Would anyone like to join me in a big wardrobe declutter?

[deaddei]

I am in the mood for a serious clearout of everything- kids clothes, mine, crap in the utility room (how many school bags does a 13 year old need?)
I am planning to start this afternoon and I want to be RUTHLESS.
I have so many black tops and boring stuff- I am adopting the mantra that if it doesn't make me feel good, it's going. But then what do I do with all my comfy, home from work, snuggling up in front of Corrie stuff?
Go and buy some new lounge-y stuff?

[noddyholder]

I did this last weekend Be careful I have left very little and am going to have to seriously replace things soon.It is lovely to see the cupboards and drawers quite bare though.I gave the bulk to a charity shop kept a few really nice bits for car boot sale and binned the rest.Make sure you keep a couple of old things though for slobbing and decorating!I too decided if I didn't love it or look good in it it was going.Also stuff that I thought would look good if I lost a few pounds-that went.

[MarthaFarquhar]

I think the key is to be honest about how much lounging around stuff you need. I was always relegating clothes to the gardening/decorating/not seeing other humans pile, but you only need a couple of bits like that. Not 74 million, like I seem to have.

[Housemum]

Agree with MF - I had a whole bag of decorating clothes, I now have one pair of old jeans and 2 tops (one short one long sleeve). And how many lounging outfits do you really need - rather than doing what I have which is imagining your lifestyle like something from the Toast catalogue, think about what you really do - if you always change when you come in, you probably only need a few lounge bits as you don't need to change your top every day if you're only wearing it for a few hours.

I have done the turning-the-hangers trick that I read somewhere - I turned all the hangers in my wardrobe the wrong way, so the hook is facing you rather than away IYSWIM - every time I wear something I put it back in the right way round. After 6 months, look at what hasn't come out (12 months if all your summer and winter clothes are hung up) - you'll realise what you don't really wear.

Take everything out and put it into piles of tops/trousers/etc - then rather than looking at what to get rid of, look at what you want, choose items and put them back - it's easier to say what you want than to look at stuff and say what's to go, seems easier psychologically somehow.

If you have some not-sure stuff, try sealing them in a box - if you don't go to the box to take stuff out over 6 months, take it to the charity shop then.

[legalwannabe]

I'll join you!

Did a massive declutter four months ago and sent it all to charity shops. Now, I have to sort out make-up, underwear draws (how many pairs of pants does a girl need?), maternity wear. Then there's the books, magazines and DVDs that I have stored in the bedroom and I think I may get rid of all my pretty summer shoes as for the last two years I've lived in Birkenstocks.

I'm guilty of living in fleece/ jeans at the moment. It's bloody freezing and a cashmere cardy just doesn't do it.

Might take a trip to Ikea and buy some clear boxes to store at the bottom of the wardrobe, so I can see exactly what I have.

[deaddei]

Housemum- so true. I look at these women lounging in their cashmere two pieces in the Toast catalogue, and know that my leggings and sweatshirt are so much more practical for cooking/cleaning in!!!
I am doing the last of the ironing, and then I will be opening that wardrobe.

[CristinaTheAstonishing]

Did you do any of it? I started about a year ago to throw away 2 items for every new 1 item bought. Slow going and doesn't actually solve the problem of not buying new things, but it does feel better. Some good ideas on this thread about which items to get rid of. Why do so many of us have this "just in case" mentality?

[KatyMac]

Christina - I agree with you about 'just in case'

[legalwannabe]

well, i've decided to get rid of both my fat and thin clothes. Will just buy and wear what fits now, that way I will actually wear what's in my wardrobe!

[deaddei]

Right- I have got rid of 15 tshirts- which leaves me with 2. They were all too tight across the bust- and they are an Esprit size xxl.
I have gone through underwear/sock drawers and gutted them.
I still have my "tops on hangers" to do, which I will do today.
I cleared the children's wardrobes and drawers too, so have 2 huge binliners for charity shop.

[havoc]

Oooh, can I join you? I'm trying to move away from my uniform of black t-shirt and jeans, so just had a spending spree. I actually bought tops that weren't (completely)black! .

I've been though my wardrobe and counted 12 t-shirts (some were white!) that were too short or tight that I put back - to wear when I decorate, judging by the state of my home I don't do enough to warrant that many clothes. Inspired my this thread, I am now off to throw all but one (or maybe two!) away.

Next - DC's clothes!

[deaddei]

I have just taken dd shopping, and bought a new black cardigan which means I can get rid of the 3 I have which are past their best.
I must say, Uniqlo is a godend for tall skinny teenagers!!!
Well done havoc...keep going.

[deaddei]

Just off to charity shop before I change my mind.
Lots of empty hangers swinging in the breeze....but off to Westfield tomorrow

[Kayzr]

I will join you too. I have loads of stuff I don't wear. I also have loads of stuff that doesn't fit anymore. I was keeping it to wear once I have lost weight but I don't think I will really wear any of it.

[wonderingwondering]

I did the kids room last week, fifteen bags of junk (clothes and old toys). Am tackling my pant drawer(s) today - two large drawers full of undies, but I seem to wear the same three sets all the time. Then for my wardrobe...

I jettisoned all my 'just in case' and comfy (ie too big/too worn out) clothes and treated myself to a nice tracksuit - fleece lined, so it works for really cold weather too, the jacket goes under my coat so it's an extra layer without looking too granny-grunt.

[Eddas]

ooo me! I want to join in.

what I really would like to do is chuck ALL my clothes away and buy totally new ones but sadly I can't possibly afford to do that, so I will try getting rid of a few bits and pieces instead. I did this a while ago and haven't missed anything that went, but I know there's still that void at the back of the wardrobe that I haven't ventured into and haven't a clue what's there pressumably that can all go

I also need to re-arrange my bedroom as I can't open one of the wardrobe doors so only use half the wardrobe atm which is more than stupid

[deaddei]

I need to look at coats now.
They've been hanging there for donkeys years, but I still have that "just in case mentality">