brutal wardrobe cull method - YouLookFab Forum

Category

General

brutal wardrobe cull method

shedev

Veteran

I was looking at a video about closet editing last night. It was the same old yes, no, maybe piles but one of the commenters had a way of approaching this that I haven't heard before. Take everything out of closet. For each item, ask yourself, would I buy this again? Yesses stay and nos go. At first I thought, pretty cool. Then I thought brutal cull. I put this into practice in the ss shirt, vest section of my closet. Out of 48 things, I kept 28. Most of the kept things were purchased within the last year. Some of the nos are things I do wear. I'm not sure I'd use this to cull. Some of the nos are gonna sneak back in. I just thought I'd put this out there. Does anyone use this approach?

General

15 replies

Latest reply was from Caro in Oz

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I sure do!

It's surprising how much my style has changed over the last year with my major life changes ... and a lot of the stuff I used to love the answer to if I would buy it again is "HELL-NO!"

Anonymous

Yes, I do sometimes, but then I am brutal about culling. I talk to my clothes and have a little exit interview with them as I'm removing them to the holding zone. I want to know exactly why they didn't work out so I don't repeat the mistake. Sometimes it's a matter of a shirt being an inch too short or having french cuffs that drive me nuts.

Shedev, have you tried using the hidden holding zone for your items? If you dig one out to wear again and like it, you can always reinstate it.

amiable

Veteran

Ooh - I like it! I'm in the midst of a brutal cull, and think I'll use that!

milehighstyle (Linda)

Veteran

Claire, I love the exit interview idea!

Astrid

Veteran

That really is a brutal method! I think I want to try it, even if I don't see it through.

ETA

Claire, I recently read "Magic Cleaning" by Marie Kondo and in there she talks about something similar. She suggests 'talking' to every item you decide to toss before doing it. Some of her thoughts were a bit esoteric for my taste, but I thought it was a good book.

shedev

Veteran

I kinda think the holding zone gives me too much time to justify keeping stuff that doesn't really work for me. I never do seem to miss something after its gone but I have a hard time admitting I wasted my money. I have culled a ton of stuff. I've gotten so much better at evaluating things at the point of purchase. It's why I rebuy most of the stuff from the last year. I think that putting items into capsules and buying for my persona has really helped. Before I used to see the thing I liked, such as color, and just buy on that.

rachylou

Veteran

No, because sadly, I would buy everything again. I like what I buy; it just doesn't necessarily like me back...

Thistle

Veteran

I have not heard this method, and I agree it is very brutal. Especially as we all have a budget to adhere to, and it just isn't practical to be constantly rebuying. Perhaps once you have your style all ironed out and are really very good at only buying perfect pieces it would work. I bet it would work for Angie!

I do love Claire's idea of an exit interview!

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

I rarely regret culling anything, and I'm pretty ruthless with my pieces. I think the method would work well for me.

bj1111

Veteran

@rachy...SO true. i love each and every one of my acquisitions. even the ones i've let go. i still have a hole in my heart.

MovingFashionForward

This brutal cull method is treating sunk costs as not sunk (see http://www.daviddfriedman.com/.....er_13.html) and thus may not be as rational an approach as one might hope.

On the other hand, if the wardrobe being culled is a fraction as out-of-control as mine is....

Every now and then I fear finding myself on one of the many documentaries about hoarders we've been seeing on British TV of late. So don't let me infect you with my clothes hoarding! In my defence, though, I did give 3 pairs of uncomfortable shoes to a charity shop a few years ago, and I do have a (small, admittedly) pile of castoff clothes waiting for another trip to a charity shop.

shedev

Veteran

Thistle, I think we could use it to decide on a single item without the massive overhaul.
Rachy, Ingunn, and bj111, it's awesome how well you are at finding the things you love and parting with things once the love is gone.
MFF, I was pretty out of control too. I've done a couple massive culls over the last year and I'm doing a 2 out for every 1 in. Hoarder shows just make me want to pitch it all.

Anonymous

Yeah, the stuff in my holding zone is lucky to last a week before I take it to the consignment store. I actually have to sneak clothes out of the house now instead of the reverse! Just because an item is perfect, doesn't mean it's perfect for me or my style. Luckily my sales have been funding my purchases even though I am losing money.

@Astrid, I've not read Magic Cleaning, but I'll check to see if it's on Amazon.

Raisin

Veteran

Yes, I think I would eliminate a lot of items that way!

Caro in Oz

Veteran

Yes I do use this & find it very helpful. It forces me to think about why I wouldn't buy it again - like bad fit, poor fabric or colour etc.