90% I’m not naturally organized but I hate clutter, so I’m ruthless about clearing out my closet.

PP love the Stylebook app idea!

The challenge for me is having a balance between dressy clothes vs. Casual vs athleisure. I have a ton of dressy but I enjoy buying that stuff bc it’s more fun. I stink at casual and wear the same t-shirts and jeans and notice that I need to really focus on this area and beef it up bc I am not feeling pulled together on a daily basis. Also, I feel guilty about getting rid of expensive things I don’t wear anymore

I have been the same size most of my adult life. I used to buy high quality clothes thinking they were an investment. Realized that I had too many. Stopped buying those but still had the itch for current trends, so started buying cheap (Walmart, Shien etc..) and you know what, those clothes hold up just fine for me. So know I still have too many clothes. I also just retired so am trying to figure out what my wardrobe should be transitioning to as I sit here in my Walmart leggings and kids hand me down sports tshirts with closets full of professional clothes. And lets not talk about shoes. I really need to Marie Kondo my stuff.

Anonymous wrote:5%. I retired early a few years ago and can't give up my professional clothes yet even though I've lost weight. It's time. Maybe this post will get me moving on it.

I’m retiring on Monday, and this will be my first household project! Think of the extra space and how much lighter you’ll feel.

My only question would will be what to donate vs. keep for my young adult daughter, who is the same size as I. So far she’s only been drawn to outfits of mine that were so casual they pushed the “work appropriate” boundaries, but I think I’ll save a few of my favorite more formal pieces for her just so she has options down the road. I’ve been keeping my picks for her in her childhood bedroom, so she literally shops the closet when she’s home. She buys all her clothes at thrift stores, so it’s a very similar experience. It’s fun to see what she takes each time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:5%. I retired early a few years ago and can't give up my professional clothes yet even though I've lost weight. It's time. Maybe this post will get me moving on it.

I get it. When I stopped working, I had a closetful of beautiful professional clothing that I hung onto for much longer than necessary. It was like I wasn't 100% ready to part with that era of my life.

Probably true. And all that tailoring. . .the thought of getting clothes to fit my strange shape again.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Like everyone else I get into clothes habits and neglect a lot of my wardrobe - and for the last couple of years I've been doing ruthless culling.

But I also will often discover something in my closet that's been neglected for a while and then it becomes a favorite. The six month rule doesn't work for me because of that.

I really try to distinguish between the clothes that just don't work for me - don't fit well enough; don't look good enough; don't love them enough - and those that are hanging around for a while because I'm just not using them right now.

It really feels good to give away or sell the things that are hanging around not making me happy or making my life any better. It also feels really good to find ways to wear things I like a lot but just haven't figured out how to use! If you enjoy clothes - and have clothes you like but aren't wearing - I'd really suggest trying to shop your closet and find ways to wear what you've got.

That happens to me also and is part of the reason I'm reluctant to get rid of things! They might become future favorites. I guess this mindset is similar to I might need it someday or just in case items. I need to get past this somehow but my mind always goes to the extremes. What if there's a recession or world war and we can't get any supplies! It's like I'm living in the Depression or WWII.

I'm PP and I would say that "what if we have a depression" concern is different from "I might love this one day." The depression one is really about anxiety - and about trying to maintain some control as a buffer against anxiety. The "I might love it one day" mentality is more about choices and enjoyment.

I def also do some anxiety things - and do hold onto some stuff out of it; and also stock up on things as a method of control. But I think try to limit how much you let that guide your decisions about whether to hold onto an item of clothing. You can rationalize yourself through it if you want - even if there is a depression, keeping this one dress you don't like very much won't help you get through it. This t-shirt you don't have any feelings for is not going to help you if there's a nuclear holocaust.

Anonymous wrote:5%. I retired early a few years ago and can't give up my professional clothes yet even though I've lost weight. It's time. Maybe this post will get me moving on it.

I get it. When I stopped working, I had a closetful of beautiful professional clothing that I hung onto for much longer than necessary. It was like I wasn't 100% ready to part with that era of my life.

At a given time, maybe 20%? I purge quite often but tend to hang on to nicer items even if I don't wear them. I have a lot of nice dresses that just sit there because I got bored with them and have been reaching for nice pants when I want to dress up. They'll be the next to go if warmer weather doesn't inspire me to wear some of them.

5%. I retired early a few years ago and can't give up my professional clothes yet even though I've lost weight. It's time. Maybe this post will get me moving on it.

Anonymous wrote:I'm about to do a closet cleanout and thought about this question. I have a more than a full closet, and I do think I follow the saying of only wearing 20% of my wardrobe regularly. The tough part is how much to get rid of what I could potentially wear but very infrequently. Also, to be intentional and disciplined with future shopping to have items that would be more part of the regular wear.

Same 20%

Anonymous wrote:Like everyone else I get into clothes habits and neglect a lot of my wardrobe - and for the last couple of years I've been doing ruthless culling.

But I also will often discover something in my closet that's been neglected for a while and then it becomes a favorite. The six month rule doesn't work for me because of that.

I really try to distinguish between the clothes that just don't work for me - don't fit well enough; don't look good enough; don't love them enough - and those that are hanging around for a while because I'm just not using them right now.

It really feels good to give away or sell the things that are hanging around not making me happy or making my life any better. It also feels really good to find ways to wear things I like a lot but just haven't figured out how to use! If you enjoy clothes - and have clothes you like but aren't wearing - I'd really suggest trying to shop your closet and find ways to wear what you've got.

That happens to me also and is part of the reason I'm reluctant to get rid of things! They might become future favorites. I guess this mindset is similar to I might need it someday or just in case items. I need to get past this somehow but my mind always goes to the extremes. What if there's a recession or world war and we can't get any supplies! It's like I'm living in the Depression or WWII.

Anonymous wrote:Wait, you don't have regular clothes, fat clothes and skinny clothes? I have like 3 sizes in my closet, depending on how much I weigh at any given moment.

No. It’s not normal for your weight to vary by 3 sizes.

Since RTO started, I have been planning outfits in advance. It helps keep me from grabbing the same favorites in a frantic rush each morning.

I wear all the items in my wardrobe regularly. I rotate the seasonal/resort items as needed. I think my entire wardrobe consists of about 75-80 items (including jewellery), and I really like every piece. Everything works well together and I have a cohesive look.

Like everyone else I get into clothes habits and neglect a lot of my wardrobe - and for the last couple of years I've been doing ruthless culling.

But I also will often discover something in my closet that's been neglected for a while and then it becomes a favorite. The six month rule doesn't work for me because of that.

I really try to distinguish between the clothes that just don't work for me - don't fit well enough; don't look good enough; don't love them enough - and those that are hanging around for a while because I'm just not using them right now.

It really feels good to give away or sell the things that are hanging around not making me happy or making my life any better. It also feels really good to find ways to wear things I like a lot but just haven't figured out how to use! If you enjoy clothes - and have clothes you like but aren't wearing - I'd really suggest trying to shop your closet and find ways to wear what you've got.