Cleaning out my closet--wwyd?

[BeachBum]

I'm just wondering how long/ if you guys hang on to clothes in sizes other than the one you are wearing right now? Or business clothes that you don't need.

Right now I'm an 8--but I have several 10s in my closet. I was a 10 for years. I hate to toss nice things incase I put on a few lbs.

I also have a few 12s in my closet than I wore last year while loosing weight after having a baby. We will have more kids so I wonder if I should keep them?

All these things are still cute and good basics. I've already donated all the cheap target stuff or super trendy stuff. Right now I'm talking about expensive black pants, jcrew khakhi pants, and nice name brand stuff. I have 5-7 suits, and a wardrobe of biz casual that I never wear b/c I SAH with my kiddo. Some of those things do fit, and some are the wrong size.

Any advice?

[PurpleRose]

Do you have room to store them elsewhere so they're not taking up room in your closet? If you're going to be having more children in the next few years, it makes sense to hang onto them. If you decide to get rid of them, though, you might want to take them to a consignment shop vs. tossing them. That way you could use the money to get replacements in your current size.

[petdoc08]

I vote to consign them. I took a bunch of my stuff that doesn't fit (too small :( wish they were too big) to a local shop and made a decent amount of $. It was guilt free shopping $!

[KK812]

Honestly, I would get rid of them. For me (and this is me only) if I had larger clothes hanging out in my closet, it would make it easier for me to excuse gaining wait, kwim? If I got rid of the bigger sizes, I'd be more likely to make myself lose weight if I gained it because I wouldn't want to go out and waste money on new, bigger clothes again. I would sell them and use the money to buy clothes in your current size.

[Chimichanga]

We just cleaned out our closets. :) I allowed DH to keep clothes that were one size away from his current size. I did the same. Everything else we got rid of.

Could you do a post on CC in the swapping section to sell your nicer clothes?

[kindermom]

If you have room and if they are staples, I would hold on to them. Then again, until a few years ago, I had pants in my closet that were 12s and I was a 4. I never saw holding on to larger sizes as an excuse to eat more. Rather it served as a reminder of when I was heavier. I also used some of the larger sizes when I was really bloated. I wish I had still had them after I had my DD. Instead, I ended up buying larger sizes all over again.

[tenofcups]

When I lost weight many years ago, I immediately got rid of anything that was too big. Didn't want to make it easy for myself to easily slip into a larger size, without having to put a great deal of effort into it!

On the other hand, if you think you'll be having more children and they might come in handy for that, I'd be inclined to pack them up and put them away somewhere. I have a handful of my sister's maternity clothing in case I am lucky enough to get pregnant and it's packed in a high shelving area above my closet. It's out of the way, I don't think about it, but I can get it and use it easily if I want.

[ThreeYell]

I kept a few pieces of my professional wardrobe like the black pants, and 2 classic black suits. The rest I either gave to Goodwill if it was several years old or gave to my sister who's about my size. I bought some transition clothes when I was pregnant and right after having DS one or two sizes bigger than normal. I kept all that stuff because I hope to get pregnant again and don't want to have to buy everything new. I packed that stuff away with my maternity clothes.

[Hello Kitty]

I've kept them, but only the nice basic/staple pieces - jeans, work pants, nicer sweaters, etc. Also, as soon as I was tightly in the next size down, I washed the higher size, and stored it up in the attic in a rubbermaid tub. It's not super accessible, so now that my low size is getting a little snug :o it's not easy to ignore that, and slip into something with a little more room, KWIM?

I also will likely be PG somewhere down the line and will want to use those clothes as transition pieces instead of buying all new.

[lil_geek]

I have a HUGE box right now waiting to go to Good Will/Consign (all the clothes are too small :( )

However, if it was something larger that i could wear at the beginning of pg or after birth... I would likley pack it with any maternaty clothes you have (we are talking basics in good shape that you WOULD wear again). Otherwise you risk buying more maternaty clothes in that size again. I wouldn't think of holding them because you may gain weight, but as part of your standard maternity wardrobe. (a friend and SIL borrowed my 'normal' clothes at the beginning since I am larger then them)

[MidwesternGal]

I would keep some pieces and store them as others suggested.

While it's a nice thought that getting rid of larger sizes will keep you from gaining weight, it's not always true. I have fluctated 30 pounds and 3-4 sizes in the last 6 years. Twice I threw out the too big clothes, only to have to buy new again (of course, I always keep the small stuff! LOL).

Having been recently pregnant, I went through my closet. I have always been a bigger girl, and knew that there was no way I was going to fit into my summer '05 clothes (which were on their way being too small even then!) after my baby. So I'm consigning it all.

Definitely consign most of it if you don't have storage room.

ETA: Right now all the clothes in my closet (baring 4 pairs of pants that are really nice but too small and a couple pairs of shorts) fit me (or will fit in a month when more baby weight comes off). I figure since the other summer clothes would be 2+ years old, I could justify buying a few new pieces if I hopefully end up shrinking a bit!

[mkredhead]

I have a one year rule for almost everything in my closet. If I haven't worn it in a year, it's time to move it on out. In my opinion, keeping clothes that don't fit or are old is a waste of space.

[greenbunny]

DH and I keep within a certain distance from our average weight. Anything a lot larger or smaller (such as clothing bought during an illness when weight was totally off from normal) is tossed.

[jennylou]

I agree with packing them up with the maternity clothes. :)

[LeighW]

Something else to think about in evaluating all the size 10s: are you b/f? I dropped to a size smaller than my usual size while b/f, and went right back up to my usual size 5 minutes after DD was weaned.

I agree with everyone else on the transitional clothes. I would pack them up with the maternity stuff if you might be pregnant again.

On the suits/business casual items, I would keep a few classic things, maybe 2 suits, and donate the rest.

For my closet, I donate anything that's more than 1 size away (up or down) from my usual size, plus anything I haven't worn in a year.

[alootikki]

I would store them as well - especially if you think you might need a bigger size temporarily in the near future!

[chefker]

I would store them along with maternity clothes--but consign them all once you're done having kids. :)