When to purge older larger size clothes??

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Replies

  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    edited January 2018
    My waist is now 32.5" down from 40.

    With vanity sizing, I could fit a pair of 35" pants (even when my waist was actually 40" but I did have to suck it in). So, bought a lot of 35" waist pants over time.

    Just sorted out my pants and have about 20 pairs of 35" khakis and jeans that are laughably large on me now.

    Am going to keep 2 of the best of each, throw out any that are worn/torn and donate the rest.

    The few 34" pants that I have are loose but most still fit (w/the aid of a belt) . So, I'm keeping all of them.

    Already bought new 32" pants which fit well when I bought them but are also starting to get loose.

    So, I'm going to try on some 30" pants to see how they fit. Haven't worn a pair of 30" waist pants since I was in jr high school over 50 years ago.

    I know it's only an artifact of vanity sizing but it will still be a big stroke to the ego if I can find some 30" pants that fit.

    I have a 42" chest (which remained unchanged during my weight loss) and still wear large sized shirts, jackets, etc. but I am finding some large sized items are too baggy and am starting to buy some things in medium, which I never did before.

    So, the weight loss wasn't limited to my waist but fortunately I don't have to toss or give away any of my shirts, jackets, etc. yet.
  • chelliz88
    chelliz88 Posts: 62 Member
    dhoffinator wrote: »
    I have drawers full of clothing for 3 sizes up and am afraid to let them go! Started weight loss journey 13 months ago and in maintenance since April. I don't need the space back but wonder if keeping the clothes is like admitting I will be back there in larger sizes some day! When is it time to let go?

    I donated a lot of older clothes to a women's shelter. It made me feel a lot better about letting them go!
  • shenanigans_
    shenanigans_ Posts: 457 Member
    SolotoCEO wrote: »
    Get rid of them now! I get rid of mine (trash or donate) as soon as they are too big. It really helps me know I'll never be that size again.

    My thoughts, too.
  • 1theresamcvean
    1theresamcvean Posts: 928 Member
    dhoffinator wrote: »
    I have drawers full of clothing for 3 sizes up and am afraid to let them go! Started weight loss journey 13 months ago and in maintenance since April. I don't need the space back but wonder if keeping the clothes is like admitting I will be back there in larger sizes some day! When is it time to let go?

    For some things I would have them tailored. Especially if you still like them or invested a lot in them, such as coats, suits, dresses, skirts, even jeans and shorts.
  • bubaluboo
    bubaluboo Posts: 2,098 Member
    I tend to get rid of two sizes up, so as I move down a size say to size 10, the larger size (12) goes in the loft and the even larger size (14) already in the loft goes to goodwill. When I recently re-gained some, I went back to my clothes in the loft but had to get things back in gear before I outgrew those. Not sure whether if I'd not got larger clothes in the loft I'd have let myself regain as much as I did.
  • tyoung526
    tyoung526 Posts: 7 Member
    I will be getting rid of my larger items. I have a lot of clothes that I bought last time I lost weight that I have not been able to fit into until now. I found hanging on to the larger clothes gave me an "out" when I began to regain the weight. I am much more determined to maintain my weight this time and my frame of mind is more on a life style change than simply weight loss. So, good bye, Big Girl Clothes!!!!
  • WilmaValley
    WilmaValley Posts: 1,092 Member
    I purged old clothes and it felt great!
  • Frankie_Fan
    Frankie_Fan Posts: 562 Member
    I've kept a lot of my bigger band tees, they make great sleep shirts. ;)
  • puddlegoober
    puddlegoober Posts: 291 Member
    I really want to get rid of my old clothes when I get to my goal weight. I don't want to be able to go back to the way things were. I really can't imagine a situation that could require me going back.

    If I do go back, it's because I gave up.

    I don't want to do that again. I WANT to be healthy. I want to feel and look good. I kinda want to make it hard for me to go back. But I'm scared, too.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    ASAP. Second hand clothes - Goodwill, Salvatin Army - are your friend! And I did learn to alter many of my favorite clothes to bring them down four sizes.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    Frankie_Fan wrote: »
    I've kept a lot of my bigger band tees, they make great sleep shirts. ;)

    Same here! I also kept this Old Navy mens XXL t-shirt for when I color my hair at home, and it makes me laugh every time I put it on because I was wearing it when I met my now-husband and it fit pretty snugly and now it's like a nightdress with longish sleeves.
  • caroldavison332
    caroldavison332 Posts: 864 Member
    Resizing tip: if your belt is too big, put it on a cutting board and poke a new hole in it with a (roast) meat fork.
  • caroldavison332
    caroldavison332 Posts: 864 Member
    Resizing tip: It cost $15 for me to get my pants hemmed. I only paid that much because they are dress pants. Consider the price of new clothing vs. tailoring.
  • sssgilbe
    sssgilbe Posts: 89 Member
    caroldavison332 wrote: »
    WEIGHT LOSS RITUAL: Pack up your too big clothing and take them to the thrift shop* every 10 pounds. On your way in, look up at the sky, shake your first to the heavens and say in your best Scarlet O'Hara voice "With God as my witness, I'll never be chubby again!"

    *if they are work clothing donate them to a place that helps the homeless get better jobs.

    Dress for Success always needs nice work clothes in larger sizes.
  • chelliz88
    chelliz88 Posts: 62 Member
    edited February 2018
    .
  • mgookin
    mgookin Posts: 92 Member
    For every piece of clothing I buy, I get rid of something that Is to big. A lot of my nice expensive clothes from torrid and lane bryant I do still have but I put them away in storage. I don't want to just send it to goodwill and I haven't found anyone I know that fits them.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    mgookin wrote: »
    For every piece of clothing I buy, I get rid of something that Is to big. A lot of my nice expensive clothes from torrid and lane bryant I do still have but I put them away in storage. I don't want to just send it to goodwill and I haven't found anyone I know that fits them.

    mgookin, have you considered selling online (locally such as Craigslist or facebook, or bigger sites like poshmark)?

    I had very good luck with this. At one point, I actually had a garage sale that was 90% clothing in sizes 14-20 and it was a huge hit. Especially with the higher end and good quality plus stuff on offer...people came out in droves, seriously. I made a few hundred in a couple hours (although I don't wanna think about original price of the items hehe)

  • marissafit06
    marissafit06 Posts: 1,996 Member
    No problem with keeping clothes that are +/- 1 size around. I fluctuate pretty predictably throughout the year and I like having something comfortable to wear when I'm starting to get chubby. I am pretty in tune with my body and so am aware that it's time to lose weight.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    This is a tough one for me. I lost a lot of weight a few years ago, bought a fair amount of clothing at my new smaller size and got rid of most of my bigger stuff. I was running at the time and I ended up needing knee surgery and started gaining while recovering and got completely off track and gained back nearly all the weight. Fast forward to now and those smaller clothes fit properly again. I really think this time is different, but it's hard to pull the trigger. On the flip side, when I was discouraged a couple of years ago I almost donated the jeans I am wearing and a couple of others the same size because they depressed me when I was going through my clothes and came across them. Difference in weight is close to 60 pounds.
  • Momepro
    Momepro Posts: 1,509 Member
    When they start looking bad enough that you needed new stuff, get rid of the old stuff.
  • Kst76
    Kst76 Posts: 935 Member
    HDBKLM wrote: »
    Add me to the list of those who started donating stuff upon it getting 'comically big'. I've bought a few pieces to replace those but generally the state of my wardrobe has shifted in the direction of quality over quantity (although I haven't reached goal weight yet so when I talk about quality I'm not exactly talking about a Chanel investment).

    That shift in itself has felt good; that is, having a smallish wardrobe where everything always looks great rather than the paradox of a closet full of stuff but nothing to wear. I'd call it a second reason to get rid of your too-big clothes, not just fear of gaining back.

    For reference (but not a specific recommendation), I'd say I have about 12 days worth of clothes at the moment without repeating anything except jeans, leggings, and tights (i.e., 12 days of dresses and shirts), and I've taken about 6 of those big blue Ikea bags to the drop-off receptacles in my city. Quite a sense of liberation.


    I love your profile pic!
  • YosemiteSlamAK
    YosemiteSlamAK Posts: 1,230 Member
    I usually donate my old clothes. I have a problem with owning too many shirts, lucky for me, I have a couple friends that sew. One of my sewing friends was kind enough to volunteer to make me pillows out of some of my old shirts I just couldn't get rid of. When I reach my weight loss goal she's making me a quilt out of a bunch of my old shirts as well.
  • jrochest
    jrochest Posts: 119 Member
    HellYeahItsKriss wrote: »
    Personally.. i wouldn't throw away anything until you've been in maintenance a few years... I threw away all my stuff and put weight back on.. lol mind you a lot of my clothes still seem to fit for now.. but.. i thought i was gonna be one of those people who would have no problems keeping it off.. and not be a statistic.. i was wrong.

    I've not gotten through the entire thread, but this is my take on this too. In a lifetime of weight loss and gain I've donated or given away all my 'fat clothes' when I'm thin and all my 'thin clothes' when I'm fat, and lived to regret it every time. Like augustremulous I finally decided a few years ago that I would spend money on GOOD 'big' clothes rather than scouring Goodwill every time I grew out of a size (it helps that I have a decent income). As a result I have a pretty awesome professional wardrobe in a size 14, and those don't get donated EVER: when I can't wear them any more they go in the basement in boxes. There's many sad things about being bigger, but for me weight gain sorrow would be compounded if I had thrown out my DVF dresses and properly fitting, flattering pants. Finding stuff that fits and flatters your body type isn't easy when you're larger. I happily donate the in-between stuff, with the exception of some really wonderful 'placeholder' pants or jeans. It's much easier to find cheap and cheerful size 12s and size 10s than larger sizes.
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,748 Member
    I got rid of all my big pants, but wish I kept one for comparison. Got rid of most tops but still wore the warmer ones around the house during the winter but now that winters almost over I need to get rid of them. I'll have to buy all new ones plus summer ones & summer shorts. Went from size 18/20 to 12/14
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,748 Member
    During my wt loss in progress, I shopped at thrift stores so not to spend much $ on clothes that were temporary. I don't plan on ever gaining weight back. Gave the nicer clothes to my best friend, who is not losing wt. I gave her some really nice things
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