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How to know when to keep

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

In Angie's blog post this morning she mentioned that her cigarette pants were old. From time to time other outfits our gorgeous leader wears features items from previous years. This has led me to do some thinking.

How do you know what items to keep from year to year? I have an extremely small closet, physical size speaking, and purge like a crazy woman every time the seasons change. It's hard to fit all my items into that wee closet of mine. But every year there's an item or two I wish I hadn't purged, that is back in style or that I suddenly miss.

This also has me wondering if a physically small closet actually causes me to buy more rather than less..for example, I end up purging a few items because I think they won't work next season and because other more trendy items have taken up the closet space and then I realize later on that I really do need those items I tossed and end up going and re-buying similar ones.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this ladies

General

52 replies

Latest reply was from Mander

Sara L.

Veteran

I'm curious about this too. I have the opposite problem and tend to be somewhat of a packrat and hold onto things past their expiration date. I try to only get rid of items because there is a problem with them - too short, too tight, wrong color, etc. I try not to get rid of something just because I'm sick of it - those are the purges I usually end up regretting.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I keep a big drawer full of items that are in "holding" pattern. This could also be a box stored under the bed, etc. I guess. I try not to let things go without at least some time in that holding spot. Often a full year or more!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I have been wondering this very same thing, Shannon!

Angie has a small but highly organized closet -- she doesn't even trade out by seasons, as I do, so I sometimes struggle to see how she does it. Although I think her "small" is still a tiny bit bigger than my "small" closet (I mean in physical space) because she mentioned the word walk-in. And mine is far from that.

Anyway, I can't wait to hear what she says, but in the meantime, I'm going to take a guess.

She hangs onto:

1. Items with a very high happiness factor that remain in pristine condition. Often (but not always) those might be her higher-ticket items.

2. Items that have a classic integrity. Not the trendy photo print jacket, but the pinstripe suit jacket.

3. "Statement" type items that don't date -- e.g. a Chanel bag.

4. SMALL sentimental items like jewellery.

5. Shoes that remain in good shape, are comfortable, are not dated, or are in very hard to find colours, heel heights, fits.

I am guessing she lets go of: anything that is no longer in pristine shape; anything that feels dated or that she wore to death -- especially if it is not high quality to begin with; anything that no longer fits or does not fit as she would like -- e.g. if trends are switching to more fluid fits, she lets go of exaggerated skinnies.

ironkurtin

Veteran

I'm going to second Suz. If something is in good shape and makes me happy, I don't purge it.

I tend to purge:
- items that no longer fit my body
- items that no longer fit my life UNLESS they are fallbacks/event clothing
- items that no longer fit my idea of myself
- items I didn't wear in a given season
- anything in bad shape

I am not terribly trend-driven but I still have a lot of churn, so I would love to reduce that as well.

Glory

Veteran

I want to add that my complete gut of the closet this week had as its primary question - Does it make me happy. If the answer was no or maybe I tossed.

Anonymous

If I LOVED something before but am not feeling it now I will save it for a while to see if the love returns. If something is extremely practical I will save it just to see if I can use it. I can always pass it along next time the season rolls around. If I know I haven't really tried to utilize an item I will hang on until I put it through a few rounds. And if something was expensive or a gift I usually feel guilty about not giving it a shot. But anything that feels mediocre every time I wear it has to go! Life is too short to be bummed out by things we can control.

shedev

Veteran

After tossing 180 items, I'm wondering this too. I also have a small closet space but I wish to avoid excessive churning. I'm still working out what is the right number of clothes for me.

JAileen

Veteran

I assume you are packing stuff away in the off season. Why don't you purge at the beginning of the season rather than at the end of the season? That is, right now you would be going through your fall and winter things rather than your spring and summer things. It might mean a few more storage bins, but maybe you could avoid regrets.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Good question. I find I am slower to purge. Just now getting rid of a couple items I bought over 3 years ago that were worn just once or twice, or not at all! I don't think I have a terribly large closet (4' rod) but I feel I have ample space for all seasons of my clothing. I do have a 6 drawer dresser, but it holds more utilitarian things like running gear, undies, lounge, PJ's, and only my sweaters from my 'regular' clothing. I do keep coats/jackets in a spare closet.
I often purge what feels wrong after I have worn it for that day.
I will purge ill fit and poor condition items.
I am slower to purge things that just don't get worn often. If I have the room, I'd rather leave it and give it (and me) a chance.

Oh, and often I will give previously-loved-but-now-dated-in-some-way items another last chance with an alteration or a dye job or changing buttons or removing embellishments or whatever. My thinking is no loss if it doesn't work out.

Nebraskim

Veteran

I have a huge walk-in closet (we turned an unused bedroom into a walk-in) and I have way more clothing than I need. I am an extremely practical buyer who almost never buys a trend. I buy classics that will last forever (I have woolen sweaters/cardigans than are literally 30 years old). I also have a sort of three year cycle. I might buy a new skirt, wear it to death in year one, relegate to "riding the bench" in year two, and then bring it out again in year three. I can do this because nothing is overly trendy, nor overly stylish. So my closet is deep. That being said, I purge a lot of stuff on kind of a continuing basis. Once I decide I don't like something, I'm ruthless in sending it out of the house. But it takes a while for me to reach that stage. Right now, my conundrum is that I've lost enough weight that all the stuff I wore 2 years ago is two sizes too big. So should I replace it verbatim, piece by piece, or start over on a new style journey? I am leaning toward the former because my style is pretty set: pencil skirts, shirt and topper, and I cannot see myself veering far from that "uniform."

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

I agree with Suz. This is the way I think about it, too, and I rarely regret my purges. The pieces I hang on to are in great shape and with high longevity factor, good basics/essentials like classic black trousers, turtle necks, v-necks etc. And silk blouses, too. A very classic dress is among the oldest pieces I have. I'm not prone to hang on to jerseys in cotton, anything faded, or patterned pieces.

ETA:

I've recently extended my holding zone due to practical reasons. After DD moved out, I can use her closet for a few pieces that I think I might want to wear during the season. If I don't use them, they will most likely be purged next year. Until now I've only had a small box for this.

Diana

Veteran

I'm another slow purger. I find it hard to let go of things even when they're obviously past their prime! That said, here are my criteria:

easy(er) choices:
--is it damaged beyond repair (i.e. off-seam holes, unremovable or unhideable stains, shrank too much)?
--does it still fit/can it be altered to fit? This doesn't apply so much anymore since my weight is stable but I did have a few really old items from ~10 yrs and 15 pounds ago that were clearly too tight.
--Does the new thing I just bought serve as a better/newer/updated exact replacement? (For example, I bought my EF booties specifically to replace my old BC clog booties, which were lower quality and less comfortable).
--Is it uncomfortable or fussy enough that it drives me nuts all day when I am wearing it?

more difficult choices:
--Have I worn it at all in the last year or so? If no, I usually try to wear it at least once before I decide, because sometimes I still love things and just forget about them for a while, or I just need a break.
--Is it still my style? This is a tough one because after all style is a continuum and we don't generally completely reinvent our style every 2 years or whatever. Rather, it shifts slowly and I am still sometimes attached to elements of my old style.
--Is it really, really, really dated? Three reallys because I'm not super concerned about being super trendy and current, and I have a retro, eclectic element to my style that allows me to incorporate things that might be seen as dated. So it has to really scream dated for me to get rid of it.

I do put things in a holding zone for a while. They go in the consignment/goodwill bags in my closet, which don't go out until they are full or it is the right season to consign/sell specific items.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Hm, this is a good question! I am mostly an emotional shopper and also an emotional purger, lol. I don't think I ever have the thought that I need to purge something because it won't work in the new season... maybe it's because I never get to that point, but I'd say I tend to purge for three main reasons:

I've moved on and can't stand looking at it, much less wearing it anymore.
I'm in love with a new purchase that makes the old version obsolete.
I loved the item so much that it now looks shabby.

That last one is a new one for me, and I'm kinda proud of it!

kkards

Veteran

ok, i think i've mentioned before, i'm a hoarder. i keep stuff that is classic and/or has a high happiness factor. i tend to keep footwear until it is so worn out that it can't be made to look good. same for bags.
i also use my dry cleaner to store off season clothing.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

It's interesting. Do you notice many of us have sort of turned this question on its head and talking about how they identify their purge-worthy items.

But the question is really, how do you identify what to keep? And there is a difference -- at least in my mind. Even though the result might be the same!

Peri

Veteran

I claim the title Queen of Hanging On. I just purged a 27 year old sweater and some jackets from the 80s...they were gifts from my mother so I held on out of guilt, but I didn't wear them because even I could tell they were dated.

So, I've never had a purge regret. Maybe I will have some as I get better at it!

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Yes, Suz, I noticed that. Because I don't have space issues, I default to keeping things unless they exhibit the things I listed as purge reasons. If it's not hopelessly dated, or ratty, or ill fitting, it basically stays in my closet. A few things I'll toss as just not really 'me' anymore but I keep if in question.
I have a tiered black chiffon skirt over 20 years old. I turned my dated wide legged matte satin pants(7+ years old) into cigarette legs that I now wear more than I ever did the original version. A more hasty person might have purged both these things, as they definitely had not been worn in the last year (or more).

Diana

Veteran

Suz, your question is interesting. In my case, I keep everything that I do not actively choose to purge. I like having a medium to large closet and having lots of variety. I can imagine that people who are interested in minimalism and small closets would be the opposite, actively identifying what to keep rather than what to purge.

Interestingly, I don't actually have a ton of closet space, AND I keep all four seasons of clothes out all the time. I do utilize what I have very efficiently though.

ironkurtin

Veteran

Also if I put on something andit makes my brain cramp during the day - like jeans that don't fit right, etc. - I IMMEDIATELY purge it. Gone. Byeeee!

JulieJohn

Veteran

Shannon, I really rebel against the idea that an item becomes dated and thus deserves to be tossed. Don't you think sometimes the dated-ness of an item gives it just the unexpected twist an outfit needs to be really stylish and fun? So the freshness or "use-by" date is never an issue for me, which makes me hard to rely on for your question.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Suz, you are giving my noggin a workout today, and I'm having a tough time with the distinction... if you already own it, aren't you automatically keeping it if it isn't up for the purge decision? Or maybe I have a mental block thinking that the default is to keep everything until the end of time unless something gets in the way, lol.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Well, Shannon asked: How do you know what to KEEP? In other words, she was talking about it from a purger's mentality.

I'm a purger, too -- far more than a saver. I have never actually regretted a purge, so for me, the question is moot in a way. But part of the reason I haven't regretted a purge is that until very recently I never had any clothes I really loved!

And I think Shannon's question is really a deeper one. How can we identify the core building blocks of our wardrobe -- those items that we require to make the whole thing run smoothly, to make outfits complete -- the way Angie's "old" pants did in this morning's outfit with her new pumps and top. We wouldn't want to purge those kinds of pieces unless they were truly worn out. But how to identify what they are, for us? Because each of us might have different core items.

Elly

Veteran

I loved to read others' entries. I will freely admit that I am a horrible purger when it comes to the closet (although I am great in other areas of my life, and am good at other's closets). I generally leave things hanging far too long, which having a very small working wardrobe allows me to do since I don't use up my closet space with things I regularly wear. Not a good pattern. I rarely come back to items seasons or years later and wear and enjoy them or wish I had kept something. Sometimes I will wear them out of guilt, but mostly that fails. If it is hanging unused there is a good reason and a careful session determining that really should be what I use to get rid of things. Occasionally it takes a day wearing it to discover faults, but usually closet play is enough for me (I do have tops I never wear because they are summer tops, but have stretched enough that I flash cleavage-- always figured out after wearing them all day).

I try to immediately purge basics and essentials that are in bad shape, as soon as I can no longer reasonably wear them or have purchased a replacement.

I purge other items because the fit isn't right and they aren't nice enough to tailor, a few years ago because my chest size and foot size had changed forever, when shoes are painful, when things ride uncomfortably and a few pounds doesn't change it, because I can't stand the fabric of something, or because something I didn't LOVE seems dated.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Wow! Such fabulous responses. But Suz has hit the nail on the head - my original question was how do we know what to keep? I'm pretty good with the purging, that's not the issue.

It is how can we identify what items we should continue to keep in our wardrobes knowing that one day we'll want or need to pull them out again? Is there a way these can even be identified?

I related the question to purging because I have found that there have been a few items I have purged that turned out could have been core wardrobe items. I'm in awe of Angie for being able to pull out those old cigarette pants and wear them in a new way today - but how did she know to keep those pants for "one day"?

Kim

Veteran

I have a theory that you have to have a happiness factor of 10 on the things that you want to keep long term (even when you aren't currently wearing them for various reasons.) I have a few things like that, an older Danier leather blazer comes to mind. It's pretty classic, (it's a blazer after all! LOL) and I love the distressed cognac leather look. I don't wear it a lot (weather and lifestyle) but when I do I feel fab, and I have a happiness factor of 10.

Anything else in my closet that doesn't have a 10 happiness factor (and it may not be "in style" any more to be a 10 but I STILL love it ) is up for purge when I'm in the mood. I have never regretted anything I've purged this way. Yes, I do have some "churn" in my closet, but I'm not looking to have a wardrobe that never needs another addition because I've got all perfect stuff...I like new additions. It's my hobby and it's always evolving. I don't apologize for that. I have the money to devote to my hobby and I thoroughly enjoy it, and feel no guilt when I fall out of love with something and pass it on.

What I really hate is when I love something with a 10 kind of love, but it wears out and I have to find a "new" love...much, much harder than purging, I think....LOL

rae

(website)

Veteran

Hm... so, each season, do you go through each piece of your wardrobe and evaluate whether to keep or purge? Honest question... I would have thought that Angie's pants would never have made it to the "chopping block" if you know what I mean. I guess I had figured they were old in age but had fit, flattered, and been in rotation all that time rather than being tucked away for someday.

Diana

Veteran

OK, I'll take a stab at looking at it from the keeping angle. (Although keep in mind that I am a slow keeper by default).

I wrote this in my earlier post:
"--Have I worn it at all in the last year or so? If no, I usually try to
wear it at least once before I decide, because sometimes I still love
things and just forget about them for a while, or I just need a break. "

I think this is a good rule for what to keep as well as what to purge. If it's still in good shape, fits, and hasn't been replaced by something better, I always try to wear it once before I decide to get rid of it. If I manage to make an outfit that feels and looks good, I'll keep the item around even if I don't wear it often. But I never toss an item just because I haven't worn it for a while.

I also keep not-quite-perfect items if they have a particular purpose. I.e. dressy interview shoes or something like that. These items are on the list of "things to be replaced but not to be tossed until the replacement appears" because even though I might not love them, they serve a purpose, even if it's rarely fulfilled.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

It will be interesting to hear what Angie says. Since she keeps all her stuff in one place, I'll bet these pants were consistently in rotation -- or at least in rotation in theory -- available to wear, should she want to. She may or may not have wanted to wear them very often.

I DO go through each piece in my wardrobe every season -- more than every season -- and evaluate whether to keep. My process is: review at the end of a season. Get rid of the chaff. Put things that are out of season in my second closet. Review the clothes for the NEW season as I bring them into my main closet. Yes, I reviewed them before storing, but I review again. (And usually find a few things that aren't as great as I thought they were, LOL. )

And then within a season, if something if giving me the pip, I often get rid of it on the fly. Everything comes up for review, constantly.

In other words, I have a lot of churn. LOL.

But as I said, I have never ever regretted getting rid of something. I don't get rid of the stuff I love, or the stuff that is (to me) essential and is still in good condition.

How do I know what is "essential"? Well, if I had a pair of cigarette pants that fit as well as Angie's do, they would be essential because they are a classic and I love the style.

Note -- it could be classic, but not a style I love...in which case I would be less inclined to keep.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Diana raises a good point. I won't purge just because I haven't worn it in a while, either. That is why when people use that "have you worn it in x time" rule, I always feel a bit uncomfortable. There are lots of possible reasons one might not wear something. And sometimes the item might be extremely useful in the right circumstance. So even though I'm an eager purger, (or maybe I should say "editor" -- it sounds so much nicer) I still hang onto some things that I haven't worn in a season.

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