Depending on your storage space, you could use the two-step method. You take everything that doesn't fit and pack it away. Then when you realize you don't miss those clothes and you aren't going to lose that 10 pounds and even if you did those clothes probably aren't in style any more, you donate the bag to charity without even looking at it.

A professional organizer taught me this method: hang all your clothes together in your closet with the hangers all facing one way. When you remove something from the closet to wear, turn the hanger around and face it opposite.If you launder the item, put it back the "opposite" way. At the end of six (or twelve) months, you can discard anything that is still hanging the "original" way. After all, you haven't wanted to wear it in months! By the way, I paid $75 for this advice. I'm giving it away free. Now don't anybody trash me. I'm not stealing from the organizer. She has plenty of other customers.

I did just that yesterday. I had a huge bag of pants too big, kept in the top of the closet for a year. Haven't worn them, haven't missed them, so I took them to a thrift shop.

If you haven't worn something in a long time, let it go. Either you don't like it, or it doesn't fit. People shop in thrift shops, need that clothing, so making a donation there is a good thing. And for the things that have been gifted to you--they are just clothes, not the person him/herself. If you gifted a garment to someone, would you want them to keep it forever just because you gave it to them?

If it isn't a 'special occasion' dress, purse, shoes, etc. that I can see wearing again, out it goes. Anything not worn in the past 18 mos. can go. Out-of-style? Out! (By the time it 'comes back' I'll be dead. (Ever try removing those football-sized shoulder pads from 10 years ago?You'll *look* like you've lost 10 pounds!)

My wedding gown went to our DS's theater group along with a *dark purple velvet cape* my late mother gave me. (WHAT was she thinking?)

ANYTHING too big or too small for me *right now* --- OUT!

I do keep a few items I'll never wear again: The red cable knit cashmere sweater I bought in London on our honeymoon (perfect for places without central heating); a beaded evening bag from my late aunt; a huge Napier silver-colored pin and earrings I wore for some head shots; a pair of long white kid gloves; a beach tee from the Waikoloa that says "Partly Cloudy with a Chance of Fish". These are remembrances that just happen to be clothing.

We had sixteen feet of closets in our prior home, mostly full of my stuff. Before we moved I gave away almost everything. I haven't missed a thing!

Take EVERYTHING out.

Try an article on.

If it fits, and if you LOVE it, put it into the closet.

If it fits and it does not flatter....gone.
If it fits and you just don't care for it... gone.
If it doesn't fit... gone.

Good advice Jannie. I'll be sorting through my clothes soon and everything that doesn't fit will leave my house. I've been the same size of fluffiness for a few years now and if I do lose weight, I will celebrate with new clothes.

Good advice everyone...now I am going to put on my big girl panties and just do it. I'm sure I will not miss 90% of what I get rid of.

Then I think will celebrate by getting new huggable hangers to keep my closet pretty and organized!

My boss at work was a tall, very elegant woman of color (think Lena Horne). She told me one day she'd spent the weekend cleaning out her closet, and she gave away 30 business suits to one of those "dress for success" clothing charities that gives poor women nice clothing for job interviews. I was very impressed with my boss. I never even OWNED 30 suits at one time.

Jannie, Don't let anyone make you feel bad about revealing the hanger method. I've seen it suggested on several organizing shows, so I don't think your organizer necesarily authored it.

Luann - your approach is brutal - definitely the way to clear out the chafe, and it makes me realize that there is just not all that much in my closet that I aboslutely love.

What I do to "clear and upgrade" is whenever I bring home something new, I put at least one, but usually two items in the charity box (or rag pile, depending.) I'm not much of a shopper though, so the process is pretty slow.

salgal...just remember the thousands of people who've lost EVERYTHING from the tornados and flooding and give to charity with the same love the person gave that garment to you!

i also have heard of the reversing hanger method...makes a LOT of sense...

I wish I knew where to donate that the things would go for FREE to to those folks that did lose everything.
I hear stories of people donating worn out, torn or dirty things...everything I have is very nice and wearable. Maybe a few things not up to date fashion-wise, but at least I wouldn't be embarrased to wear.
I will make a couple inquiries about that...

salgal -- Don't make a project out of where to give it. Just give it to a local charity or put it in a resale shop. Red Cross, etc. would far prefer to get CASH than to transport a lot of used clothing (however 'gently' used).

using freecycle is also a good way to help those who need it actually get it.

I am going through the clean out right now, I can not fit all of my clothes in my closet and dressers so I have some folded on top of my cedar chest. When I look at it I think oh man this is how hording starts LOL So I have now cleared out the armoire and one chest of drawers, next is the closet.

My gal that does my cleaning is really into free cycle so she took some of it for that and the rest will go to a local charity facility.

Torn or worn out stuff goes in the trash or to the garage for rags.

After I lost weight this last time, I went through my winter clothes ( what winter clothes we use in Florida, sold some in a garage sale and donated the rest to a church that has a free sale the weekend before Thanksgiving. The spring summer stuff went in several bags and in March I went through and took the newest stuff to a consignment shop and just donated the rest to our local Red Cross who picks up in our area. They DO want clothing - even asks for women's and childrens in particular this time in an email. I have kept the weight off so far so I don't miss the stuff - I had kept some of my smaller sizes and am now wearing things from 7 years ago. You just have to START and make piles to donate, throw away or keep till the next season.

I did my try-on keep or not thing about a month ago. I have everything washed, dried and neatly folded and into boxes ready to give to a local Rescue Mission Resale shop.

I have kept one old, way too big now sweat suit, and am wearing it today actually because it is damp and chilly here. Can't find those good Hanes Her Way sweats suits any more.

And if you LOVE it? I remember what my Aunt Kate told us: you can't love something that can't love you back.

Sue

I did that recently. I had 15 years' worth of clothes that I'd never wear again. I gave them to Goodwill. I'm sure someone else could use them.

I was glad to see the mess go, and now my closet only holds things that I actually wear, I love it!

I go through clothes when I stow them away for the season,and also those I am "unstowing" for the next season.Those I can't see wearing again go into bags for Purple Heart to pick up.

Wedding dress from marriage to DH#1 went into the Purple Heart bag with his clothing after he died. Good designer clothing of his (like Zenga, etc.) went onto EBay.

wow. I don't have they problem that any of you have. lol
I don't have a wardrobe. I wear things til they wear out, are damaged, stained or don't fit anymore, or really out of style, then they are either donated, to the rag bag or in the trash. and I don't tend to buy a replacement. So when I do need something, I have to go to the store and shop for a new outfit! lol I have 4 pair of tennis shoes, 1 dress shoe, 2 flats and 6 pair of sandals, not including my flip flops. LOL

I clean my closets of clothes, shoes and shelf storage twice a year. It feels so good to not have cluttered closets.

Yes, I have my wedding dress from my second marriage, but, sadly, dear hubby died in 2007.

Another place to consider is a women's shelter. Ours is always looking for gently used clothing, women's and children's items are needed. Many times those gals escape with nothing so that detection is less of a chance, and they also often need a bit dressier clothing for jobs and interviews. I take a lot of my clothing there, along with sample sized items from cosmetic giveaways and hotels.

Last night fate intervened and as I was talking to a friend. She was telling about her unemployed girlfriend that is collecting womens business clothes for a charity that gives away specifically for office attire and for interviews. (exactly what lynn d mentioned)
That was my cue....I have a little more to do, but so far I have 3 large black garbage bags of just business clothes! No jeans or casual clothes.
So round 2 tonight.
THEN, sat down for a couple minutes and turned on TV - Huggable hangers was being featured on HSN- so I decided it was fate again, so I ordered the bunch of 72. (still won't be enough)
So far it feels good. I actually liked the feeling of not having too many pants to choose from and trying to remember which ones fit best.
Thanks for all the encouragement!

kat wa, I'm with you. Every stitch of clothing I own could go in one trash bag. I have a couple pair of sneakers, good ones and crappy ones for yard work. Prob 5 or 6 pairs of sandals, always bought on clearance, haha. I don't own a dress. Don't know if you could tell, but in the wedding video I posted, I still wasn't wearing a dress. It was wide leg, chiffon pants with a sparkly jacket.

Now, all the other closets in the house def need cleaned out. Just stuff, stuff and more stuff.

I think that much depends on one's life and lifestyle. Like Katlan, I worked in a business environment for 30 years so I have a huge wardrobe. I too am in the process of paring it down. When I closed my public business and started working from home the need for all the business suits, pumps and dresses went away. So now the cleaning out of the closets begins. I hope the clothing serves someone else well!

"I think that much depends on one's life and lifestyle."

Yep!

Tank tops and shorts do you no good when there is a foot of snow on the ground.
Gym clothes cannot be worn at the business office.
And what you wear to a baseball game won't do for the symphony.

etc...

I agree with Lyn. Last year I went through my clothes and decided to donate them to a womens shelter. I am a plus size and I knew they probably would be looking for clothes like that. I donated 3 large boxes full of clothes and some other things that I thought they might need, Like bedding and toiletries and towels and tablecloths. Not that I ever had a lot of clothes. My clothes would probably fit in a couple of boxes. I have about 6 pairs of shoes and 1 dress. My sister lately gave me some clothes. So now I have a few more. I am a cook in a restaurant so I dont have very many nice clothes. If I start wearing them for work they get stains on them, so I cant wear them anywhere else. After my sister gave me some of those clothes that she had been given that didnt fit her, I had too many black or blue pants so I put them in the 3 boxess. I thought what do I need all of these for anyway. I thought it would be nicer to share them with someone else who could use them. I have 1 pair of jeans that I really like and 1 pair that is a little too tight. I have about 10 pairs of capris that I wear a lot. I wear tshirs a lot but I only have about 10 of those too. We very seldom go out so I have no need for them. A few years ago the some of the roof got tore off of our home. My bedroom roof was gone. I got rid of a lot of things then and it is time to get rid of more. I like things simpler im my life. Maybe thats why I live in a town of 45 people and like it.