DD and I used a modified Kondo method when sorting her clothing before she moved across the country, to address some of the drawbacks mentioned here by LaPed. In our first step, I held up each item in her wardrobe. I watched the immediate expression on her face. Sometimes she wanted to touch the item and I watched her face as she did this as well. I created three piles…..obvious like, hesitant, and giveaway. We reviewed the obvious like pile to make sure DD could meet her functional wardrobe needs, (ie. Create outfits for anticipated situations and climate). We had to retrieve a few items from the hesitant pile, but not many. With this method, I suspect the items that LaPed says she loves but finds itchy, or have fussy features would have landed in the hesitant pile not the obvious like. DD found homes among her friends for many of the hesitant and giveaway pile items before donating the rest.
Using a modified Kondo method is cumbersome on a larger wardrobe like yours and mine because it requires looking at everything all at once to complete the functional analysis at the end. The use of a visual planner or wardrobe tracker app for this purpose would be helpful. I admire every person on this forum who tracks wears and purchases, yet I have not had the wherewithal or persistence (discipline?) to do so myself. I edit my wardrobe by category or by storage location. I do not know what percent of my wardrobe is perfect vs. would end up in the “hesitant” category, although I do have essential and basic pieces that I love and wear on repeat. They are not stylish on their own, but they form a smooth canvas upon which the other pieces rely.
I do not worry about giving my clothing away. If I do not keep something, I usually find a friend of someone who will use it. First dibs on my clothes go to DD and her best friend. They both wear the same size clothing as me. DD’s friend seems to have a similar foot shape and size and she often takes shoes and boots I give away. In the past, any outgrown children’s clothing that was not too damaged or stained from wear was donated to the donation closets in the school buildings where I work. If you have children, you may want to check to see if your school district accepts these items. In our school, items most requested include socks, underwear, belts, towels, shoes, coats, hats, gloves, boots, jeans. I donate the rest of my clothing to local charities.
