NBR: What is your rule for old clothes?

titantsmama

I am going to clean out my closet today...or attempt it, but am having a hard time deciding what to get rid of. Usually I would go with anything that hasn't been worn in a year or so; however, I've been pregnant twice and haven't worked in two and a half years. So my work clothes haven't been worn and there are things I never wore after Ty was born that hoped to...

What is your rule of thumb? Did it/has it changed after having babies?

What is your rule for shoes?

jbrooke81

I just went through my clothes when we moved. I only kept the really nice stuff. If things were somewhat old, had any defect, or I didn't like the way it fit I got rid of it. I was really hard on myself. I tend to "save" things for the time when I "might" need it. If I had no plans of wearing it this year or next Spring /Summer I got rid of it. If it was too small due to baby weight, I let myself keep it if I would wear it now or next Spring/Summer.

I tend to keep shoes. However, I used the same method that I mentioned above.

hersheykiss

If I haven't worn it in a year, I toss it.

If I am pregnant and it is a pre-pregnancy outfit, I toss it. (I can't wear anything I wore before, as I am 1 size bigger)

If it is stained, defected, missing anything, didn't like how it fit, I toss it.

If it is fancy and I have no specific event to wear it, I toss it.

jsugrin

I too used to follow the same rule and now I'm also in the same basic situation, plus I'm too fat to fit into most of my clothes too.  I just took everything I still like and bought some tubs that fit under the bed and filled them up.  What I'd really like to do is have a Nestie clothing swap, I have tons of beautiful suits and work cloths that could go to a great home.  Part of my problem is eventhough I will probably never need them again I cant' bring myself to take Ann Taylor stuff to the goodwill.

leverby

I definitely purge the clothes that aren't their old self anymore (fuzzy, discolored, stretched).  Clothes that are still good, just not on me or are otherwise fashionably undesireable,  I give/donate. Clothes that are still good, look good, and are nice pieces but that I haven't worn lately or at all I store in a box  (I do try to get rid of  a few older clothes before I put more in...try) 

 Regarding not wanting to give away nicer work clothes to just Goodwill, there's a place called Career Closet( i think there are several throughout the bay area) another non-profit that helps underpriveledged women enter/re-enter the working world and part of what they provide is the clothing.

 

SweetieP

I also tend to save things "just in case" - which is why I had about 15 pairs of black slacks from size 8 to 14.   I finally needed the hangers so out they went.  I kept 3 pairs of black pants and a pair of gray ones.   Some day I might wear them.    I guess I'm not much help...I'm a pack rat when it comes to my clothes.

danandkelly

I used to always keep way too much, I had a HUGE walk in closet in our last house and it was almost full.  I had like 5 different sizes worth of wardrobes.  but when we moved I only have a wardrobe closet that I must share with Dan...boo!

So my new rule is, keep only things that I LOVE, toss anything worn out, that's lost its shape, faded etc.  I kept some things in different sizes, but only staple items like black slacks etc, that I wouldn't want to buy again when I get back to that size.  I tossed anything that was "trendy" but not current.    I took literally 15-20 black trash bags to the Mission.

As for shoes, I keep what I wear regularly, if I only wore them once I donate them...cause likely I won't wear them again.  I keep things that I know I'll wear again like a couple pairs of heels, strappy black sandals etc...but anything that was too difficult to wear with a lot of different things I got rid of.

dblhappiness

What is your rule of thumb? Did it/has it changed after having babies? I still do the if I haven't worn it in a year or more it goes into a pile. If it's something that I just wear because I feel better being all schlumpadinka, it goes into another pile to later determine to keep or trash. I kept most of my standby 'work' clothes and so glad I did because I do need them for those days that I do work.

What is your rule for shoes? Since having the boys my feet have totally changed. They got wider and I'm now a full size bigger. So, I spent one afternoon trying on all of my shoes and anything that I couldn't squeeze my feet into (imagine the stepsister from Cinderella trying on the glass slipper---that was me) went into a box and my sister got first pick before I donated or just threw them out.