Wardrobes, restocking and clothes budgets

Figured it belonged here more than in fashion, as it isn't really about fashion. I need some help, as I've just been clothes shopping again as I needed a white blouse. One white blouse. 2 skirts, 3 tops, 2 blouses and 1 dress later... (not even all from the same store).

It's more about the sheer volume of clothes I have. I'm not going to post how much as it is obscene - in my defense, I mostly buy in the sales and I still have some pre-marriage clothes I still wear. But I also have lots that I don't wear any more.

Going back to work full-time in September, so that should stop the shopping opportunities a bit more (I usually only go once every two months anyway). But any tips on how to cull, including stuff I know I just don't wear any more? (BTW, some stuff is being saved JIC Stormy is conceived at any point in the future, so I won't get rid of those 8 items.)

I did think about a clothes-swapping party with friends where I am NOT ALLOWED to bring anything home, making some more major donations to charities or just keeping the clothes to shame me out of buying more (cos that's working). I would like some more space so I could properly store my clothes. Any ideas how to curb me?

Peter Walsh (of Does this clutter make my bum look fat? fame) recommends putting all your clothes on hangers then hanging them back to front in the wardrobe (ie with the hook facing the wrong way). Then you pick & date in about 6 months and diarise it. Anything that is still hanging in the wrong direction hasn't been worn in 6 months and gets discarded.

Personally, I wouldn't hang onto any with hopes of swapping or anything. Chuck em in a big bag and take them to charity asap. The quicker you free up space the more you will appreciate what you do have. And you'll have a better sense of what you really do need vs when it's just an impulse.

Alternatively, you could keep a record every time you're out and you DON'T buy something - jot down how much $$ you just saved. Keep a running total and give yourself a mental pat on the back every time you save some more. Then, after a few months, you can take that money and sink it into something else that you've really been wanting. Feeling proud of yourself is a much more effective motivator than feeling guilty. :D

Thanks MD. I did this in October - put everything in the spare room and only put clothes I had laundered into my main wardrobe. Anything I haven't worn in the last nine months (aside from pregnancy clothes and the odd ball gown because I don't want to buy them again - but one ball gown and ****tail dress have been worn) has gone into one of two bin bags. Some of the stuff I do wear that is not as liked any more has gone in as well - as I cannot see myself wearing it again or mourning its loss.

My winter jackets have moved to the spare room to release them from my wardrobe. Some heavier and more seasonal items have gone into the now empty drawers.

And the wardrobe is still full of stuff I wear. To be fair to me, I do wear my clothes. Maybe only once every 2 months or seasonal only, but they are worn.

First world problem, I know. (And my clothes spree is funded by the money I save on other things, so I don't feel guilty shopping. All today's clothes were for work in September and will be needed when I'm back working full time and can't do mid-week washes - I have needed more work clothes for a long time now.)

OK, so if I've read this right, you want ideas on how to get rid of stuff rather than how to stop buying?

I guess the answer is twofold. Maybe if you were happy with the amount of high rotation clothes you have, that would give you enough of a security blanket to chuck out the ones that you just don't wear any more.

In the last couple of years, I've been trying to very loosely move towards a capsule wardrobe (you can google). The main gist is to buy clothes that suit you shape-wise and colour-wise and stick to a few colours so that they all mix and match.

Friends of mine have also used stylists to help with this.

So maybe the answer is to buy more in the short-term but items that you will definitely wear and that will then give you the confidence to chuck out the remainder rather than keeping them 'just in case'.

I think I just need permission to chuck out servicable clothes that are 5+ years old. I feel guilty that clothes I could wear but don't as they no longer suit me are not being worn; I feel wasteful. Buying brand clothes rather than very cheap clothes, as I have started to do, makes me feel bad too as now I have nice clothes that (shock) fit properly and look good... but cost 2-3 times more than the badly fitting stuff. I can't fix my mind around "it doesn't fit, get rid".

I couldn't do capsule though. Far too few clothes. I like the choice. I could have one capsule wardrobe per month and rotate that way?

The clothes you are getting rid of, If you take them to charity will be loved by someone else and help to raise funds too. Could you think of it as being kind and thoughtful that you're recycling the clothes?
Eta- buying clothes that are more expensive means that you will probably get years of use out of them instead of just 1 season.
I find it quite freeing to get rid of clothes I no longer wear. Hard to do though.

OK, mindset change required.

Getting rid of clothes that don't fit or don't suit you isn't wasteful, it's sensible. As FL has said, I've psyched myself up to do this by saying, "does someone else need this more than me?" Of course they do, someone else will wear it so it's the opposite of wasteful.

You don't have to be too extreme about the capsule wardrobe thing. Just make sure you choose things that match other things in your wardrobe and are colours that suit you and right for your body shape. I feel like I have more clothes than I've ever had before. I bought quite a few things last year to start me off and barely anything this year. And I wear everything I buy. Unlike a few years ago where I'd buy heaps of stuff and still feel I had nothing to wear.

It works.

Just thought I'd update you and say thanks. I re-organised. I do not feel the urge to buy clothes.

I ended up capsulising. Black, white and light grey stays, otherwise I have 3 capsules with a little overlap, each to last 4 months with a good selection of styles (from ballgown to chilling by the campfire to workwear).

I feel good, get dressed with more ease, wear the clothes more, don't have accessory dilemma (I capsulised jewllery, bags, scarves etc too). And wear the clothes til I'm bored... then change! A new wardrobe every 4 months is exciting.

Thanks for the help and I hope this solution works long-term for me. And helps/insires others.

That's so awesome FB.