How long do you keep things for

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As autumn/winter is now definitely here I need to switch my clothes around. Annoyingly I don't have enough room in my wardrobe to keep them all out, otherwise I would.

I'm going through my summer stuff and somethings I just haven't worn this year.

Would that be your sign to ditch them?

If i havent worn something for a year it goes to the charity shop.

I sometimes find things I've not worn for years. I force myself to wear them and that can help me to remember why I've not worn them - then I can get rid of them. And sometimes I realize I do like them and had just forgotten they were there.

A year I'm currently wearing things that had been put away for decades (Gap Long n' Lean jeans and a long denim skirt from La Redoute).

I don't keep clothes that no longer fit or that are worn out but, if I'm just bored with something then I know that's most likely a temporary feeling so I put it in a large cupboard in my son's old bedroom. (Don't worry, he's moved out.)

We all know that quality on the high street is on a downward spiral so I reckon I'll never be able to afford to replace like for like any clothes I get rid of.

I do acknowledge that you need space to do this.

Years. If they're clothes I like and are good quality. My weight fluctuates, and I'm loathe to chuck out stuff that I may need to replace. I'm not made of money.

I got rid of a lot post-covid, that I've since lost weight enough to wear (through illness, fyi). Now I'm fucking fuming I don't have them anymore.

I find space for clothes. But I am ruthless with clothes I haven't worn in a year, it's obvious I don't like it or it's worn out, or I didn't have that skirt to make an outfit with any more, that type of thing.

Expensive things I keep for years, until they’re complete rags and can’t even be worn at home. Cheaper stuff usually wears out before I tire of it.

For things I value, a year of neglect wouldn’t be long enough to decide they’re not worth keeping. There are all sorts of reasons why I haven’t worn a bright green cashmere camisole for a couple of years: weight fluctuation, style coherence, (if, maybe, I don’t currently have things it looks good with, though I did before), suitability for day to day life, heat wave, whatever. I’m keeping it because it’s very lovely and I have faith that at some stage in the future it will suddenly feel exactly right again.

I appreciate the storage issue - but I try very hard not to have more clothes than I can manage, so it isn’t a factor in my wardrobe management.

Years. I spent a happy 45 minutes de-bobbling some very old jumpers this weekend that now look like new, and I find that digging out old clothes is a real eye opener as to the declining quality of clothing in the shops these days.

Like a PP, I’d I haven’t worn something in ages I make myself wear them… if I don’t have anything that they go with, or I don’t like the item, or I feel uncomfortable in it, then it goes in the charity bag.

But most of my stuff is a good few years old.

If it still fits me and is good quality, I keep it. I know I will come back to it at some point. I am currently wearing a Laura Ashley skirt from the 1990s.

Unless it’s something very ‘occasion specific’ like an evening dress or hiking trousers, if not worn in a year it’s probably safe to get rid of.
what I also found helpful during my last clear out, was try on everything with a very critical eye and if it’s ill fitting, or in any way not a ‘100% yes’ also get rid of.

then try to do the same with future purchases, so you theoretically end up with only clothes that fit perfectly and you love

(I’m trying to apply this process to myself and yes it is much easier said than done, but I try).

I rarely chuck anything out, if I don't like something any more the cats get a new stuffed bed or pillow.

However, it was only 5 years ago that a jerkin that my mum had from the 60s was thrown away, and I ate a Rennie that had sat in my overnight bag, since long before covid times, on Saturday morning.

Quality is so bad now

If it’s good quality and you have the space, I would definitely keep stuff. You might not wear it one year for all kinds of reasons.

I keep all my summer only clothes like shorts and strappy tops , sandals etc in a suitcase that lives under a bed
Around May .. it will be emptied out and all jumpers and thicker sweatshirts will go in the case for a few months till needed again
I buy less and less recently and just take pleasure in what I already have
That 5 minute dopamine hit is less and less affective the older I get .

A year without wear is a good indication. Plus multiples of things - I really do not need a dozen black sleeveless tops as I only wear about four on rotation - the rest are hanging neatly in my wardrobe but I just wear the same ones over and over! Also things that don’t fit - are you really going to lose that stone? Or are too big. Sentimental clothes - yes you had a great night wearing that dress way back when but is worth hanging on to if it’s no longer fashionable?
Best thing is to take it all out, get a friend or a full length mirror and try it all on. You may find some buried treasures! Or you may wonder what you were thinking!

If the items good quality I keep it.
My daughter's are currently wearing my 20 year old Cashmere jumpers that have been packed away for years. They also wear my old suede/leather jackets, knee high boots & silk camisoles. My silk nighties have been taken in and serve as slip dresses.

It’s great that you donate it to charity but this seems excessive and potentially a bit wasteful?

@mondaytosunday ”I really do not need a dozen black sleeveless tops as I only wear about four on rotation”

but when the four are worn out, you will have replacements, and the next four. If they are quality cotton, they are increasingly hard to find.

As for losing the stone, people do! My sister is in clothes that she was wearing a few years ago, she had a little weight blip around menopause and now that’s over, so she is back in them. Again, they were nice items that she was very fond of and they still look good so why not?

No, I wouldn't ditch.
I would pack it all and sometimes in April/May, when I'll put away winter clothes and take out summer, I'd ditch what I don't want. Charity shops can't sell clothes out of season very well.
Now is time to sort out autumn and winter clothes and donate what you don't want.

no fixed time for things to be ditched but I operate a one in one out policy so anything I buy I need to be clear what it will replace.

And be absolutely sure that the new one really is better. Apart from special occasion clothes (sport, parties) I have about enough for three to four weeks without washing anything.

Do not need to pack away different things for ainter and summer stuff. Often wear light thermals under usual clothes for winter.

Why? I often buy 2nd hand and my lifestyle has changed meaning I no longer need certain types of clothing.
I cull my wardrobe regularly anyway. I'm not stock size so occasionally panic buy...so I usually sell those items on to a FB selling group.

Years. My size didn’t change much, I started putting on weight in my early forties but got it under control before it became unmanageable so I wear my lots of my old clothes. I am very mindful of space so I only buy things that I know will easily last years.

I rarely donate clothes, I always try to sell first. From my experience good quality clothes sell very well and because the price is not rock bottom, I hope that are more likely to be worn.

Most of the donations end up in landfills in the Global South where waste management is poor and the clothes end up in our water supply as microplastics anyway. It’s honestly not worth ruining my DC future just because something is on sale or in the right colour.

I admit I felt increasingly guilty churning clothes, like a bad parent who doesn’t care about the state of the planet I am leaving for my children, so I just stopped doing that.

Most of the donations end up in landfills in the Global South

Yup.

Having seen the vast amounts of waste clothing just dumped on another continent, I often feel sick when I read all the gleeful posts here about ‘charity shops’ …