Purging in a 4-Season Climate: Help?

Emily

I'm about due to cull rejects out of my closet and I have a few things marked for deletion (near-literally, with a "Meh" tag in my stylitics closet). The thing is, though, that I've noticed that a lot of the potential rejects are spring/summer pieces, some of which I wore heavily. Some just don't fit quite right (but are fine in a pinch or layered a particular way), and some are starting to look just tired enough that I think twice about wearing them.

For those of you in climates with distinct seasons, how do you handle off-season rejects? Should I be ruthless and let future Emily deal with the fallout in Spring 2014? Should I hedge my bets? And would you keep the better condition/worse fit pieces, or the tired condition/better fit pieces?

12 years ago

General

13 replies

Latest reply was from unfrumped

Anonymous

I purge some things at the end, but the main at the start of that season. Sometimes I am just tired of something, which is why I feel meh about it. Othertimes it really is looking worn and needs to go. I find if I purge at the start of the season, I have a better idea of what I need to buy.

I would say purge all the worn, ill-fitting items at the end of the season, and keep the meh ones until spring.

12 years ago

AviaMariah

Veteran

I have been doing what you're doing - purge at the end of a season. But it can be dangerous. My thinking is if I get rid of what I now remember that I didn't love, I will be forced to replace and won't spend the whole next season reminding myself of why I didn't love a certain item.

12 years ago

Glory

Veteran

I have done both and it can lead to some regrets on the items you are tired of. I would purge the items that are worn and place the others in a holding zone.

12 years ago

Anonymous

I live in a 4 season climate too. I tend to purge as I go all throughout the year. I have found that being more ruthless in purging has left me with a closet I am happier opening in the morning!

12 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I purge both at the end and the beginning of a season. At the end of the season, I get rid of anything that is looking really worn, tired, or anything that doesn't fit right. I also cast out anything that irritates me in the wearing (you know how sometimes you can't tell, until after the tags come off? Those things.) And if it doesn't suit my current style direction, out it goes.

If I'm not sure (and/ or if I plan to give it to my stepdaughter) I save it in my secondary, off-season closet until the beginning of the following year. I then do another cull, gifting good but "not working for me" items or taking them to consignment.

I also get rid of some things mid-season, either when a better replacement item appears, or when I realize that my requirements are shifting and the item no longer works for me. No reason to keep it around if it doesn't make me feel my best.

12 years ago

milehighstyle (Linda)

Veteran

What Ceit said. I generally purge at the beginning of a season, when I'm taking things out of storage and putting them in my closet. If I have no desire to wear something, I immediately put it in the donation bag. I don't call for a pickup right away, so that if by some chance I miss a particular item or absolutely need it, I can rescue it. I find that at the end of a season, I'm getting tired of a lot of things that I've worn very recently and this can skew their value to me.

12 years ago

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

I am sooooo antsy to do just that: purge the warm weather stuff right now. Instead, I took everything that is in good condition, and that I think I will still love next spring, and put it in a second closet. But then it occurs to me, that there isn't anything I have ever purged, out of season, that I regretted later. So I may revisit the warm-weather stuff again.

12 years ago

(website)

Veteran

This time around, moving back to FL I tried to bring all the warm weather stuff (minus some high heels) and a few select cold weather faves and good remixers. I found right off the bat 4 or 5 items, that I'd bothered to pack and lug through the airport, I didn't want to wear at all the minute it came time to put them on! So fresh eyes at the beginning of a season is a real thing. I mean, a week before in the gradually cooling Tahoe temps I thought they were going to get worn in the heat, but once in the new climate again, found they really weren't.
I also purge as I go, like Suz, if wearing something feels off. It doesn't go back in the closet.

12 years ago

Lisa

Veteran

I'm with others and purge both at the beginning and end of the season. Unworn items may wait til the next season, just in case I needed a one season break and want to wear it again. Worn out items are tossed and replacements are the first purchases when the season rolls around again.

12 years ago

Thistle

Veteran

I am also in a 4 season climate, and here is my strategy:

1. I purge at the end of the season when I am moving my clothing into storage. I have half of a 6 foot non-walk in closet. So, I have to swap in and out.

2. I purge at the beginning of a season as I am taking the pieces out and hanging them in my closet. Do I still like it? Does it still fit (heaven help my ever changing body!!)? Does it meet my style goals? Should it become lounge wear?

3. If something bugs me mid season, I put it in the donate pile right then and there. No better time than when you are really wearing your clothes to know if you like them. Too short sweater? Out. That tee finally too dingy to wear? Turned into rags.

I can be a bit ruthless on this, but space is tight and I really want to know everything in my closet fits, is comfortable, and works so I grab and go.

12 years ago

K. Period.

Veteran

Ditto what Ceit and Suz said. And double ditto what Thistle said.
I purge things that I've had it with in-season if they annoy me enough.
I purge worn out when I'm packing for the seasonal switch-out.
I also purge at the end of the season things that I know I should be purging, but keep finding myself holding onto for the wrong reasons. If I'm strong enough to purge that item, I do it.
I then purge again at the beginning of the season.
But I add this purge too: I put things that I'm pretty sure I will be purging or should be purging in a box that I have access too, but not easy access. If I don't get it out during the season, then it needs to go and I get rid of it in the next end-of-season purge.

12 years ago

krishnidoux

Veteran

Agree with above.
I keep some out-of-season items in a closet, the rest in blue plastic bins, cleaned, dry cleaned and neatly folded. Everything that needs mending or alteration is taken care of before storage.This process help me choose what I keep in the bins.

12 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

What Thistle said.

With adding, I am doing much more end-of-season tossing--meaning really toss, not just holding zone-- this past year than in years past, and I think that is a good thing. It really does clear the decks and open up more possibilities.
I used to do relatively little, and just planned to go through when I pulled stuff out for the new season.

My "3-season" plan fits into this as well; I am trying to keep all medium-season items in my main closet at all times and see if some of them can be worked into more seasons as layers or remixing to really challenge the CPW. That makes it more likely for me to figure out if something is just meh.

Since my largest category is work wear, and since work is climate-controlled, I know I will always have plenty of something to wear at any one season transition because many items can overlap, even if specific items are more ideal. That means if I actually had none of this or that type of top, I could still function and enjoy shopping to find some replacements. I am using that concept to remind myself that it's unlikely (barring natural disaster or sudden health problem!) that I'd have to buy regular clothing in panic mode. This is allowing me to make bolder decisions about what I no longer want to use.

You can use a holding zone safety net or a minimum number of garments net--as in, perhaps you'd like to be sure you had 2 weeks of somethings to wear,whether fab or meh.

12 years ago

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