First "purge" in 25+ years - and it feels good

[AndreaCalifCD]

Last year I spent more money on my dressing than I had in all my previous years put together. I'd purged a few times when I was younger, thinking I'd be able to stop... I'm guessing most of us know how that turns out...
Anyway, I've ended up with a few things I've never worn, for one reason or another. So today I had a bit of a sort out (OK, so I'm not really purging!) and decided to take the shoes, tops, dresses, underwear to my local Savers thrift store. Better than throwing them away - or as I recall doing once - burning them in the back garden when my parents were out.
Hopefully they won't sit on the racks too long and someone else can get some use out of them.

[Jaylyn]

Purging has always been a curse for me. I have always returned to CDing again. Just going thru what you don't intend to wear then it is good to purge. Your right about someone else getting use out of them, so why not purge.

[Alice B]

I purged once. Never again

[Micki_Finn]

If you want to get rid of clothes, H&M will take back any clothes in any condition, and when you do so they give you a 15% off coupon or something. Clothes in good condition get resold in second hand stores, everything else gets recycled.

[Gillian Gigs]

I don't consider what you are going to be purging. Everyone needs to clean out the closet to make more room for new items. If you didn't do that occasionally you could call yourself a hoarder.

[JeanTG]

I only selectively purge now. Over time I've accumulated the odd items that I decided I didn't like or just don't wear. I put them i the goodwill box. When I really feel the need to purge *everything*, I pack everything away in old suitcases and put them in a hard-to-reach part of the attic instead of purging. Rare is the time they're up there for as long as a week!!!

[OCCarly]

I’m not purging anything except what’s left of my male wardrobe. I’m keeping the suit I got married in, one other suit for the rare occasion when I need to butch up, and that is it.

This past week when my wife and I were in Palm Springs, she got a Facebook message from an uncle who was in town (who I was not out to) who wanted to meet up at the street festival. I had not packed a single stitch of male clothing. We scrambled to TJ Maxx, found a T shirt and some shorts.

I spent the evening feeling so miserable I vowed never again. I’ve been living full time female since March 16 and this experience really nailed it for me that transitioning was the right decision.

I already gave my son my best business suits and slacks. Most of my Levi’s went to in laws in the Philippines. Now, most of the rest is going.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Andrea , Every now & then I donate things that I don't want But never purge. >Orchid ..oo.

[Helen_Highwater]

Andrea,

It's so easy to get that, "Ooh, that's nice, I'll buy that" feeling and only once bought do you realise you've got 3 others like it and you very rarely go somewhere suitable to wear any of them.

I've learned that I've more clothes than I have chances to wear being in the closet. Hence now it's one in, one out. While say a dress may look lovely, what's the point of having it if I'm not going to go somewhere suitable to wear it? So now in addition to the one in, one out rule, I've decided that the next things I'll buy will be bought while dressed out and about and must be tried on first. Okay I did buy a top online a few months ago but in my defence it's one I will wear out and I had been looking for that particular style in the shops without any joy.

What you're doing is sensible wardrobe management. If you have too much stuff it becomes ever more difficult to choose what to wear and you end up with a few favourites anyway.

[Stephanie47]

I've never purged. On occasion I have donated a dress or two that I did not like or did not fit. As an alternative to donating to a thrift store that resells everything your small city may have a shelter for battered women re-entering the work force who don't have any clothing except for what's on the women's back when she fled her abuser. My local shelter outfits women with attire suitable for the job they are filling. Just an idea.

The worst thing to do is burn your wardrobe.

[Asew]

I like Helen's "sensible wardrobe management" term. I do this for my man clothes and make my wife do it when she runs out of hangers (sometimes she buys more hangers but at this point no more clothes with fit on her closet rods).

[CONSUELO]

Andrea,

I think that what you did could be more accurately described as recycling. Now that you have more space you can go out and buy more clothes, Ha Ha.

[Janine cd]

I've purged more than a half a dozen times in the past, but I have decided that purging is a futile activity. I always return to the desire to dress. Since making this decision, I' make it my goal to keep my feminine wardrobe in style by ridding myself of anything that I haven't worn in the past year.

[Richelle423]

I really don’t consider it a purge but the other day I had to throw out a pair of panty thongs because they wouldn’t hold my bits and pieces. I might have tolerated at home but at work during a 10 hr shift it had to go. No biggie I got more