I just started reading a book titled: It's All Too Much (an easy plan for living a richer life with less stuff) by: Peter Walsh.

Anyway, it got me thinking about my closet and how many clothes I have not worn in over 10 years and how they are just taking up space but are there in the hopes that maybe I'll be able to fit in them again one of these days. Then that got me thinking, even if I could wear them again, they are most likely out of style, and for that reason, why hold on to them?

Starting earlier today, I started going through my clothes. Ugh, it's kind of emotional but I'm so very glad to have started cleaning out and eventually moving on.

So, I was wondering how many of us here are holding onto old clothes that take up much needed closet space in the hopes of fitting again, etc?

Funny you should mention this , DH was going through all his clothes today and is weeding out his collection and it got me thinking that I need a declutter 08 session, 07 was very successful , I need less stuff I dont use laying around.

As for fitting again , pahhhh, if I achieve smaller size its time to celebrate with new wardrobe! Thats my excuse and I am sticking to it.

Hi Nubelia,

My sentiments exactly. A new wardrobe at any size is always good. :) Out with the old! (so they say)

And ironically, I have no problem cleaning out my husband's outdated clothes. lol
So, good on your husband for doing his own de-cluttering.

Dawn

I keep stuff for reasons I can't fathom. Yesterday I threw out some more clothes that I've had for years and years that I didn't really like in the first place.

I think one reason I keep this stuff is because my closet is so bare without the stuff I don't wear. I need to do some serious clothes shopping.

I try not to hang on to old clothes but to give them away to the needy.

After I had my son, I held onto my pre-pregnancy clothes hoping I'd fit back into them. Seeing those clothes hanging there after a year got me depressed. Then I realized I didn't really want to be the same size again. I like having hips, boobs and butt. I gave the clothes to Goodwill and haven't thought much about them since. Letting them go felt cathartic.

-Noelle

I don't have a problem giving away or throwing away cheap clothes, but the more expensive clothes I hang onto, since everything comes back in style eventually. I have a heavy silk, double breasted, lined black blazer with large shoulder pads that I paid $300 for on sale about twenty years ago. I've been meaning to have the shoulders redone, but it's pretty expensive. Now I keep reading that shoulder pads may come back, so I'll hold off. I did take a bunch of stuff to Goodwill lately, but still have plenty.

I purge my closet at least once a year, usually more often, sometimes seasonally. For some reason, though, I still have way too much in there. I think my closet has a revolving door.

I purge, but rather gently. Some of these garments have memories attached to them. Others, I'm not so sure of.

However, there are some clothes I wear just because I feel like I ought to. I've committed to them, spent money on them, got decent hangers for them, introduced them to the other clothes in the closet, found decent clothes that they play well with, and well...turn them out??? How could I???

There is no better gift you can give yourself than to clean out your closet! Yes, I mean really clean it out! If it's over two years old and you haven't worn it, let it go! Yes, of course, if it's a Chanel suit, jacket, whatever, save it, but seriously, let the rest go! WHAT KIND OF AN INCENTIVE IS IT TO LOSE WEIGHT, IF ALL YOU GET TO DO IS WEAR OUT-OF-DATE CLOTHES? If they were really expensive, take them to a consignment shop, otherwise, donate them. I've sold lots of business cloths at consignment shops and a fur coat. If you don't have the heart to let anything go, try moving it all to another closet, perhaps in spare bedroom, then in a year, if you haven't gone to that closet to pull it out to wear them, you know, truly, it's time to let the items go.

For some reason, I've gotten to the point where I can't bear to part with anything any more, unless it is ruined or I never really liked it. If I saved up for something and paid a lot for it, I'm keeping it until I can find an occasion to wear it. I'm in a temporary stage of life right now, where I don't get out much for fun or grown-up events, but I know that in a year or two, some of the responsibilities I have now will change and I plan to be doing more and WEARING those dog-gone clothes! In the past, I've given away tons of clothing that didn't fit, but now I'm just biding my time until I can do more of what I want to do instead of always what I have to do.

That's me, too -- why am I keeping that? I keep thinking I can wear whatever it is on a special occasion, but how many special occasions are there like that in my life, that I'd need more than one outfit to attend them? It's not like I'm on the social circuit and can't been seen in the same thing twice a year. My flaw is that I buy clothing for a lifestyle that's not mine.

I'm afraid of the same thing, too -- if I culled it down to what I wear regularly, there would be very little in there. But what's wrong with that? -- it might help me to focus on the few holes in my wardrobe, and then I could go out and fill those in, and be done with it. You're right -- after a serious culling like that, it would be time to go shopping. Ready, set, go -- I'll meet you there!

There is a statistic that says the average American only wears 20% of their wardrobe. I think this is pretty accurate. One huge benefit of cleaning out your closet is that you will probably find things you didn't know you had, wearable things. I know many here don't care for BBC America's What Not to Wear team, Susanne and Trinny, but they have produced some very helpful books. I have really benefited from their one that helps you determine what your body type is and how to really clean out a closet and get organized. I'm more the Susanne type in many ways, needing petite jewelry, v-necks, etcs. Even when I was too-thin and flat chested, I still would have been the Susanne type, because I don't have a long neck or long fingers. I can't carry-off chuncky jewelry, or a chuncky turtleneck. All these insights really do make it easier to clean out the closet. There is great advise on their website as well where the basic rules are spelled out. For example, if it has elastic in the waist, let it go, it only makes you look heavier, etc. One thing to keep in mind, THEY WON'T COME BACK IN STYLE! No, they won't, the designers are very careful with this. Some elements may be repeated, but in a different enough way to distinquish between old and new. You won't look up to the minute ever again wearing things from the 1980s. If it is "couture" then of course, that's different, if it cost $50,000 for hand made blouse, then I'd never let it leave my closet.

Oh, I am horrible in this regard. I do a purge every single summer, and sell what I don't want at our yearly yard sale. One would think with all the purging I've done, I would have less clothing. Ha. My wardrobe has taken over the whole upstairs. It's ludicrous.

Part of the problem is that I've been through so many sizes in the last 4 years. My weight is still stabilizing, and I've put on more weight in the last year than I would like. I still have clothes from my lowest weight 2 years ago that I didn't really get to fully experience the joy of wearing, you know? (Case in point: the size 10 jeans that I was able to wear for about a day and a half.) I'm keeping them around until I know for certain that I will never experience that joy again....but I'm such an optimist that I'll always feel that one day, the joy will be within my grasp. *sigh*

Oh, BTW, Trinny and Susanne have a paperback titled What Not to Wear for Every Occasion. This is a great resource for those of us who dropped out of the workforce a few years to take care of children. We do lose touch, but this book addresses more than that. This book shows you what to wear for various school events, weddings, evenings out, ski vacations, tropical vacations. I always panic when it's time to pack for a trip, this book makes it much easier. I just purchased my first new ski outfit in 10 years with ease. I knew just what I needed. No one piece outfits, no bright colors, etc. Ski outfits are expensive and if you get it wrong, it's a big mistake. You are also stuck wearing it for a week or two straight! I got it right! Both son and husband said I looked fab! It's a $10 paperback...

I gained weight with pregnancy 11 years ago. I got it all off within a year, but once my son was mobile, I had different priorities and the weight creeped back. So, I decided to live with being a size 12. Then, four years ago, my Dad moved in with us, and I put on 10 more pounds overnight. I tried the South Beach Diet and it did work, until I tried to transition into Phase II when you add back bread and fruit. Well, of course, it's unhealthy to live without bread or fruit for a long period of time. No one needs white bread, but we do need the fiber we get from beans and whole wheats and brown rice. Anyway, I've been on and off the South Beach diet so many time, I could scream. The trouble is that it put you on a schedule of manditory eating. After reading the Skinny Bitches book, I realized that all diets do the same thing, they put you on a schedule! So, you eat what you are suppose to, but almost every day there is an except. Well, you know, life is full of exceptions. I think this is why the classic phrase "diets don't work" is true. A doctor mentioned to me that he had realized a year ago that he was "addicted to food", his only addiction. So, he picked a set amount of calories per day, and stuck to it. If he was going to have a heavy steak dinner, he didn't eat much earlier in the day and he exercised a bit more at the gym to make up for it. He lost 30 pounds in one year, by himself, no personal trainer, no books. I honestly believe this is the best way for long term success, because we are in complete control, not someone else. I have a pair of suede pants, size 10, that I purchased last year after a week of the flu. I will get back into them! Yes, they are not leaving my closet until I do.

I have two kinds of clothes in my closet: the ones that actually suit me that I wear constantly and those that represent who I "want to be". I won't get rid of the latter because I keep thinking that I'll transition into that person with time. It's kind of happening to some extent and there aren't very many in the latter category so it's ok, I guess. It's wardrobe affirmations, you see.

No - I have made a point over the past few years of giving away almost every piece of clothing I don't wear on a regular basis. My gut tells me it's not really a good thing (for me) to hang on to clothing that represents only memories or desires. It's amazing how many items I've given away and don't actually miss! It's simpler too - only a few basics hanging in the closets - no agonizing over "what to wear".

I mentioned a while back that during my manic spurt of energy (gone too soon, alas), I color-coded my closet. I hung all clothing by color. I've stuck with that, and it has been extremely helpful, both in finding things and in pondering whether I really need another blue shirt.

I still have too much of everything, but at least it's almost all in sizes that fit me, and I do wear a bunch of it. Definitely more than 20 percent. Still, this spring I expect I'll do another purge. I do far too much impulse buying of clothing.

What a brilliant idea! Do you separate tops and bottoms or are all black tops and bottoms together? I read last week in a home magazine to color sort books on shelves to make things look neater. So, I did and it looks fabulous! To the closet!

I do separate tops and bottoms.

I have three hanging racks in my closet. (DH installed them, along with a bunch of shelves. It's amazing how much more you can jam into a relatively small closet when you have good organizers.) Two racks are stacked on top of each other and can only hold tops. One is alone and high enough to hold dresses, pants, bathrobes, etc.

So I've got pants and dresses on one rack, jackets/shirts/sweaters on another rack, and knit tops/shells/turtlenecks on the third rack. All arranged by color. As I wear items, I move them to the far right of their color block so I'll know they need laundering sooner.

It took a little while to set up, but it has been very easy to maintain.

Color-coded the sock drawer, too. (Yes, I was insane that weekend.) Also helpful and relatively easy to maintain.

It really did help show me what I had, and makes getting dressed in the morning a breeze, even for a decision-phobe like me.

I clean out every season - but keep designer pieces as well as collectibles: All Star sneakers, Dr. Martin shoes, Swatches, etc.

I organize by color too - including jewelry, socks, underwear, and technical books.

My closet's arranged like yours, Twitchly -- a double hanging rack, skirs on bottom, shirts/jackets on top, with a long hanging rack for pants and dresses (though I own only 1 or 2 winter dresses). My closet also has drawers for sweaters, socks, underwear, etc. I try to organize by color, roughly, but still have trouble figuring out which color should go next to the other!

Of course, none of this means that I've done the necessary editing -- right now, my summer clothes are on a portable rack in my son's room (he's away at college), awaiting a decision about them.

But I would never organize books by color! I have way, way too many books to ever remember what color the dust jacket/cover is. I'd never find what I'm looking for that way.

Thanks everyone for your replies and suggestions!

Alto you made me laugh at loud at being able to wear your size 10 jeans for about a day and a half. I'm still giggling over that one as I type this.


I started going through my clothes and started 2 piles.... the to keep pile and the to go pile. So far, so good.


Dawn

Same here. I'm guessing that system works more for ornamental books than for books you actually want to put your hand on at some point.

Shortly after we married, Mr. Twitch set up housekeeping for us in a new state while I finished out a job in the previous location. When I arrived at the new apartment, he'd made everything all attractive and nicely organized -- and arranged all my books by *height*. I lived with them that way for about a year (we were newlyweds, after all), but then I had to re-do them. We still laugh about it.

As I said, these are only technical (theoretical and computational physics to be exact) books, my spouse hardly needs to consult anymore these days. I've a rather extensive library, organized on subject and author (not alphabetized), country and language.

Oh, Twitch, uhm, ornamental books?

I'm one of those weirdos who organizes her books by color. Sometimes, I can even organize by shade from sky blue to navy to deep purple. It's actually quite easy, considering I have a lot of Penguin paperbacks. The spines are black, pistachio or orange. Also, French publishers are addicted to white. So, it's not alphabetical, but I have a main shelf for cookbooks, one for nonfiction and another for fiction. One level is all Persephone Books, so it's just a row of dove grey. If I know the color and publisher of abook it's actually quite easy to find. It took me three hours to do and the shelves look nice. And they're all to be used and read. Nothing ornamental.

Chanel22 said she organized her books by color, too, and I assumed from her post that she meant all of her books. And yes, believe it or not, "ornamental" books were something decorators/designers were touting a few years back, at least in the US -- books as decorations. Weird, huh?

Anyway, it would never work for me -- we have thousands of books, literally.

When I bought my condo, the closet in the bedroom already has a pretty good organizer set up in it. And I organize my clothing in much the same way as Cathleen56 and others. I don't organize by color but the order in which I bought them in. So, the older pieces are up front and the newer pieces go back. I don't really have a problem with forgetting clothing since I don't have that much. Perhaps, I should say overwhelming amount for any season. All out of season clothing that can be folded is and put away in my chest.

In regards to purging, I do it at least twice a year when I switch over from one season to another.

What's an ornamental book? No, ours are all for reading and we have thousands too. Actually, we have so many they are in different locations around the house. The cookbooks are in a kitchen cupboard. The paperbacks are in an upstairs reading room. The shelves that I organized by color were in our "official" study/TV room. It has an entire wall from floor to ceiling with bookshelves. It holds a lot of books and so, it does look much neater, now, instead of looking like the stacks at the public library. There is nothing wrong with the stacks at the public library, if that is what you want. This is just a way of getting a fresher or different look. I don't think I'll have trouble finding anything, it's just a different system. BTW, another way of making bookshelves look neater is to have nothing but books on them. Remove all photos and ornamental whatnots. It does work. I saw this tip on one of those shows for prucing up your house before showing it to prospective buyers.

Sorry, I missed that. I know they even sell fake books rows of attached covers you can put on shelves, I guess to feign you're cultured. I'd rather not have people jump to that type of conclusion just because someone arranges things by color! We've got one single bookcase with rather obscure reference books organized by color. It's a bit of interior irony.

Oh, no, the way you've done it, as I see it in my mind's eye, looks cool, too -- I totally get the interior irony thing. It was just giving me pause to think of arranging my whole house full of books like that. I know I would never find anything. For instance, am I really going to remember what color the cover of The Brothers Karamazov is the next time I swear I'm going to finish it before I start another book? Not likely!

But if we're talking about 100 or so books, all about design, let's say, arranged by color, I appreciate the sense of humor involved in making that calculation. But I think if I asked my husband -- whose books these mostly are -- he'd resist even this, because he wants to look at the books and see the stacks of the public library, preferably the New York Public Library. Or, a better image, a used book store!

When I was thinking about ornamental books, I was thinking about exactly what you described -- either fake books chosen solely to fit in with a color scheme or style, or even real books, chosen solely to fit in with a color scheme or style.

I didn't even know there were fake books! Funny. I was thinking more of decorative books, hardcovers, coffee table books, etc. Books that are attractive. We have some of these.

I have a family member who chooses books to fit in with a color scheme or overall decor. He only buys hardcovers; thinks paperbacks are ugly. Up until a few years ago, books were largely decorative to him because he didn't enjoy reading. DH is much the same way, frankly. I don't see it as necessarily a negative; just not how I would approach things. His bookshelves do look nice, though.

Say, wonder if there are any good books about organizing one's clothes closet?

I think most of the books that are about creating/organizing your wardrobe address the closet organization issue.

Sgupta has an interesting approach -- by acquisition date. It looks like she puts the older stuff in the front so she won't forget to wear it. That would be a good strategy -- and if you don't wear it within a set period of time, then you could get rid of it in good conscience.

Whatever you decide to do, this is a good time of year to get organized and refreshed. The stores are overflowing with organizational tools and pretty bins, while the home goods areas have lots of pillows of towels on sale. Another article I read for giving a fresh look to any bedroom or bath is to go "all white" to get a boutique hotel feel. This includings all white towels, sheets, duvet covers, and bathrobes. It's surprisingly luxurious, not dull at all. Yes, and it looks cleaner, too.

Several years ago --and I believe I posted about it here-- I went thru a purge that included clothes. Actually, that phase *started* a purge that continues to this day.

At that time, I gave away many clothes I had not worn in years. My thought was that someone else should be able to use the items before they were no longer wearable (I tend to buy clothes in classic shapes/colors). Many corporate suits, blouses, slacks went into those bags. Nothing I'd wear now, but some woman looking for a job might find them useful at thrift-store prices.

I have hung onto some strange things, however. I commented one night in chat how my closet might reflect a fantasy life. I have formals and cocktail dresses hanging in there that really don't fit my life. But... who knows? Could happen. and I'll be ready.

I also have a few things that I likely will never wear again. These are well-made and beautiful items that no longer fit (I've lost weight over the years). I keep them, hoping to find a home for them one day. Last fall, I found someone who would both fit and appreciate a nutria coat. I gifted her with it.

I've been the benefitter of this type of thinking. Last fall, I also received a beautiful antique Japanese kimono. What goes around comes around.

I thought ornamental books meant things like vintage first edition books or antique leather bound books that were collected for reasons other than primarily to be read - I have some lovely old children's books and signed Babar books that I would put in that category - they're sentimental keepsakes.

Why don't you have them tailored to fit you? It would be like having something brand new. I just did this today with a pair of pants I hadn't worn in ages because they were too big and wearing a belt with them made them bunch up. It only cost me $15 at a Chinese tailor's.

You know, I may just do that. There's a black dress I just love that would be wonderful to wear again. (Assuming I can get over my current aversino to men, that is!) And I do have some expensive slacks that would bear wearing to work.

Thanks for the suggestion!

After reading this thread, I'm inspired to tackle my closet, which is shamefully overflowing with lovely clothes that I plan to lose that last 10 lbs to get into! Who am I kidding with that?? Some of those things are 5-6 years old now and not really in fashion anymore. If I ever do lose any weight, then I deserve and will have a new wardrobe, by golly! In the meantime, all of those clothes that are languishing in my closet and haven't seen the light of day since i brought them home are off to find new homes hopefully where they will be loved and appreciated and actually worn!

I am lucky enough to live in an old house with a big attic. :-)

When I move from here one day, I'll be in serious trouble. :-/