What did you do with your old clothes?

135

Replies

  • well before I started on here I'd already lost half the weight I need to lose, (I Just started on here to compliment my endomondo exercise tracking, now that I've gotten past the diet alone and am into the diet and exercise stretch, I've lost 100 and have 100 to go)

    So here's what I did with my Size 28/30-ish stuff

    Altered what could be altered, then with the exception of the jeans, I had a clothes swap, a bunch of friends and me got together with our various piles of stuff that didn't fit and we swapped around. Everything that was left over went to goodwill.

    Jeans I will keep a pair of larger/looser intact, just in case (a tight shirt can be dealt with but if your pants are too tight you can't move. and a cheap shirt that fits is way easier to find than a cheap pair of jeans that fit)

    The rest of the jeans I cut up for the studio (I'm an artist) Denim makes excellent paint rags, and the back pockets make instant pen and pencil "cups" with the addition of a wall and a couple of thumb tacks. the watch pockets make a great way to keep conté crayons from getting dust all over everything else in my pencil boxes, and I can usually get about five or six painting rags out of the legs.

    So jeans get turned into art supplies lol.
  • phyllisbobbitt
    phyllisbobbitt Posts: 347 Member
    :flowerforyou: I sold my clothes at a yard sale & made over $500.00 from it! I put the sizes for sale in the paper and I was bombarded with heavy people! I sold size 3x to size large! I kept my mediums just in case down the road I might gain some but got rid of the really large clothes because I don't plan on ever going back!
  • GingerLolita
    GingerLolita Posts: 738 Member
    I give all my clothes to charity (or sometimes to friends). Unless it's an absolute favorite article of clothing that I can't bear to part with, I'd rather someone else be using it. Also, my closet is overflowing with clothes I actually wear...
  • kcatlin9
    kcatlin9 Posts: 321 Member
    I sold my clothes at a consignment shop for in store credit towards new clothes. That way, I'm not without clothes and I'm not spending a fortune on new clothes.

    Bingo. Whole new wardrobe without breaking the bank.

    Anything consignment didn't take went to Goodwill.
  • pita7317
    pita7317 Posts: 1,437 Member
    I give them to a couple of friends to see if they would like anything.
    Which they always do. :) anything they don't want goes to charity.
    My smallest friend alters things by sewing to fit her.
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    I own a sewing machine.
    [/quote]

    The down side of having several sewing machines is that the more you trim the fabrics you, well I end up with loads of off cuts.

    What do you do with the off cuts and the threadbare fabrics???

    help
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    I did different things with my old clothes:

    1. Gave some away to the goodwill (only when I could bring in old clothes and get 30% off coupons for towards my next purchase).

    2. Threw away some out that were worn out.

    3. Sold some of the nicer things online.

    4. Got some items altered. I had a lot of stretchable tops and leggings that still fit okay, but were extremely baggy in my waist and sometime in my hip area. I went to my tailor to try on the items, she pinned the items to fit the way I wanted and they turned out good as new, just with less fabric!

    5. I kept some. Not because I'm afraid of gaining but to keep for motivation. I had some clothes that I loved but I was uncomfortable in because they were too tight or didn't fit me right. Just yesterday I slid in a pair of old jeans without unbuttoning and unzipping them. 2 years ago I could barely zip them up let alone sit in them. To know I could fit another half of me in them now gives me tons of motivation to keep going!

    Also my feet shrunk 1.5 sizes and went from wide to normal so I had to choice but to replace the majority of my shoes, flip-flops and boots.
  • ryanropers
    ryanropers Posts: 2 Member
    I had to have all my pants taken in, even had to buy some new. All my old stuff actually fits or is too baggy now. Which means more shopping for me. Had to buy a leather punch to add holes to all my belts too.
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
    Goodwill.
  • Camera_BagintheUK
    Camera_BagintheUK Posts: 707 Member
    Mixture of donating to charity shops, and taking them in. Some stuff I'm glad to see the back of - far too much in my wardrobe that was there because it would go on/do up rather than because I liked it or it suited me.

    Some stuff I don't want to part with though!

    Very keen to talk to people who know what they're doing with a sewing machine BTW so send me a friend request if you like :smile:
  • I donated them. There are women's shelters and organizations that provide clothing to women who are getting back on their feet after divorce or the death of her husband, and my husband put me in contact with them to be able to make the donations.

    I also donated to Purple Heart.

    My husband donated his old clothing to Purple Heart and to the charity drive at the local fire department, which was collecting clothing and household goods for a family in the area.
  • I've been putting my old clothes in the recycling box for collection alongside my household waste. By keeping the old stuff, I was in danger of going back to old habits knowing I had larger clothes to wear. Being able to buy more fashionable clothes that fit better has been a great incentive!
  • _SABOTEUR_
    _SABOTEUR_ Posts: 6,833 Member
    I held on to them for a bit, but after a couple of months they all went to charity.
  • alliemarie77
    alliemarie77 Posts: 378 Member
    I have given away almost all of my clothes to friends. I have started gathering a few new ones that are starting to get to big for me.
    I have gone from a 5x-2x. The 2x is now baggy. So I see a 1x or a large in my near future. (-:
  • RobinsEgg
    RobinsEgg Posts: 3,702 Member
    Congratulations to all of you for losing all that weight and being able to donate, sell or give away your clothes. I have a huge amount of clothes I am trying to decide with to do with. Many are in good shape and current style so I just might try selling the blazers jackets and trousers on Craigs list and giving the rest to charity. Thanks for the tips.
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
    Donate or toss depending on condition - do not keep any "just in case". To me, that is like planning to gain it back. I want to make it a difficult obvious problem if I start gaining again.
  • I gave them all to Goodwill.
  • WAHMto5
    WAHMto5 Posts: 375 Member
    I gave some to friends, others to Goodwill and some to consignment! Couldn't get rid of them fast enough, though it took me awhile at first to let them all go.
  • When I lost 30lbs a few years ago, I gave some of my clothes to my friends who needed them. The others I anonymously donated to students I had in school who needed them. I wish I would have thought of a consignment store!

    I would not donate them to Goodwill- that place is a sweatshop with a billionaire owner.
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-hrabe/the-worst-corporation-in-_b_1876905.html

    The Salvation Army is a marvelous and truly philanthropic store. Another great place is Clothes Closets, which are like food pantries. And there are programs to help professionally dress under-priveldged women and men returning to the workforce. I would check your local women's shelter or community college.

    As for keeping them in-case, no way. Get rid of ALL of them. Having a "Get-out-of-jail-free-card" is never a good plan. Check out folks (like me) who are back to losing weight because they had those comfy one size bigger yoga pants. Then three years later they are 50 lbs over-weight and cranky at themselves. (By "they" I mean "me")

    You did it! Congratulations! Now buy yourself clothes that fit and are gorgeous and don't look back!
    peace.
  • I gave some to friends, donated the rest. I decided to get rid of my clothes as I go along and lose, and they become too big, because there is no going back!
  • dym123
    dym123 Posts: 1,670 Member
    I have been donating most of my "too big" clothes, though I still keep a few items that I wear around the house. Yesterday I attended a clothing swap where I was able to get rid of the last of my transition clothes. This was my first clothing swap, it was interesting and I left with less than I came with, which is good. I still have some suit separates that I'm trying to decide whether or not to donate or have them altered.
  • slim4health56
    slim4health56 Posts: 439 Member
    Every Spring & Fall I go through both of my closets and thin them. Not just for size, but style and wear.... Anything worth donating, I donate to a women's shelter that gives them to women interviewing and re-entering to the work force. I don't want anyone to have to pay for them... and as a survivor, it's my little way of giving back.

    LOVE this idea - much better idea than the Salvation Army plan I'd worked out. Thanks!
  • JL2513
    JL2513 Posts: 867 Member
    I donated a bunch of pants earlier in my journey and will do a full closet overhaul once I reach my goal. I have no intention of keeping my fat clothes because I swear I will never let myself get big enough to need them ever again. Definitely looking forward to donating lots more clothes soon!
  • stephenson2012
    stephenson2012 Posts: 94 Member
    I have altered some things along the way. My 12's pants are an 8, while large tops are mediums or smalls. My belts I took to a shoe repair place and had him cut 3 inches off from the buckle end and punch a hole. I have given some clothes and shoes to friends. Work clothes have gone to Suited for Success. I donated to American Red Cross. I am not going back to that size so why should it take up space in my closet.
  • Slenderizeme1
    Slenderizeme1 Posts: 11 Member
    I sell my clothes that are too big on ebay, they sell so fast and then I use that money to buy the next size down. So far Im down from a size 24 to a 20 now. My 20 is getting big so I will be selling them on ebay so I can buy my next size down then.
  • godsgrl33
    godsgrl33 Posts: 307 Member
    I never paid a whole lot for my old ones, because I love garage sales and goodwill (clearance racks, too!!!), so I guess it was easier to just get rid of them. I donated mine to friends, or one of the thrift shops around here. It is very freeing. And, don't ever go back to that XXL size!
  • soniams
    soniams Posts: 95 Member
    My weight loss effort took two years. Along the way, I donated all of the clothing that I shrunk out of. I felt it was very important to not have the larger sizes available to me. This fueled my motivation to keep losing weight. I bought a new wardrobe three times during my weightloss effort. I did not buy a full selection of clothing, just a few pieces to get me through a couple seasons. I have been at my current size for just over a year. What helps me to maintain my weight is feeling the snuggness in my clothes when I gain a few pounds.

    One regret I do have is not saving one piece of clothing from my largest size. I would have liked to have something as a reminder.
  • tenajh
    tenajh Posts: 208 Member
    Donated every item not worn in one year and each item that was worn out or too large, I am still working on the last 10 #, but am looking forward to 2 more pairs of jeans I want to fit in well again.
  • proudjmmom
    proudjmmom Posts: 145 Member
    I am almost to maintenance, but as I shrink out of an item of clothes it goes.....I have sold some items, but I mostly just give them to the women's shelter, or some other group that can make good use of them. No need to keep them for me, I am NEVER going back to those sizes, and knowing I have no other clothes to fall back into should I get off track is a good incentive to keep it off!
  • highervibes
    highervibes Posts: 2,219 Member
    I donated mine to a women's shelter. The co-ordinator said they could really make use of all my business stuff on job interviews