How to cull my wardrobe without regretting it?

[MoreDresses]

I need to cull some clothes. I have two double wardrobes, eight drawers and a chest of shoes and I wear approximately 6 outfits. I need a cull. But how?! Any advice, that isn't "does it bring me joy" would be appreciated. I don't want to regret my decisions but also I don't want to hang on to clothes I literally never wear or wear once in a blue moon!

This is what I'm trying to do. Make what I have an upgrade and if buying pieces buying them to match existing. Eg I'm seeing a lot about matching colours and it really does work. You can make existing items look fresh.
I have sold masses on vinted which go towards my new but LESS purchases.

I did mine today. Quick, ruthless. I got everything out, the wardrobe, loft, washing pile, drawers. Organised it into categories. Then did each category one at a time. I’ll add my before and after, I have got it down to a rail, a box of shorts, a box of party dresses, and in my chest of drawers I have one drawer of T-shirts/ vests. Plus a box of swimwear and a few drawers of running/sportswear. Originally I said max 3 of each but actually I have kept more, but still been ruthless. No duplicate items unless I really really need them. I have a huge pile to put on vinted, a big bag for a swishing thing, and 2 bin bags for the bin. So liberating!

You don't have to do it all at once either.

I've just done a massive one but it was in stages. About 4 months ago I got rid of the definitely wrong size/shape/colour/"WTF was I thinking" clothes. Anything I was unsure of went into a "maybe" bag. TBF it was a big bag.

a couple of weeks ago I went back through the "maybe" bag and everything went into the "for charity shop" bag. I was then on a roll and threw in some other stuff that wasn't in the maybe bag.

In the process I found at least 2 tops that I forgot I had and would have been perfect for a family birthday last month when I stomped around muttering that I had nothing to wear..... That will teach me.

Very happy with what is in there now. I can move everything along the racks easily, my drawers are not jam packed full.

I didn't keep the "not worn in a year" rule - because there are a couple of outfits that are only suitable for events I rarely go to - the odd posh frock, a sensible, comfortable, but not dismal, dress I last wore to a funeral three years ago and a long floaty summer one for the rare occasion I swan around a garden in the summer heat. They are pretty much the only dresses I have but perfect for those rare occasions.
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I would sort by type and aim to keep 3x of each item. Jeans, jumpers etc Having to choose 3 favourites is easier to eliminate the ones you dont love as much.
My personal criteria for keeping would be multi use, ie able to dress up or down and if a top, able to wear with skirt or jeans.

I have cleared my wardrobe a lot recently due to 6st weight loss and now I'm at goal weight, I'm tempted buy loads of clothes, having to clear out so many has made me want a paired down capsule wardrobe.

Bloody hell that is impressive!!

It sounds like the issue is that you have stuff you like but can't wear because of your son.

Might sound a bit psycho babble but do you need to take a bit of time to reflect on the life you don't have that the clothes symbolise?

Maybe then keep your very favourites and wear them when you can.

I feel the same way about some clothes, I have beautiful going out clothes tucked away but the truth is that with two young children, my going out days are over!

I put my culled items in a box in the garage for a month or so.. Retrieved two things out of a dozen. Th rest is heading to the charity shop tomorrow.

My tip is to think “if I was going to x today, which would I choose, which would I never choose”, and actually thinking about why I wouldn’t. It made it very easy actually to get rid. I have quite a few vintage things which i collect like a magpie and then never actually wear, and they are harder because they are “one off” , but everything else is replaceable anyway really if I desperately miss it.

Turn your hangers the wrong way. Assess after a period of time how many are facing the wrong way still, e.g. you haven't worn. Cull them

Don’t do it. I’ve spent the last 2 days searching for a jumpsuit I KNOW I own which will be perfect for an upcoming event. I can’t find it, I fear I’ve “donated” it at some point and I’m pissed off! I haven’t worn it for about 4 years but I want it now!!!

Put everything you want to get rid of in a box and throw it under the bed or something. Wait 2-3 months and then throw the box away.

You have time to get back anything you changed your mind on, and know when getting rid that it's stuff you won't miss - because you already didn't miss it.

That’s so annoying! Hope you find it on eBay or Vinted for a tenner!

My only criterion which I recommend is quality. I have clothes, bags and accessories that were hand me downs or are over 40 years old that I still regularly wear a lot, such as early 2000s bags or trench coats from 1970s. They are excellent quality and they are either classic cut or return cyclically.

I am ruthless when it comes to fast fashion and sold a lot of things that were made of cheap materials or the quality I wasn’t happy with on vinted.

I ask AI if the colour of a particular item.suits me. If not I donate

This.

The tip I saw was if it got shit on it would you clean it or dump it.

I am going to do this at the end of the Summer. I will try everything on and only keep things that fit nicely and which I actually really like.
I think I am going to be horrified at the number of things I have bought which I never really wear.

I cull regularly. Anything I haven’t worn in the last year goes to Oxfam. When I buy a new item, I operate a one-in-one-out. If I get a new jumper, one jumper has to go.

I keep one funeral dress and one posh frock even though I don’t always wear them once a year.

I adore nice clothes, that’s my downfall.

So do I, but for things I don’t wear, I prefer to look at them in Harrods/ John Lewis/ whatever than squished up in a wardrobe at home.

I’m m slightly puzzled by those who get rid of duplicates. If I own more than one of a type it’s usually because I really like it and wear it a lot, so to me it makes sense to have a backup - for instance if one is in the wash or no longer looks pristine.

Also, I could never make do with just three tops, jeans, summer dresses etc as I keep those that are no longer top notch for wearing around the house.

I think one in one out would mean I stopped shopping but also looked shabby! I am far too attached to my jumpers and old t-shirts (most 10-20 years old!) Trousers wear through but if you have lots of tops and rotate they do last!

@Pansykavalier I think for me when I say duplicates I mean not just duplicate item (eg black t shirt) but also duplicate purpose. Eg. Multiple hoodies, multiple almost identical shaped jeans, and, in my case, green dresses. I had about 6 different green slightly different dresses. When am I going to find opportunity to wear 6 different green dresses?

To update, after my big cull last weekend I have made £120 on vinted this week! Wowzers!
I also took some to a swishing event today I was volunteering at and managed to get 3 nice pieces that filled actual gaps in my new smaller wardrobe- a little cream cardigan, a kind of loose fitting beach shirt dress and a dress for work. It made a difference knowing exactly what I have and what I need, there were a lot of bits I liked but action is what I needed really helped

I have a box in the loft. I cull to there, and because it’s just going in the loft I can be ruthless without emotion. If I don’t look in the box for a year, it goes straight to the charity shop or the bin without me looking in it again because at that point I can’t remember what’s in it so it can go. Every once in a while i regret putting something in the loft so get it out and start wearing it again. I’m yet to regret anything I’ve actually got rid of after a year in the loft.