What methods do you use to avoid “hoarding” clothes in case you might need them? How do you avoid rotating through the same outfits regularly?
How do you decide what clothes to keep vs donate?
r/AskWomen
What methods do you use to avoid “hoarding” clothes in case you might need them? How do you avoid rotating through the same outfits regularly?
Comments
I separate the sentimentals to vacuum seal, then everything else I see if it fits well and make me feel damn good/sexy. If not, I donate them.
>How do you avoid rotating through the same outfits regularly?
I don’t. I started investing in quality pieces and stopped buying fast fashion. Better for the planet, and in the long run, my wallet. Plus, I look better. Cheap clothes look cheap and I’m worth more than that.
By being honest with myself about “might” need them. Unless it’s a purely functional piece, like snow boots, that I might need for our once-a-year snow dump… anything that I “might” need doesn’t ever get worn. So I don’t keep it in my wardrobe.
I don’t avoid wearing the same outfits on rotation.
My closet is full of pieces I love, and carefully curated over the years, so I enjoy wearing my favourite combos over and over. I have a capsule wardrobe, so I can mix and match tops and bottoms easily, which gives me many more outfit combinations than buying items to complete a single outfit.
If someone doesn’t want to hoard clothing, they need to be realistic with themselves. Ask questions, assess if pieces tick the boxes, and donate if not:
Etc. a wardrobe isn’t about never being caught wearing the same outfits.
The simplest is like vs. dislike. Everything I dislike is gone.
Fits vs doesn’t fit. Should be simple, but my weight varies a lot in either direction because of various health issues, so it’s more a could potentially fit again vs wasn’t all that happy with the way it fit even when I was skinny/heavy enough.
Everyday clothes that need to be ironed: Gone.
Replaceability vs uniqueness: Stuff I could just easily get again I’m not too precious about keeping. Like I recently gave away all my formal business wear because I haven’t worked in a job where I needed it in like 5 years and don’t see myself in one in the future, but should that change I can just go and buy new suits. Whereas the vintage dress I bought in some thrift store that I love, but that I can only wear when I weigh 70-75kg, I’m gonna keep that forever.
Twice a year I rotate my wardrobe for the seasons. Often I’ll do a cull of the incoming clothes at that stage because I don’t like them as much as I did last year.
I hang all the hangers the wrong way round until the garment is worn. It’s easy to see what doesn’t get worn, and to consider those for the cull when the seasons change again.
I’m not totally ruthless. I wouldn’t for example donate a formal dress just because I hadn’t had a formal event to wear it too this year. But it’s really useful to see what I reach for and what languishes.
Any time I do laundry I put clean clothes on one side of the closet. Around once a year I look at stuff on the opposite side, meaning stuff I don’t ever wear.
I’m weird about clothes. I hate shopping and have sensory issues from (diagnosed) autism, so it’s really difficult to find clothes I like. They have to be soft, no tags, can’t feel seams, have to be all black, have to be loose and stretchy, etc. I have clothes I think look nice on me but I can’t wear except for small amounts of time because I have a meltdown. I keep these because I can wear them to events where I need to dress up. I have comfy clothes that are falling apart and I can’t find replacements. I have favorite clothes I’m too fat for and honestly probably not going to lose the weight unless I get on Ozempic. I want to wear flattering clothes that make me feel good about myself but it’s so difficult to find comfortable ones. I end up making my own clothes or modifying things from stores but it’s a lot of work.
I went through a big decluttering before moving cross-country, and the main way I keep from hoarding things is to have a set volume allotted for each type of item, so clothes must fit into one section of the closet. I don’t buy new things until I make room.
”Did I use this within the last six months or not” If not -> throw away. Work well for everything except very specific occasion clothes
I have spring/summer and fall/winter boxes, with some core pieces. Makes it easier to keep less in the closet, especially heavier pieces. If I don’t wear it for one rotation, it goes into the “to be donated” pile.
I give myself grace on pieces that I like but may not have gotten to (like bc the winter was too warm). If they dont make it through their second season, they go in the pile.
I now try and stay away from new fast fashion pieces and only buy to replace. Though I have way too many graphic tees.
If I’ve not worn it in 6 months, and the reason for that is not weather-related, then I get rid of it. If I go more than two seasons (so, say, two winters) without wearing a seasonal item then it’s also gone.
I don’t hang on to things I “might” need. I either need it or I don’t.
Do I like it? Does it fit me? Ok, but if it did fit me, would I wear it?
If the answer is no, then it gets donated.
I also think about why I don’t wear it. Is it just a fancy dress that I haven’t had an occasion to wear in a while? If I did have an occasion to wear it to, would I? Do I just not like it or have other pieces I like better?
It takes time for 1 – But I really took a look at “have I worn this in thr last year?” And then I started using a clothong rental company for $100/month for 6 items. It appeases my shopping desire and I get to try lots of diff things!
I grew up somewhat poor, so it’s been hard for me to get rid of clothes bc I may someday need it. I’ve been having a hard time switching my mindset now that I’m financially comfortable. I will wear clothes until they are falling apart, which I need to stop. I have gotten rid of all my old ratty clothes that I kept holding onto to use as workout clothes and donated them to a company that makes dog and cat beds out of old clothes that can no longer be used. Then I go through my clothes every season and take out whatever I haven’t worn in a couple of years and donate it to a church or goodwill
Anything that doesn’t fit perfectly. Anything that doesn’t bring me joy to wear. I have an eclectic style. Then buy only what fits perfectly and what brings me immense joy repeatedly.
Build a capsule wardrobe where singles match well and fit you well. Accessorize. Accessorize. I use scarves all the time- totally underutilized and brings dramatic flair to any outfit. Buy 4-5 of what fits you well that you love to wear. Get your colors done properly. Embrace colors and patterns. I go for jet black/white/gray/brown basics then pair with a very flamboyant scarf, a vibrant pair of shoes, a statement jacket, three pieces of statement jewely and a statement bag that matches my shoes. Anushka has amazing hand painted bags that never go out of style. I always am complimented. Ignore the designers. Find bags and accessories that speak your language.
Once or twice a year while tidying up I will have a purge. If it’s winter clothing and I didn’t wear it at all last winter then it goes. Repeat for all seasons.
>How do you avoid rotating through the same outfits regularly?
I don’t try to do this on the day-to-day. I rotate the same outfits regularly. I like to have a week and a half’s worth of clothes (for any season) so I can do a weekly laundry without a shortage panic. For special occasions (e.g. weddings) I usually buy an outfit specifically or re-use one of my previous outfits in a different way.
I clean my closet once a year. When items get hung up after the big clean the hanger hooks go in “the wrong way”. When I wash and return the item to the closet it goes in “hanger hook the right way”. The next year when I clean my closet and clothes with hanger hooks “the wrong way” get donated or tossed. I like giving it a year since some clothes are just an occasional wear (like weddings or fancy dresses) conversely some clothes are my “painting or gardening” grubby clothes.
I try everything on. If it doesn’t fir right or I don’t feel good in it, I let it go, I keep basics and stuff I wear often, donate the rest. I mix things up by pairing pieces differently instead of buying more.
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Whenever I clean out my closet, I kind of treat it like a shopping experience. If this item were in a store right now, would I like it enough to pay money for it?
Clothes that don’t suit the weather/climatic conditions of where I’m currently residing. And clothes that have become small or too big for me. Sometimes I can just get rid of my wardrobe, just because I want to or I’m just over it.
6 month rule
I just went through all my shirts for work. I put three piles – anything that I took out of my drawer that was not wrinkly, anything wrinkly, and any wrinkly shirts that I love and must keep/ I donated the wrinkly clothes that I don’t love
I only donate the things that haven’t fit me for years, the things I never use, or the things that I can never hope to wear due to their texture or the like. My weight fluctuates enough that some clothes that are on the edge of fitting me might not fit tomorrow, but fit again the next day.
Good question for r/minimalism too ☺️
Am I going to wear it in the next week? For fancy stuff, am I going to wear it in the next three months? If the answer is no, it gotta go
To be honest, my problem is I CAN’T rotate the same outfits. I always get tired of them and want new clothes.
If i don’t wear something that season it’s because of work/weather restrictions. For example: can’t wear shorts to work, I worked all summer and i wore other clothes so I didn’t get to try on these specific shorts , or didn’t wear that t shirt cause it’s wool despite being short sleeves so it’s cold In it the winter and hot in it in the summer… like I have clothes for specific temperatures and trust me, sleeves vs no sleeves is gonna make the difference between heaven and hell in the summers where I live 😅. The temperatures get unbrearably high here.
That’s actually the first thing I consider when I buy something : would I sweat buckets in it and start to itch if I go outside wearing it in the summer or am I gonna freeze in it in the winter?
And don’t let me start about the dresses.
So the whole sorting method of “if you didn’t wore it in the last year/two you get rid of it” doesn’t work if you have a wardrobe-specific job. When you’re an adult years go by real fast.
I get rid of clothes when they get worn off, don’t fit me anymore or don’t look good on me anymore.
P.s: also i changed jobs last year. My closet was full of work clothes for factories (think black clothes you dont mind dirtying) and I had to get a new wardrobe for more office setting. I kept them because if I go back to working manual jobs I am NOT buying new clothes again.
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I order my clothes by light intensity, also I only use cotton or natural fibers :3
If the clothes don’t fit properly, if they no longer bring me joy, or if I find myself not wearing them at all. They then all get donated.
My style has morphed depending on the job. Over the years I rotate through my “work” clothes, keep my classic pieces that represent my true style, and then i just purge any old formal & work attire.