How long do you keep clothes? About This Page:

[RunningPrincess]

Odd one here:
I have been asking (telling) my DH to clean out his side of the closet now for about 6 months. I took some of it to Goodwill when I put my summer clothes away. Yesterday I got home and he had a stack of 18 (yes 18 ) pairs of shorts and NOTHING to donate. I already have a rubbermaid container filled with his clothes in the attic and now he wants me to add these?

MY rule is if I don't wear it for one season it's gone. I bought a bunch of shorts for our trip in 2008, and I never wore them again. Donate. Styles change, I buy new sweaters and get rid of the old ones.
Yes, every year I buy new clothes for the whole family but I think it would be common sense to get rid of the old stuff.
His side of the closet is organized now, but stuffed.

[Charlie97]

I have had a shirt from a restaraunt in San Antonio, for about 14 years. It is still in great shape, and the place just happens to be one of my favorites to eat at when I visit. For the most part tho, i usually keep clothes about two years and then drop em.

[guitardiva]

Over the years I have adopted the thought that if you have not looked at it, or it don't fit within a year then it is out.


18 pairs of shorts? OMG. I don't have 18 pairs of shorts/pants etc.. total. lol

[Huntermom]

I keep and wear things until they wear out. I like classics and try to get the most for my money. I seldom buy new clothes, although I bought two new dresses this summer because I lost enough weight that my old ones looked ridiculous. DD is wearing the same everyday sneakers she's had through college, although she goes through a pair of paddock boots every few years.

When clothes get to worn to wear in public or for work around the house, they become PJ's if appropriate (tee shirts, sweats, etc.)

[Ashli]

I tend to keep clothes for as long as they remain in good condition. If you buy quality pieces, they can last a long time. When I decide it's time to go through and pick out things for donation, it's usually cheaper shirts and such. I have some pants and dresses for work that I've had for several years and they still look great.

[Tigger71]

I do a wardrobe cleanout each year. However I too like classic, neutral clothing in long lasting fabrics and styles that suit me. I am not into fad fashions. I donate if the size doesn't fit or my liking for it alters but usually I get rid of clothes because they are worn out!
Kids clothes are ebayed each season. Donate at same time. Buy new in sales for next year-lol.

[tkm1005]

So since he wants them to go in the attic does he plan to ever wear them again or does he want to keep them for sentimental reasons? If clothes still fit I keep them for a number of years, but the only clothes I save that no longer fit or I wouldn't wear in public are the ones with a special attachment - something from high school, some polos I got when working at Disney etc.

[RunningPrincess]

Originally Posted by tkm1005

So since he wants them to go in the attic does he plan to ever wear them again or does he want to keep them for sentimental reasons? If clothes still fit I keep them for a number of years, but the only clothes I save that no longer fit or I wouldn't wear in public are the ones with a special attachment - something from high school, some polos I got when working at Disney etc.

I'm the one that keeps the sentimenal clothes. I have our girls' shirts from Disney, and other trips, he has his wrestling (I call it a unitard) uniform from high school, but all the shorts he gave me were probably worn a few times. He has 3 or 4 favorites that he wears all summer.
I told my mom not to buy him clothes for Christmas because he already has like 20 St. Louis Cardinals shirts/sweatshirts in the attic.
He wears scrubs so nice work clothes aren't necessary.
I keep old ratty clothes and turn them into comfy clothes too. I actually have a pair of sweatpants from high school, they're practically see-through but I love them!
I told my mom I was going to slowly get rid of them but she said to pack them up because he will never get rid of them and 2 years he will be looking for them!

[HiddenMickey]

I keep things forever. They get tossed/donated if they are too trendy after a while, or thrown out if they wear out. I don't buy clothes very often, so my wardrobe is pretty small anyway.

[jennie622]

I just did the ol' closet cleanout and I personally took two HUGE bags of clothing to Goodwill. I do an inventory about once every two years. I have shoes that I have not worn in years but refuse to let go of them because every once in a great while I'll slip on a pair and remember why I keep them.

I have learned over the years that many men are completely happy with a few items and will wear them everyday if they could. My DBF has over 80 (that's EIGHTY!!!!!) tee shirts. He wears about 10 of them. Over and Over and Over. He wears khaki pants to work and jeans or khaki shorts on the weekends. He must have 10 pairs of pants and jeans EACH and 20 pairs of shorts yet he wears the same two pairs of jeans and two pairs of shorts. I asked him to go thru his wardrobe several times over the years but I'm beating a dead horse.

One good thing is when we go on our Disney vakays, he is REQUIRED to bring his nice button down shirts and polos. Tee shirts must be those that I have never seen him wear before. It's sort of become a game at this point!

p.s. My oldest piece of clothing is a Bon Jovi concert shirt will be 20 years old next year and a Coach pocketbook that will be 18 years in Feb.!!

[jodileigh]

I was hanging on to A LOT of "fat" clothes back when I was losing my weight. When I hit my original goal, dh finally MADE me get rid of them. His logic (and it was very good logic) was that if I HAD them, then I would be more likely to gain my weight back b/c I knew I still had stuff that would fit the fat me. He was right. I know how my little brain works and the stuff had to go. It was like an epiphany! I really think that if I'd kept them, I wouldn't have stuck by my plan to stay thin! But knowing I would have to buy an all new wardrobe is DEFINITE incentive NOT to gain the weight back!! LOL!!

These days (I lost my weight several years ago and have gone down more, but have learned to wear belts more, too! LOL!!), my theory is this: If I put it on, look in the mirror, and don't like what I see at that moment, I probably won't like it at any other point, either! So, I take those clothes (mostly items that are too big anyway), and set them on the loveseat in the bedroom. Within a week, they go to a bag. If, in two weeks, I feel no remorse for getting rid of them, they go to goodwill. End of discussion! No going back! I have found, that by doing this, I am much more careful about WHAT I purchase b/c I know they will not hang around if I don't like them when I get home! So, I only buy items that I LOVE! Saves $$, too!

Now, as for DH, well, for someone who made me ditch a lot of stuff, he ditches NOTHING! It's crazy! I go through periodically and ditch stuff FOR him. I have found that if I don't mention it, he doesn't notice! Plus, my oldest DS is taller than DH, but skinnier. So, the things that DH has out-chubbed, I ask DS if he likes. So, it's kind of like recycling! Works out nicely! For my boys, I go through their closets twice a year when we do the big room cleanings. I see no reason to keep clothes that either they will NOT wear or are too small! It isn't like they are gonna shrink!! LOL!!

[JoanneS]

I wouldn't buy your DH another piece of clothing until he wears out what he has. If he complains that he has nothing to wear, send him to the attic. My DH is a person who can't throw anything away. He's 50 and still has some flannel shirts from high school! (And, no, they don't still fit).

Our new rule is if you get a new shirt, you must throw an old shirt away. Same with pants, shorts, t-shirts, etc. It's become a sort of game now. "What will you give me for this brand new white dress shirt? How about the one without a cuff and ring around the collar?"

[Teresa]

We buy only classic type clothes, and wear them until they are no longer wearable (stained, torn, ripped, worn). Even the kids don't get too many "trendy" clothes. They prefer to wear nice, classic clothing also.

We don't buy new clothing often, and when we do, we usually make sure they're nice quality. The only time clothing is chucked out before it's worn out is if it's been outgrown or the owner has lost weight.

[unewillow]

I have a bunch of bags that are just sitting and waiting to go to Goodwill. I cleaned out my closet of anything I haven't worn in the past 3 years which included a lot of "buisness casual" clothes. I get to wear scrubs to work so I don't need suits and stuff like that. After my surgery I plan on keeping everything until it falls off and then donating it. And maybe just buying a couple things here and there to get me through to where I can buy a new smaller wardrobe.

[Eeyore Tattoo]

We do a closet clean-out each year. If it has not been used in a year it goes. With the exception of a few things, Like a suit or skirt that is a classic & only comes out for special occasions..