I have a lot of clothes which are of great sentimental value, but not enough physical value to have them professionally retailored (I can sew, but don't have the equipment for these kinds of seams). I can't replace most of them for various reasons, some are from other countries, some are limited editions, etc.

I might keep some of them up in the attic, but I'm finding it really hard to part with my favourites, I still wear them even though the sizes are absolutely comical. Maybe I should sleep in them and get rid of some of my nastier nightwear?

I don't want to give them to charity because there is no way to specify that you want them sold in shops for re-use. Many charities now rely on the instant money they can get from selling textiles to the recycling business, as they are paid right away rather than having to prepare things for shop sale and wait till someone wants it. Only some of the clothes would make it into the shops, and I am NOT prepared to part with my favourites to make 5p for charity by having them shredded and made into dirty rags for the oil industry.

How did you part with your favourites - or did you?

I took some to a consignment store, and the better stuff, I sold on eBay and used that money to buy replacement clothing. A few things I gave to my mom and she sold them at her annual garage sale.

When I have clothes I can't part with I put them in a large plastic bin in the basement. I put a label on the bin with "Sue's clothes - April 7, 2011" on it and put it out of sight. I find that in a year's time it is much easier to get rid of the clothes. I can go through the bin and toss most of them.

I don't try to analyze this feeling of being unable to get rid of certain clothes (it is ridiculous to keep them -- they don't fit!) -- I just go through a process that will work for me.

Rose, if the clothing is very special to you, you could cut those into 4 to 6" squares for a quilt. I just finished one with my now 16 yr old daughter's summer dress and it brings back sweet memories for both of us.

You could cut the sentimental pieces into squares and make a quilt.

Keeping the clothes for sentimental reasons... nope. What about a picture? Why take up that much space? Who will ever want them?

Although I did keep my wedding dress, prom dress and winter formal from high school. But- I want to wear that prom dress again... or my child could get marries in it. I LOVED IT!

Take them to a consignment shop. Somebody will be happy to pay for your clothes and you will make a little money to buy new ones.

I totally get the sentimental part of it. I have a pair of pants that I tried to tailor but it didn’t work out well. I can’t part with them either. Right now all my old clothes are in a plastic bin in my attic. However, I have to admit, I am LOVING the idea of making something out of pieces of all my old clothes. Perhaps a collage of some sort that I can frame. Little pieces of all my old clothes that I can’t fit into anymore – just randomly placed in there and then hung on my wall.

OMG – I am loving this idea!! Thank you seagirl for the inspiration!

I keep them too. I have an old suitcase with some souvenir and band t-shirt. I just can't part with special memorabilia. Other clothes fly out the closet without hesitation.

I sold the name brand stuff as huge lots grouped in sizes on ebay. They did very well and I used the money to buy new clothes. The rest I donated to charity.

The quilt idea is a really good one so if I had sentimental things, I'd do that.

I have this problem too!! I have alot of nice clothes from all sizes as I bought some new stuff as I lost weight and other stuff got too big. Alot of it is cute stuff I wish I could have made smaller, but I don't think that it will look right even once I have it taken in?
Some of it I sold in my mom's yard sale. She is having another sale this month. I like the idea of Ebay...hmm...
But I do have a tote full of stuff that was my "favorites". I am hoping since now it will definitely be too big for me, that when I go through it I will decide to get rid of them...

I've totally revamped my entire wardrobe. Every few months I try everything on in my closet and if it is too big, I put it in the garage sale pile. I haven't kept anything. When we do have that garage sale though, I'm pulling out those size 18 pants that were too tight last September to try on just one last time. It is amazing how your tastes change as your body changes. My style is more form fitting now, less baggy. And most of my new clothes I have gotten from the clearance racks at Kohls, Marshals, Ross and such. I refuse to buy anything full price.

The only thing I'm keeping are just a few really special things such as my wedding dress. The most valuable advice I got when I started losing weight is to get rid of my old clothes the minute they get even a little loose. I can't get lazy in my weight loss efforts and gain back even a few pounds, because there is nothing too big left in my house! There is no turning back. The only option would be to go by bigger clothes again and that just doesn't sound like much fun. I call this concept "Burning Your Britches Behind You". I LOVE the idea of the frame or quilt made out of favorite clothing if you are having a hard time letting go. I guess I've been so excited to shop for smaller sizes it really doesn't bother me!

I find in the past if I kept the big clothes, I always ended up fitting back in them and then some.
This time I refuse to keep anything too big, as this time the weight is gone FOREVER.
I do understand sentiment though, and the last lot of clothes I gave to charity I ended up bawling my eyes out for hours, as those clothes were dream clothes that I bought while heaps bigger and it was a dream just to wear them. But I got there, and kept going, now those clothes hang on me. Part of me says, but I am happy just to fit those, why not keep them, if I gain back that bit, wouldn't I still be happy to wear them. But my mind screams NOOOOO you are giving yourself an excuse to gain weight, an excuse to slack off.. and where does that always end up??? do I want to risk morbid obesity again?

I love the quit idea! very hard though for items like jeans that are really thick, I am thinking the next jeans to go, I can make a bag from (over the shoulder bag) or a pillow... hmm the creative juices are flowing now.. thanks for the sewing idea.

I think I might put them in the loft and see if a year not looking at them makes me any happier to get rid of them. There's no way I could cut them and I have no use for a quilt. The reason I like them is they are well-constructed and durable, so if I were to cut them in any way I take away the exact thing I like about them. At least if they are out of sight I might become less fond of them. I don't think they will encourage me to get big again because my entire wardrobe would be 2 sweatshirts!