Big wardrobe clear out - working out what to keep?

[Reluctantadult]

Tomorrow I am emptying all my clothes out onto the floor and going through everything. I can only keep what I can fit in half a small wardrobe, 2 drawers, and a suitcase under the bed.

Any suggestions for how many X to keep and criteria?! Or how to take up less space?!

Lifestyle wise I work from home, go to the office once a week, primary age dc and a dog to walk. I usually wear jeans, tees, jumpers, like a long skirt or summer dress for going out.

This - together with 'you can walk the dog looking fabulous' - is excellent advice.

Yes, office clothes will be a quick win here! If I need more in the future I can turn to vinted.

I envy you OP! Several years back i went through my wardrobe every 6 months and kondo'd. For me it was
Do i love it?
Is it in good condition?
Do i enjoy wearing it?
Does it actually fit?
It took me a good couple of years to be able to really get my wardrobe down to these criteria. I had a lot psychological baggage to work through that included compulsive shopping and an inability to throw something out if I'd paid for it.
I'm now a much wiser shopper and i love all of my clothes and getting dressed is a doddle. But i love a cull and miss those days! I still go through my wardrobe every 6 months, but i only ever have one or a few items to get rid of now.

However, there are some things that i do not include. I was really into wearing loafers and brogues for years, then trainers became a accepted at my work place and i haven't worn the loafers and brogues since. I keep them as they're good quality and i love them. They may go some day, but my wardrobe and drawers are empty enough now to be able to store them with the out of season stuff. Enjoy your clear out!

Try everything on and ask yourself the question “if I were shopping right now would I buy this?” If not, toss it.

Part of my problem seems to be niche sports gear... Triathlon all in one worn once 4yrs ago, anyone?! But what if I do one again?!!!

So far so good... Pile of stuff to go.

I would be really unhappy if I was trying to get my clothes down to such a small quantity! But the tips above are great

How many pairs of jeans and how many t-shirts is it reasonable to have? Thinking at least a holidays worth? I've got 7 pairs of jeans, a pair dungarees, a pair casual wide leg trousers, a pair joggers, 2 pairs work trousers, 3 pairs shorts, 1 long skirt. What can go?! I live in jeans really...

I've got 2 pairs skinny jeans I rarely wear but occasionally v useful.

Not sure what else to do though... Dd's wardrobe is half taken by dh's suits that he refuses to vacuum pack. She can't keep stuffing all her school clothes in drawers.

Will vacuum pack off season. That'll make it better.

I plan to do this in the summer. We moved 3 years ago and I tried to be brutal. But I still have a double IKEA pax wardrobe with 2 hanging rails. Plus shelves. And drawers. I’m looking forward to it. The wardrobe is groaning and wrinkling what I actually wear. Of all that hanging space I regularly wear roughly one tenth of it at the most!
My rule of thumb is: try it on. Do I feel like a princess? If not it should go. I would quite like to add the: if I saw it in a shop today would I buy it?
I too struggle to get rid of things. Bit of a hoarder. The thing is over the years I’ve remembered a treasured item that I got rid of and wonder how I ever got rid of that? How ever did that happen? It’s so hard!

We have the tall IKEA PAX wardrobes with two hanging rails. On the top shelf I have a storage box with Out of season clothes and I swap them round twice a year.

My occasion wear is in a box in one child’s wardrobe.

The kids have storage under their beds too. Eg ottoman, IKEA bed with drawers, clear plastic boxes with lids.

Once your toddler is 5 you could get one of these midi beds with a pull out desk and storage / play area underneath .

In your situation I’d be vacuum packing your Dh suits ( assuming he doesn’t wear them regularly ).

I divided my clothes up:
Underwear
Tops
Bottoms (skirts then trousers)
Outerwear
Shoes/boots/trainers

Then you can subdivide:
Tops: blouses, t shirts, jumpers etc. I found I had about 20 black tank tops. But these are a staple item - I wear one every day. So tried them on - were they worn? We're they faded? Did one style suit better? I didn't need 20 but I kept about ten. You get the idea.

That is a fab idea that I plan to try. It also saves dragging out all your clothes to sort. It's crazy really because apparently mise people's wear only 20% of their wardrobe regularly and that's definitely me. However, mad as it sounds it's difficult to imagine getting rid of so many surplus clothes. What I might do is the hanger technique then a short quarantine.period.

I have had a teeny wardrobe in the past. Really, really minimal and it's completely doable. I was working entirely from home then though and rarely went "out out", so it was almost entirely jeans, tshirts and sweaters!

BUT, I now have a policy of never selling, donating or recycling anything unless it is obscenely short on me, it's worn through, or broken. This came after suffering the dreaded Kondo regret after being too ruthless.

I have 2 x cloth storage bags which I store under my bed. I can get a lot into them and there's room to spare under the bed. Every few months I re-jig things so that I have clothes for the right weather etc. The clothes aren't doing me any harm stored away out of sight and it means I don't end up buying much new at all, because I have a whole wardrobe to shop from under my bed!

The stuff I'm wearing is all hanging up in a small wardrobe, including sports gear and lounge wear. Shoes and coats live downstairs (or in another bag under my bed if they're things like sandals or winter boots which I don't wear all year round).

I've definitely found the rejigging method a lot better than the total clear out.

When I was trying to reduce the number of my clothes what I did was once I’d worn an item I would wash but not iron it. Then I would put it on a spare bed. I tried to wear everything before ironing and rewearing. I decided that if I’d rather iron an item than wear something new then that item was definitely a keeper. Anything still in a drawer, or hanging up at the end of about six weeks was not a keeper. Weather and season dependent of course.

I think I've done it! And I actually haven't had to pack anything away in the loft either. Dh has agreed to pack his suits away and we've agreed a plan for getting more storage built in. Wins!!!

Oh well done @Reluctantadult that one way to do it!!

I still plan to have a go in the summer. There must be stuff that is ready for a new home! The thing is I tend to keep things until they’ve worn out. Works with shoes. But not so much clothes. Even then I’m a make do and mender!! Thinking of the times I’ve patched up and re-patched beloved jeans or cargo trousers.Or they are just languishing away in the wardrobe so they’re not wearing out any time soon!! Add my addiction to charity shop bargains into the mix and it’s out of control!! I buy beautiful items but they’re so cheap I can afford way too many of them!!
However - leggings … I have a bazillion pairs of black Primark leggings. Including ones with tags. I live in leggings when not at work. Surely some of those could go…

Honestly OP, I did the same thing and I have never looked back.

I have half a small wardrobe and two drawers. I love it because everything works together. I am never stuck about what to wear.

Well done!

I'm not great at this, I buy new stuff but hold on to older stuff to scruff about in at home or do exercise

That's 25 things up on vinted now, and a bin bag straight to charity.

Op if this pic works would it be an option?

It is a hanging rail over the stairs, and we hang all our work clothes on it. It frees up our tiny wardrobe for occasion wear

I got it on Amazon for quite cheap, and it has done well so far

I've put a pressure rail up in the ensuite shower which we don't use, and put dh's suits on that! Just for now. While we find out about having a wardrobe made to fit.

How's it going for everyone ?
I'm such a yoyo dieter , I have them in 3 sizes , so are loathe to do a big cull.
Wish I could diet and stay the same size !