Binning 60-80% of wardrobe?

[FoggySunnyDays]

Has anyone just binned (sent to the charity shop, gave to friends etc, not literally binned!) a big chuck of their wardrobe and started over?

I have too much stuff, but I can't bear to get rid of things. Lots of print dresses mostly.

All I want to wear these days is monochrome or solid colours and trousers/top/shirt combo. But then I miss wearing dresses on hot days like we've had recently!! And I fear I'll get bored of wearing a more 'minimalist' look!

My knee length dresses just don't fit my life with a small toddler. But I also can't bear to get rid of them as I know one day I won't have a small toddler so playgrounds and parks won't be an issue!

It feels ridiculous to pack up so much but I feel the urge to get rid and start over!

Anyone done it? Advice? Pros and cons?

Yes, I’m doing this at the moment. I’ve been collecting clothes for over 30 years and it has got ridiculous; there’s stuff there I’ll never fit back into as even if I went on a serious diet my whole body shape has changed post kids.
I have discovered things I’d completely forgotten buying - some went straightaway in the bag to go and others have had a new lease of life.
I find I am wearing a greater variety of things as there’s less there it’s easier to look through and choose different things instead of just reaching for the same few over and over again.
My advice? Just make a start and do it

I did it. About 8 years ago I sold almost everything, in a passionate fit of eBaying. I made £900.

It was so liberating. I bought a few new things gradually and it was the start of me having a much smaller and far nicer wardrobe which I wear all the time.

In my case, I had so many £20 tops, it was ridiculous. So now instead of 15 x £20 tops I have 3 x £100 tops. So much better and actually better value, as I am wearing more expensive items and just look classier for exactly the same cost.

I don’t regret it. Though the person who got my amazing Russel & Bromley platforms for £18 got an absolute bargain.

Go by the amount of space you have and cull accordingly.
If you love it, keep it, even if you are not going to wear it right now.
If it doesn't fit or you won't ever wear it again, get rid.

Does it spark joy?

I Marie Kondo'd about 8 years ago.

The principals she teaches in her book are ones which stick with you for years.

At the time i went through my wardrobe and got rid of apx 70% of it at a guess. Black sack after black sack down to the charity shop.

The things i got rid of were things i wanted to be wearing but just never did for various reasons including size and age appropriateness and lack of occasion. Plus things i'd bought and were a mistake and i was keeping believing that having it hanging in the wardrobe for years stopped it being a massive waste of money somehow 🙄It was hard at times and i had a 'maybe' pile just as big as my no pile for a while, but i went through it again and got it right down. I mourned some of it at the time but with a couple of weeks i couldn't remember the majority of what went into the bags so it wasn't all that precious!

What i was left with showed me a very clear message about a) what i liked to wear, b) what i kept wearing even though i was sick of it, c) what i didn't need to buy any more of (black!) and d) what i needed to buy when shopping for clothes to put the balance right.

My fear is that I'll regret it! I'd worn some those dresses for 10 years!

I still regret getting rid of the perfect work black skater/pleated dress from GAP. That was 8 years ago!

Not as big a percentage, but I am currently trying to cull my wardrobe. I have so many clothes. I have started selling them on Vinted. Not for big money as it's more about getting rid of stuff. It is a bit addictive but I'm still tempted to cling on to things thinking it may be useful 'in the future'. Slowly but surely is the way forward.

Yes and I’ve had no regrets whatsoever. I used to have to swap clothes over twice a year as I could only fit autumn/ winter or spring/ summer clothes in my wardrobe and now everything fits in - even occasion dresses - and I love it! I used to be sentimental about clothes but I read Marie Kondo’s book which really helped.

Never 90% but I have definitely regretted binning some of the older garments I have - they are so much higher quality than comparable high street items now.. And much better constructed. And I definitely have needed different wadrobes for different seasons of life, like with toddlers vs corporate career vs charity worker. I like to shop my stash!! I use vacuum bags and cull lesser worth items like pajamas, lounge wear, t-shirts etc.

Perhaps I'm unusual as I have been historically a yoyo dieter and an enjoyer of vintage so I have kept good quality pieces in different sizes.

Yes I've just done this

Moved to a new job with a full uniform so don't need much

Also getting older means a change of style is a necessity for me now

I will say that I don't keep things I know won't ever fit me or stuff i don't like or don't flatter me much! And after some of my culls or swapping over for seasons I try everything on again (eventually) and go through and write on my phone or on the vacuum bag itself what I have. I have konmarid the rest of my house with ease but I do find clothes so difficult

I'm a completely shape now compared to 2 years ago (healthy eating) so have had to replace most of my clothes. I'm also actively decluttering so I've adopted a one in, two out policy.

The tatty stuff I put in the textile recycling. I've sold a few bits on eBay but it's so much work, photoing them, listing them, dealing with buyers stupid questions and then sending them off that the money isn't worth it except for very posh things (and I don't have many of them).
Most of them I've offered to various local friends who are of the appropriate size. What they don't want they pass on to other friends or take to the charity shop.

it's been an absolute pleasure to see my nice things being enthusiastically accepted and reworn. I've also been given some lovely wine and gift cards as thank yous. My wardrobe is more manageable, my friends are happy and it's good for the planet. Win win win.

I've read Marie Kondo a few times but I can't say it's fully transformed me.

Glad to hear others haven't pinned for something they've binned

You could always pack some things away and put them in the loft. If you've not missed them after a couple of years you can then ditch them. At least they won't be taking up wardrobe space. I still have some Kate Moss Topshop summer dresses packed away that I dream I may fit into again one day!

DD now wears a lot of the clothes I put up in my loft that are 15 years old and more. I was a lot slimmer then and just forgot about them up there.

I also often rediscover clothes that are 10 years old or less

But I really do need to have a proper clear out again

I hate throwing clothes away though

Just in case

There's a lot of sentimental memories with some items of clothes so I can't bear to part with them

I guess that makes me some kind of hoarder

I’m doing this at the moment. I’ve lost a fair bit of weight over the past 18 months so a lot is too big, and I want a more streamlined wardrobe. I’ve got ridiculous amounts of clothes and would like to do as PP said and have fewer but nicer things. I’ve divided mine into charity bags and Vinted.

I sold a few bits on eBay but it was a pain and they take a big whack off of what you make. With Vinted I’ve chosen the drop off methods that are near me and I’ve bought postage bags cheaply from Amazon. I’ve already made over £100 and I’ve barely started. The hard bit is going to be waiting for the right season to sell. I want it gone now 😀

You say you've got lots of e.g. knee length dresses that don't fit your current lifestyle... could you keep 2 or 3 of your favourites and pass the rest on to live a new life? Would that approach work for you?

Me! Last night!

I haven't put on much weight but my body shape has completely changed recently and a lot of clingy slinky dresses (and midi floral dresses) just looked odd. Many of my t shirts were tired, faded, small cat claw holes, shrunk.

I've been hoarding Next chinos that fit but now seem to draw attention to my flat ass.

I woke up worried I had nothing to wear but pleasantly surprised at my very neutral and comfortable outfit!

I tried selling on Vinted but things wouldn't even go for £1 😂

Problem is we only have a Primark in town (we used to have topshop, dotty P, new look, oasis, river island etc) so now I need to travel 1hour to replenish my wardrobe. I don't trust online shopping especially since new Next 8 is more like an old size 10 and so on and so on.

It depends. If you live in a house with storage space then why not just pack them into laundry bags and stow them away somewhere?

I tried this. In the end I had no idea what I had because I couldn't remember. It was very overwhelming knowing I had huge bags of clothes to sort out in the attic.

My house is very small though!

eBay but it's so much work ... dealing with buyers stupid questions
The ones who ask for 'pit to pit' measurements on a high street top! They never bid. I usually reply, but am tempted to say 'If you have to ask, it won't suit you'

Or those who want exact measurements on a standard named style of jeans (e.g. topshop moto jamie) that's listed for £3!

Or who haven't seen that the measurements are in the listing.

Only some things sell quickly, and a lot of really nice stuff doesn't even get a view.

Someone on eBay purchased a size 8 dress from me (I uploaded measurements and a link to the item as Next were still selling it!). I sent it. She received it but it was too small for her so she tried to return it and asked me to pay P&P.

I had to explain that I wasn't an online "try on" service and she left me poor (and was very nasty!) feedback! Thankfully eBay were on my side but it put me off eBay forever.

Vinted on the other hand. Loads of accepted offers but nobody pays. 😂 brilliant!

I lost a lot of weight some years ago - about 5-6 dress sizes and had to buy new clothes. I got rid of most of the largest stuff first and then the next size down etc - keeping some key pieces.
Then I put weight back on 8 years later - 3 sizes up (I was extremely underweight). I do actually regret some of the pieces I got rid of, although I might wear them differently now. My body shape has changed since I was last this size so even timeless pieces don't fit that well.
To me the cost implications of getting rid (especially with weight loss) need to be considered. Second hand items don't often fetch much when selling but always seem expensive when buying!!

If that is the case then they have certainly worked off their cost to you. Time for them to go.

Don’t get rid of things in good condition that still fit you - I did a big clear out when my children were small and am now buying again similar things to those I discarded 🤦🏻‍♀️ .. also I find the items I buy these days do not have the longevity of older clothes / the quality just isn’t as good . Maybe get some of those compression packs