What do you do with the clothes you've shrunk out of?
I'm *starting* to get to the point where my jeans and shirts are getting baggy... and I'm trying to think of a productive way to use these clothes lol. I think I'm gonna save a pair of my "big" jeans so I can put them on when I'm at goal to see the difference.. I guess I could just give all the others to a charity or thrift store.. well once I'm able to buy new clothes that would work, haha. hm..
What have you all done with your too-big clothes? Do you just give them away?
heh...I actually bought a pair of mine back once. I gave some away and then got pg. and they didnt have any maternity pants in the goodwill but they did have my old stretchy fat pants.
Same dang pants I had bought from goodwill on my way down in weight, hated, gave them to goodwill when I got too little for them, bought them back again. Reason I hated them - stupid things had to be washed every wearing or they just kept growing until they went from size 10 to size 18. I knew they would expand with me until I was ready for real maternity wear.
Just now *starting*? I find that hard to believe with the amount you've lost! But seriously, I like the idea of saving one pair of your biggest fat pants for a picture, and maybe taking the rest to a place that gives clothing vouchers in exchange for the donation. That way, you can get a few things as a trade!
I've sold in a lot of stores like these in Illinois and Wisconsin. Some ask you what price you want for the items you sell, I've always just let the store price them. The store I take my stuff to now, takes half of what they sell the items for (this is pretty typical - I've worked with stores that take 40% and some that took 60% - half is about average4). After two months, anything that hasn't sold yet goes to 50%. If it hasn't sold after three months, the store will donate the items to charity (if you don't want your items go on sale or to charity, you have to pick up them up before that happens).
The shop I work with is fairly picky. For example, I had some nice fall jumper dresses (cordurou and denim), but the shop wasn't taking any short sleeve items when I brought them in (I pointed out that they were meant to be worn with a blouse or turtleneck underneath, but they still didn't want them) - so I donated those to Goodwill.
When I saw similar jumpers in the consignment shop a couple weeks later, I realized I probably should have brought the jumpers back in when the assistant manager or the manager were working. Different intake people have different ways of interpreting the guidelines they've been given by the management - so usually I attempt to take the same outfits in a couple times before deciding to donate - or try to take them into the consignment shop when the assistant manager or manager are working - they know when to (and have the authority to) bend the rules they've given to the rest of the staff.
This past year I've gone from a 24 to 14 (and still shrinking). Needless to say, I have a whole lot of clothes that are way too big. I'm saving a pair of size 24 jeans because I want to take an 'after' picture wearing them, and I think it'll be good as a reminder of my journey. The rest of my clothes are currently living in bins under my bed. I'm working on letting go of the clothes (I've been too scared that I'll gain the weight back and need them again) and it's extra hard because I had a lot of clothes (8 years worth). My plan is to sell the clothes on ebay and then use that money to buy some new stuff. Anything that I don't sell I'll donate to the Goodwill.
I'll be getting a couple of pairs of my best jeans altered this week(my sister said it costs about $13, way cheaper than new ones!). I've been pinning my work pants, I should probably alter them too instead of having a big fold down my butt! Most of the shirts I can still pull off. But I've put the pants I don't love and a few of the really big shirts in the clothing donation box in the parking lot of my apt complex (just threw a bag in tonight). And yeah, I'm keeping one big pair of pants for the "after" shot as well!
I developed a revolving door "rental" relationship with Goodwill and other second-hand shops. I donated by "too big" clothes, and received a coupon that I used to purchase items that fit. Then, a couple months later, I repeated the process.
It was a win-win situation. They benefited from my donation, I got great clothes that fit, and looked great while losing weight.
Getting rid of clothes that are too big is an important step on the journey. Whether giving them away or selling them - get rid of those puppies - no good can come from keeping them!
I see it as a stewardship issue. Someone can benefit from having them. Sitting in bags or boxes or on hangers does no one any good. And truthfully, you really, really don't want to ever wear them again
Mostly I give them to the Salvation Army for their thrift shop. There are a few things that are size 18's that I've hardly worn that would be really easy to alter down. I may do that.
I do have one pair of beloved ratty sweatpants I putter around the house in. Today I was realizing how utterly ridiculous they look on me and I can't pull the drawstring tight enough anymore to get them to stay up. They may need to be retired to the trash (no one would want them!).
I happily either send them to Goodwill or trash them. My clothes are not in great shape. The pants where out in the inner thigh. I don't buy a lot of clothes at the size i was because it was just no fun. So most of my clothes are hand-me-downs from friends, my mom and from friends of a friend...of a friend. LOL! My wardrobe i pathetic.
But yes...I give the away.
I'm contemplating keeping a couple outfits I have pictures of myself in at my heaviest so that I can put the whole outfit on again at goal. I saw someone on here do that and found it motivating.
I wish I could get hand-me-downs but all my friends that have lost weight are waaaaaaay shorter than me (in legs and torso)! I can't find anything remotely decent in my size at Goodwill, but if you want a corduroy jumper boy o boy can they set you up!
Thrift stores are a great idea. No fuss, no muss. I want any too-big clothes out of my life ASAP! lol
Plus I have a deep down aversion to hoarding. My bf's sister hoards EVERYTHING and it grosses me out. If I want something gone, I want it GONE .
The only thing I can suggest that I don't think has been suggested is to see if a local church, homeless shelter, halfway house, etc. takes donations. You may be able to really help someone in need. Especially since it's winter.
Last edited by Metal Chick; 12-30-2009 at 11:10 PM.
Reason: punctuation
I like the idea of selling them to a consignment shop or getting a voucher for trade or something like that.. I also might take your advice to get the OUT OF MY SIGHT as quickly as possible
Quote:
Originally Posted by RMatS
Just now *starting*? I find that hard to believe with the amount you've lost! But seriously, I like the idea of saving one pair of your biggest fat pants for a picture, and maybe taking the rest to a place that gives clothing vouchers in exchange for the donation. That way, you can get a few things as a trade!
Oh, thank you! I think I'm reluctant to say my clothes are getting too big or that I even feel much smaller because I'm worried that I'll wake up one day and everything will be tight again .
CountingDown - That's cool that goodwill worked with you that way! and YOU'RE RIGHT! I have so many clothes that I can't wear (either too small or too big) and there are definitely other people that could get more use out of them. And of course... I never, ever want to fit into these too big clothes again!
CLCSC145 - i dont think i could ever get rid of my ratty house-pants...
Metal Chick - donating them is definitely something that i'd like to do.. always makes me feel good
Aclai4067 - ooh, i never even thought of getting them altered! i for sure need to do that to some of my black slacks.
Gracie789 - congratulations! i bet it feels awesome . selling for money for a new wardrobe is a good idea! you definitely deserve it!
kaplods - i need to check into this and see if i can find a store somewhere near me that does this!
ennay - OMG, so many of my jeans so this. i can wear them for like 30 minutes and then they're so loose...
Thrift stores are a great idea. No fuss, no muss. I want any too-big clothes out of my life ASAP! lol
Plus I have a deep down aversion to hoarding. My bf's sister hoards EVERYTHING and it grosses me out. If I want something gone, I want it GONE .
The only thing I can suggest that I don't think has been suggested is to see if a local church, homeless shelter, halfway house, etc. takes donations. You may be able to really help someone in need. Especially since it's winter.
Me too on the hoarding, only I say I have an aversion to clutter. Also, I learned that if I accept and wear clothes that are too big, I just grow right into them. My mom is larger than I am, only she is in denial about that. So as not to hurt her feelings, I keep accepting and wearing her clothes. It's got to stop! She is now four sizes bigger than I am and when I told her politely that I need to stop wearing clothes that are too big for me she wrote me a letter telling me that wearing clothes that are too small make me look big. It goes both ways Mom!
My only addition to the suggestions others have made is that I gave some of mine to a woman who works at a local hospital. In the trauma unit, when they admit victims of car accidents, they often have to cut these people out of the clothes they're wearing. When they are released from the hospital, sometimes the family has neglected to bring clothes or else there is no family, because they aren't local. This woman keeps some loose clothes around to give to them. She wanted plain old sweatshirts & sweatpants, and I was able to give her some.
What do you do with the clothes you've shrunk out of?
But seriously, I like the idea of saving one pair of your biggest fat pants for a picture, and maybe taking the rest to a place that gives clothing vouchers in exchange for the donation. That way, you can get a few things as a trade!
.
