No more unnecessary clothes buying

sjprmc01

Not too sure if there is much point to this thread as clothes are not very 'consumable' but I'm hoping starting a thread, and eventually writing up a list akin to a 'stash' list may help me (and other mindless purchasers) keep track of the clothes they have+use and hopefully ease the way toward getting rid of the items we have no use for.

I would be highly embarrassed to list my clothing owned ATM, I probably have, easily, 1000 items!

I will also be counting footwear.

And I'm currently awaiting an order from my 'fat person' catalogue!

I intend to include the kids clothes too but not OHs as he hardly every buys anything :rotfl:

janinefulton

Hi there
my new years resolution this year is to buy no clothes for myself - buying clothes had become a bit of a habit and nearly every time i was out shopping for food, I would end up buying a new top aswell.

So to break the habit, I've gone cold turkey Then hopefully, when I do start buying next year, I can be more restrained.

It's not been too hard so far as the awful weather has meant I haven't been tempted by lovely new spring clothes. My exercise stuff is the only thing getting tatty so my lovely Mum has agreed to buy me some new for my birthday in May and I'll get OH to get me some new trainers. I have so many other clothes that I won't run out - I never really bought out of need before, just greed

Good topic for a thread, I'll be interested to see if anyone else is being frugal with clothes this year!

BitterAndTwisted

I have several wardrobes of stuff but have only bought from charity shops for the last couple of years. Not out of need but because they are good quality and inexpensive so feel like some sort of "investment". I need to do a cull and get shot of anything I haven't worn in the last few years or so BUT I'm so indecisive and start thing "Oh, that'll come in handy". I think it's a legacy of not having any money in my youth. I can remember back when I first left home that I only ever had one pair of shoes on the go at a time.

Savannah02K

A couple of years ago I decided to do a cull on my (many) wardrobes but as another poster said, it's hard to let go of stuff when you've only worn it a few times (particularly as said, if you didn't have lots of choice when you were a child). What I did, and still do, was sort out 5 outfits for work and wear them like a uniform, i.e. week in, week out. It doesn't take many months for the frequent washing and ironing to make them bobble, sag, wear out etc and I can then put in recycling without feeling guilty, make up another outfit from the wardrobe and off I go again. I've done the same with shoes and bags and have managed to clear out one wardrobe (double sized) of stuff over the last two years. I've also banned myself from buying any more shoes, bags or clothes unless I really don't have anything appropriate (hence will be buying shoes and bag for posh wedding end of May).

I wish I could do the 'if you've not worn it for a year, then get rid of it' but I found that so difficult to do. The 5 outfits per week works much better for me.

ragz_2

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

I have several wardrobes of stuff but have only bought from charity shops for the last couple of years. Not out of need but because they are good quality and inexpensive so feel like some sort of "investment". I need to do a cull and get shot of anything I haven't worn in the last few years or so BUT I'm so indecisive and start thing "Oh, that'll come in handy". I think it's a legacy of not having any money in my youth. I can remember back when I first left home that I only ever had one pair of shoes on the go at a time.

Ditto! I buy stuff in charity shops as it seems less indulgent and I feel like I am getting a bargain! Rarely bother trying any one, then end up with laods of stuff I don't wear... I have a similar problem that I grew up with nothing, clothes were given by kind neighbours and rarely fitted properly or looked nice, so being able to buy my own is still a thrill! But now my wardrobe is so mismatched and out of style because I can't bring myself to ever invest in decent stuff that actually suits em and goes with each other! I have a few lovely things I don't wear as I have nothing they go with...

I keep telling myself I won't buy any clothes until I lose weight, then I spot things in the charity shop and 'have' to have them!

I doubt I have 1000 items though, but this has inspired me to catalogue the wardrobe, see how many of everything I do have...

Thanks OP, good idea!

BitterAndTwisted

IF we get a summer this year I have no end of totally beautiful linen items bought from charity shops to break out of boxes. Even if it means wielding an iron every day I really can't wait!

Once the summer stuff finally comes out I think that might be a good time to get sorted on a proper cull. How many sweaters does a person really need? Two, I reckon not a couple of dozen.

paulineb_2

Ive got rid of a lot of clothes over the last few years or so but I still have far too many. Plus clothes in a lot of different sizes. I freecycled a lot of clothes last year. I also dont have the money to buy a lot of new clothes anyway. Im still wearing a dress I bought about ten years ago and another dress I bought 5 or 6 years ago is also still going strong. Not that I wear dresses too often. Luckily I live in a medium sized town where there are few clothes shops left, so Im rarely tempted. Anything I have bought lately has been second hand or from sports shops as I need fitness clothing for work.

I used to work in a job where I couldnt wear jeans, or it wasnt encouraged so I ended up with a load of tops and skirts that these days I have no cause to wear. I need to get recycling again soon

Also, if people arent aware, a lot of clothes and shoes that are well past their best, charity shops will still take them as they get money for the recycling of them. I try not to throw anything in the bin that can be put out for rag at a local charity shop.

flyingmamma

Can I join ?this year I have vowed to cut back on clothes buying for the whole family.... Things were getting out of hand I wud stash away shoes coats etc I'd got kids in sale.... For next season ...then forget about them! We are going on an extended holiday this year and I decided to pack for the kids ... In case they needed anything! Lol! Well Dd1 has 4 swimsuits! Several pairs of canvas shoes... The list is endless! I started doing p333 in jan... 33items of clothing for 3 mths ... Going well for myself I only needed a couple of items for spring wardrobe ... Got one on sale for £2.50 in s market! Was about to buy similar online for£45! I am planning p33 for the kids... Not buying anything except school uniform as Dd1 starts school in September. I have shoes and boots in the next few sizes already bought last year!good luck everyone I know it's not easy to buy fewer clothes I struggle with it!

System

Well you could hardly say ive got too many clothes. I went through my wardrobe this morning chucking on the bed the clothes i dont wear and i was left with this.



Not much is there? Mind you, you cant see the black trousers on the left hand side.

katieclampet

That wardrobe looks terrific.

I had a good clothes clear out a couple of years ago, and got rid of lots of stuff.
However although I buy very little new, I have picked up lots of ebay, cs & cb sale bargains, so wardrobe is pretty full again.

Like several posters I had very few clothes as a child, and I hate to part with anything I "might" wear. I love the idea of putting 5 outfits together and wear for work, but I wear a uniform so cant do that.

I might wait till spring and have another clearout. I do put my summer clothes away in a suitcase under the bed in winter ( and swop winter clothes over in summer) so when the weather changes and I get my seasonal clothes out it feels like a whole new wardrobe. Too cold to be trying on summer stuff at the mo!

katie

BitterAndTwisted

Katie I just wish I only had "a suitcase" for my summer togs. I have several storage-boxes full to the brim and that excludes special beach holiday-only ones. It's obviously a sickness