My walk-in closet is overflowing with clothes. It's been a few years since I've gone through everything and been really determined to get rid of anything that isn't my size or style anymore. I hope to go through it today and tomorrow before I lose the desire to declutter. The bottoms are my biggest problem area. I've got loads of them because I've got a range of colors and sizes. I've kept the small ones for the day when I lose more weight. I've got fat ones for if I go up again and I've got ones in between. The silly thing is that I know I won't wear all of them and I should just get rid of most of them. I've got some in there that I haven't worn in 10+ years. Yep, I admitted it! I found a pair of overall capris that I know I wore before Megan was born and she's 13! Plus, if I ever do lose more weight, I'll want to buy new stylish clothes, so why am I keeping them! I just need to let them go and enjoy the feeling of freedom a nice, clean, organize closet will give me. So there you have it. I confess that I'm a hoarder. I've hoarded these clothes long enough. It's time to break free. Do you hoard too or can you let things go and be free? Do you have any tips for decluttering or organizing clothing?
My thoughts exactly! If I manage to lose 30 pounds, I'll treat myself to some new clothes for sure! I too need to declutter my closet, but I prefer digiscrapping instead...
I did a major clean out of my closet before I retired. Now that I've been retired for 2 years, and know more of what I wear on a daily basis, I should do another clean out. Some of the stuff I wore when I worked I haven't touched in 2 years. I could keep a couple of the tops and 1 or 2 pair of the pants in case I need that type of outfit. I mostly live in jeans, sweats, shorts, t-shirts and sweatshirts. I have a couple dresses if needed. I found pants I had bought when I was in the losing weight process many years ago that still had the tag on them. I loved that style and it was getting harder to get them since Wal-Mart was changing their clothing line. No need for them anymore since they were pants I wore to work. I donated them with the tag on.
I hoard too. I get it from my mom. My tip is to never take any clothes from anyone that you weren't going to buy yourself. Only take them if you would buy them and love them. Good luck!
My general motto is if I haven't worn it for a year, get rid of it. That being said, since we live where it's almost always hot, I have to keep a few "up north clothes" for when we have to go up there and it's cold. I keep my closet pretty pared down now. I get teased a lot because most of my wardrobe is black, khaki and grey. Those colors go with anything and I hate to spend time trying to figure out what to wear. The biggest part of my wardrobe is all the flip flops I own. Of course, you guessed it - they're mostly "earth tone" colors.
I have a problem with clothes hoarding too coupled up with a very small single wardrobe with absolutely useless hanging space (for a double bedroom might I add). If I hang anything I then can’t close the door properly because of how the railing is attached to the shelf rather than below it so I can use all the space in the back of my wardrobe.
The first step is admitting it. ROFL Good luck on cleaning out your closet. The only thing I hoard is digiscrap supplies. I thank my mom for the gift of OCD! lol
I have no trouble getting rid of things hahaha. That being said, I don't clean out my closet often enough. I do need to get rid of some really old clothes.
When I buy something new, something old has to go. And if it hasn't been worn in a year yet isn't a "special event" garment, it goes too. Giving to Goodwill is an option I can l live with. OR you could try the consignment Resale shops!
I don't have a problem letting go of clothing. Since I had my back surgery, the generator for the stimulator is on my right hip. Clothes I used to wear often bother me because of where they fall on the hip, so I've gotten rid of a lot of clothes because of that. I've found that my wardrobe is mostly whatever feels like pajamas. LOL My biggest tip for after you do your first clean out of the clothes is to turn the hanging clothes backward on the rod. As you wear clothes and wash them, when you return them to the closet, hang them from the front. After a month or two, you'll see what clothes you consistently wear and others that you avoid. You can then do a second wave of purging.
I was just going to say this! We do this at least once a year & it's crazy the clothes that we still 'like' but for whatever reason, never wear!
I get rid of most clothes when I haven't worn them in a year. I started out with them facing one way, and then turned them the other after wearing once. This worked, but I haven't done it in a couple years. I've also pared down clothes if I buy something. One in, means one out! Though, I haven't de-cluttered my kids closets or drawers and years... and oddly, I did this today! Funny that you posted it. 4 bags of clothes donated. That took a long time, and was a group effort, lol!
If you are really struggling with the letting go, pull it off and stick it in a box - you have an empty kids room now right? Then, since you'll love the clean closet it'll be easier to donate it. This. Totally this! I do it at least yearly. I dread this day! Currently munchkin grows so fast that we are decluttering practically every season! I also have the @Cherylndesigns problem! We have winter coats still for visiting family, and a few heavier clothes for that. Those are the ones that I don't have to wear every year, but it's only 2 outfits, so I'm okay with that.
I'm at that I need to sort stuff out phase. I've got a slowly growing pile of "for upcycling" clothing in my craft area, and another for taking to a charity shop for resale. My husband wouldn't let me get rid of my pre-pregnancy gear as he's convinced I'll get back into it one day if I work hard at it. My bone structure has changed shape, it's not just about weight gain. Fortunately TJ likes a lot of it and is now a similar shape and size to what I was back then, so it's moved into her wardrobe instead of her going out and buying new.
Add me to the clothes hoarding, especially the range of pants sizes, i've been hanging on to them since before i had kids as well since i can yo-yo and i really hate shopping for clothes for myself - i can buy and declutter the kids stuff so much more easily - also add to my confession that i still have my wedding dress and school formal dresses (we don't have prom but i guess it's equivalent - there's maybe 4 or 5 of them all in a big plastic drycleaners bag - i guess it's a sentimental thing that i've kept them as i don't have photos from then (our house got robbed after one of the formals and they took the camera that still had the film in it) although i'd forgotten about them until DD needed a dress for a drama piece at the last minute last term and i went scouring the depths of the wardrobe for acceptable dresses now she's getting bigger). I did get rid of a bunch of pants a few months back, i was feeling ruthless and just ran with it, and got rid of some of the bigger ones because i don't want to accept that i could go back to that (i'm trying to turn my version of realism into more positive-ism, if that makes sense). So i can't help but i can sympathise!
I can so relate to this! Things get pushed the the back of the closet and get lost back there and I don't even have a big closet! I just cleaned mine out this spring and it felt SOOOO good! @keepscrappin you even commented on my layout that you needed my help to clean your closet!
I used to keep things because I had the space, so I didn’t care. But after a few moves, I began to purge BIG TIME because I realized that the less you move, the easier it is. I am now a “purge as you go” person. And still, before this last move to PA, we filled my mom’s mini van to the brim FOUR times with stuff to get rid of. Plus I took a full load in our car to my sister, gave stuff to several friends, and not to mention the stuff I just threw away. Since we have gotten here, I have already created a new donate pile. I really do not like having things we aren’t using. Even if we have the space for it, I would rather it just leave.
So funny to read this because I just did my second go at a Marie Kondo type clothes tidy. I try and do one each season. I just tossed 10 Tshirts that on the outside looked perfectly fine- but I new I just didn't love the way the hung on me. (plus 2 bags of other clothes items!) They were my B list clothes LOL! I struggle with thinking it's wasteful- but I feel better when I think- you know what's really wasteful-not wearing clothes you have and love every day. Settling for looking and feeling less than your best because you are obliged to wear something until it falls apart. This does not feel good. Life is not a dress rehearsal- so why dress like it? Every single time I do this- I feel awesome! my drawers are less stuffed and full of things I adore and look my best in- and it never fails- people always say- hey! You look nice today! It doesnt matter bI wear the faves more often- just that I look and feel my best more often! You're not purging- you're prioritizing. And the clothes you donate may have a send life of making someone feel their best!
I live in an old house with minimal closets and storage so my clothing is everywhere. It's hard to find anything when I want it but there is no room for furniture in the bedroom -- the bed + a nightstand takes up 85% of the floorspace. I can't wait to move next year!
I'm the opposite. I declutter my kids clothes a couple times a year, but mine have just stacked up. It's hard to get the motivation to purge them until there's no room for more.