Cleaning out my closet...how much should I keep??

[SASM]

How do you purge your closet? I know the general rule of thumb is if it hasn't been worn it in a year, toss it. I have no problem getting rid of a TON but do people generally keep a certain number of articles of clothing??

xx Pants
xx Denims
xx Long Sleeved tops
xx t-shirts
etc

The only thing I am clear on is workout attire...keep enough to get me through until the load of laundry is washed. Do you do the same with everything else or do you keep a bunch for variety?? TIA!!

[anonomom]

I keep enough to get me through about a week and a half without doing laundry. (I HATE doing laundry). For each of my summer/winter wardrobes, I aim for 4 pairs of pants, about 10 tops, etc. But I'm a SAHM and I pretty much wear the same thing every day. When I was working, I think I had a little bit more variety.

[specialp]

As long as it still fits, is in great condition, up-to-date and I actually do wear out it then I keep it. I wouldn't keep pieces that you have to buy something else to go with it to make it work or the fit is off in anyway. I'm pretty ruthless at keeping a closet that I wear 100% of, but I've got a ton of denim and skirts. I wear it all so I'm fine keeping them.

[eagle]

i try to do laundry every day. if not, every other day, so im not much help to you. i keep 4 pairs of pants, 4 shirts, 4 tank tops (my pjs), 3 shorts.

[jennilynn]

Have you read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up? I used her method last year and it really helped cull my wardrobe. Since the major purge I'm able to look at what I have just before each season and think about what I need (I also implemented a color scheme so everything coordinates.) We do laundry once a week so I like to have about 5-6 pairs of slacks, 2-3 pairs of jeans, and enough tips to get me through two weeks. But a wardrobe is so personal because it depends greatly on not just y what you like but whether you need workwear, your climate, etc. The blog Unfancy helped me a lot too. She has lots of info on capsule wardrobes and how many items are enough.


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[Green_Tea]

I would recommend not clearing out clothes from any season other than the most recent. I have done several closet purges over the years, and have definitely eliminated items and then regretted it. This usually happens when I am purging winter clothes in 90 degree heat, or summer clothes when it's snowing. Start with summer clothes now. Then move all your fall and winter clothes to one end of the closet and see what you use over the next couple of weeks. Don't get rid of anything expensive or classic that might come in handy for a special occasion like a wedding or a funeral.

[gymnbomb]

I usually do laundry every weekend, but I like everyone to have enough clothes to go 2 weeks. This allows me to skip laundry occasionally on a busy weekend, and lets us go on a week plus travel days vacation and still have clothes to wear the day before and after!

Edit: This includes things like assuming we can wear a pair of pants or shorts 2-3 days, so DH and I don't need 14 pair of pants. DS however needs a new pair every day.


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[specialp]

I would recommend not clearing out clothes from any season other than the most recent. I have done several closet purges over the years, and have definitely eliminated items and then regretted it. This usually happens when I am purging winter clothes in 90 degree heat, or summer clothes when it's snowing. Start with summer clothes now. Then move all your fall and winter clothes to one end of the closet and see what you use over the next couple of weeks. Don't get rid of anything expensive or classic that might come in handy for a special occasion like a wedding or a funeral.

So true. I enforce the 1 year thing, but at the end of each season not before the season.

[goldenpig]

Here's some tips on closet editing from YLF:
https://youlookfab.com/2015/08/13/the-big-closet-edit/

I don't think it's a certain number to keep, or a certain length since you've last worn an item which is important. That number is going to be different for everyone and also depend on your available space.

It's more important whether your item of clothing still fits and is in good condition and whether you love it and feel good wearing it. If it doesn't meet all those criteria, it needs to be either repaired/altered, go to a temporary holding zone (maybe for a few months) or purged.

I live in a temperate climate so I don't pack things away and everything is out all year (except long coats in a coat closet upstairs). I've been doing regular purges every year or so, but it's still a little too stuffed at the moment so I need to do some more purging. I've gained some weight after baby #3 so I need to go through and re-try everything on.

[lizzywednesday]

I live in denim and t-shirts.

When I was working I also lived in denim and t-shirts. (I didn't have a customer-facing position & the "business casual" dress code wasn't exactly enforced.)

I'll be the first to admit that I dressed a lot better when I was pregnant!

Right now, I have 2 pairs of jeans (washed every 3rd or 4th wear, depending on grubbiness, weather, or stink level) but would prefer to have another pair or two. (Ideal world scenario for me: 4 pr jeans)

I like to keep a variety of dresses on hand. My current wardrobe is 3 spring/summer dresses (2 sleeveless, one cap-sleeve), 4 wrap dresses, and a couple of stretchy pullover types. I wear all of them frequently, except my "gig dress," which is solid black. (This is because I kind of hate the way I look in black.)

I could probably cull my shoes, considering how few pairs still fit my feet, especially the ballet flats that are super-cute but give me blisters.