I have 2 young DC so I was kind of keeping them just in case I fit into them again/I suddenly need lots of clothes because of baby sick etc.

I've already gotten rid of all my old/tatty clothes. But I'm still hanging on to quite a lot of stuff which is perfectly wearable but I don't really like it/doesn't quite fit.

So, have you ever bitten the bullet and thrown out lots of wearable clothes that you don't wear very much? Did you ever regret it?

Oh and I really hate shopping so I tend to hang onto things once I've got them.

Oh great.... Let me know how you get on as I am fancying a self driven wardrobe kull.... I reckon I could get rid of at least 50% of my stuff... Then plan to wear the rest each day and if it hasn't been worn in 3 months time I will get rid!

Drastic but then I will have room for nicer/updated stuff!

My man used to say if you haven't used it in the last year then you don't need it!

Nan, I meant nan!!!

I did in 18 months ago when we moved

I have discarded lots of things over the last two years (decluttering) and I haven't missed anything.

I have kept some smart classic work trousers which fit but are a size bigger (wore them when carrying extra weight post-pregnancy) because they are good quality I think they may come in useful once I have gone through the menopause!
Other than that everything fits and is nice or is so tatty it's for decorating/gardening.

I haven't regretted anything I've got rid of. Some I had doubts about so I bagged them and got rid of them a year later when I hadn't wanted/needed them.

I've also declutterd and thrown away a lot of clothes. Can honestly say I miss nothing. After hanging onto stuff for years and years, I can't even think why now.

I can recommend reading this small but very effective re clothes selection and organisation (if slightly bonkers) book: www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-effective-clutter/dp/0091955106/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426677240&sr=1-1

Also there are some great Marie Kondo threads in Good Housekeeping you might find inspiring.

Ooh and for stuff that was fitting poorly, gaping waist bands on otherwise classic skirts/trousers or slightly too long. Take to dry cleaners to mend and clean. And for £10-15 it will feel like you are getting a "new" item.

Me and a small group of 4-5 friends have had a clothes swap a few times for stuff like this. I've found I get lovely 'new' stuff and enjoy seeing my friends looking good in things that weren't quite right on me. Anything not swapped goes to charity shops. Only works if you have friends with similar body shapes and taste of course!

Ooh sounds positive.

I also used to think that if I hadn't worn anything for a year then I should throw it out but then I got pregnant so couldn't wear most my clothes. Then I was BF so couldn't wear some tops. Then I knew I wanted a 2nd Dc etc.etc.

DC is now 10 months and still BF so although I fit into most of my clothes, my bust doesn't!

I decided some years ago that every time I bought something new I would give two items to the charity shop. Despite the illogical maths of this I still had far too many clothes. What I did find was that, with fewer clothes in the wardrobe, it was easy to categorise my clothes, wear the ones I liked more often, give away stuff that I did not like.

As a person who hates housework, I found I had several items labelled, that will do for the housework. They all quickly got binned. Also black trousers - who the hell needs 20 pairs of black trousers.

No I don't regret my wardrobe make over.

Lol bberry for a minute there you were all 'ma maan..''

We moved house a couple of years ago and after the initial settling in with new baby both of us got rid of tons of old stuff..gave a lot of it to charity and also new stuff to young cousins etc, and it felt great to see stuff hanging that I could recognise and would wear.. Lost weight this yr as well so updated my wardrobe from stuff that was around 5 years ago which was nice

No. Never and I have done this quite often over the years.

It's really hard I know but think of it this way. You can have fun replacing them all.

My one guilty pleasure is a top I have had for eight years, it didn't fit me when I bought it, it certainly doesn't fit me now yet I cannot bear to throw it out and it was only from new look!

I do it every 18 months-2 years or so - just cull three quarters of my wardrobe and start again. It is SO liberating. I ebay anything that holds its price and charity shop the rest/give away to friends or sister. I've NEVER regretted it.

I also put away all my winter clothes bar one pair of boots and a few sweaters this week, stored in the attic in a big container. It helps focus me on what I'm actually going to be wearing and what I need for the next few months.

I do it with accessories and jewellery, too. Life is too short to hoard loads of crap 'just in case'.

Done it, not regretted it. Last time was last year after I had my colours / style done.

Have tried to shop clever when replacing them, but am aware I could have done better.

Have just read David Zyla's book and he advises "three bases" which (I think) are the equivalent of black, brown and white (varies according to your colouring - so could be purple, khaki and mid-brown) as neutral backdrops to your "true colours".

Black would be for times when you need to look really smart; white for the most casual and brown in between.

Wish now I'd quizzed my HOC person about this idea as have a set of colours which are good for me and have bought various clothes that I love and fit the colour brief, but still don't look as put together as I wanted. Not entirely sure why.

Think if you're replacing the lot that should be the natural consequence.

That said, it has improved the laundry situation bizarrely as I have fewer clothes so have to turn them around more quickly.

Got rid of everything that didn't fit properly or was shabby, I was ruthless. There is nothing for 'just in case'. And I now wear everything that's left. Coat hangers can now glide along rails. Everything I own fits me and nothing gets passed over.
Most sold on eBay.
No regrets whatsoever :)

I am the absolute opposite of a hoarder and cull my clothes (and dcs') regularly. The feeling of space beats everything for me, I never regret it. Do it.

I've regretted it loads of times.

I am no longer allowed to get rid of anything. DD has to see if she could use it first.

And to think my 20-something DD wants her 60 year-old mum's cast-offs.

Had no choice as I dropped two sizes and nothing fit.
Since doing it I wear most of my clothes and have less of them.
Now I generally get rid of just a few things each year- things that are worn out or I'm bored of etc.
Anything good sold/sells on ebay and rest to charity.

I don't regret it as I was/am much more selective with my new purchases, so like them much better.
When I shop now, I tend to write a list, so I don't get drawn into buying all sorts that I don't need.
It's not as much of a hobby as it once was!

I think it helps to stop your wardrobe getting into a rut and things getting outdated and you don't notice.

I also do it frequently and find it so refreshing - out goes the old look me and all of the baggage attached and in comes a fresh approach and organised, well-planned wardrobe. The first time I did it was very painful but now I have no emotional attachment to my clothes which is relieving

I got rid of a lot last year when I moved house - mostly cheaper stuff, all those impulse purchases from Primark and Dorothy Perkins that I'd only worn once or twice anyway.

Didn't regret any of it.

I have quite a good idea of what I like and what suits me these days so only tend to buy things I will actually wear a lot (even if they're more expensive) and avoid anything that's very fashionable and not really me at all.

I did it. No regrets at all. Some of the clothes were quite old, and none were particularly expensive - might have been a different story if they were!

Yes!
I was getting sick of feeling like I had nothing to wear, then a holiday came up where I had very little luggage allowance so I created a capsule wardrobe for the holiday - came back and did it for the rest of my clothes!

I also started Project 333 afterwards (a challenge to wear only 33 items of clothing/accessories for 3 months, to help me figure it all out.

I have sorted out all my clothes into categories - those that don't fit I've sorted through and only kept on to the ones I really love wearing (that way if I gain/lose weight I'll have something nice to wear and won't need to buy everything new) - but put all non-fitting clothes into vac bags in the loft.

Those clothes that are worn out have gone, those that do nothing for me have gone, those in the wrong colours (make me look washed out) have gone.

Then I looked at what was left, made sure I could make 2-3 outfits from each item and went from there.

I love it - it makes life so much simpler and throwing stuff out is really liberating.

I need to do this. The house is bubbling over with mountains of clothes. Recently I filled a bag with dresses that still had tags on them but never got worn for one reason or another (babies mainly). Can someone please tell me how to sell in eBay or point me to very simple instructions. I'd like to recoup even a little money from them (and get rid of the bag!).