I donated my clothes once they became 2-3 sizes too big. I didn't want to make it too easy to gradually get back in them which is what I did in the past, not even realizing how much weight I had put on. Now, when my clothes fit a bit snug, I think about the money, giving up my favorite clothes, and how I will feel buying up a size. This usually gives me the incentive I need to buckle down on the eating and hit the gym.
Out of sight and out of my life ! I felt that keeping the "fat" clothes meant that I would need to wear them again ! No, thanks !
THANK YOU!! I kept my fat clothes and regained again because mentally or subconsciously or whatever I was thinking, well if I regain I have the fat clothes. Wrong Move! Never again. When I do lose the weight those clothes will be going. My hubby has told me that he will give me a nice piece of money to go and buy new smaller clothes and I said OK! lol. I also am not buying anymore clothes in my current size as I call them, fat clothes. No way. It is all going bye bye when I reach goal!
I've done it both ways, keeping fat clothes "just in case" and getting rid of them the second they became too loose. No matter which choice I made, I regretted it, and ultimately it didn't seem to either prevent or encourage weight gain.
My new strategy works much better, I SELL my clothes when they get too big AND I find an adequate replacement. I sell high and buy low (selling at popular consignment shops, and buying at second-hand shops, garage sales, and bcoutlet.com clearance).
For example, a couple months ago, I bought 7 pairs of pants for about $22 including s/h, so only about $3 per pair. I know from experience that if these pants still look good when I'm done with them, my share of the consigment will be about $3 to $6. This way, most of my clothes end up being "free" in that I usually get back what I pay for them when it's time to sell them. Even at my highest weight, I've been able to "break even" on my clothing, so I have no reason at all to save them.
I'm on a tight enough budget that I HAVE to sell my too-big clothes, or wear them until I save enough for replacements. Selling them just makes the most sense, because it provides the cash to buy clothes that fit.
I do try to find clothes that will look decent through a size-change or two. For example, those pants I bought have a drawstring waist, and are a very soft, drapey knit. I've bought the style before, so I know that they're generously cut. I bought 2X even though I wear a 3X, and they fit perfectly for a closer-fitting look, but will still be attractive when I'm legitimately in a 2X. And they're comfy enough to probably become jammies when I get closer to 1X. And if there's any life at all in them after that, I can probably still get $2 to $3 through consigment or garage sale.
I've been more excited about buying clothes this way than when I shopped in malls and department stores, because nothing beats the excitement of getting a $200 sweater or dress for under $10 (sometimes with the original tags still on).
I do keep clothes until the appropriate season though. I don't sell them as soon as I shrink out of them unless the clothes are stillin season, because when you sell clothes off-season or at the end of season, you don't get as much for them. So the summer clothes I'm shrinking out of now, I will keep until next spring, so I can get the most money for them. In the next month or so, I'll be selling the sweaters and long-sleeve blouses that I shrunk out of last winter.
I LOVE consigment shops. They're win/win. If you're in the plus-sizes your clothes sell well at good prices, and if you're in the mainstream sizes, the choices and prices are incredible.
When I was in 5X and 6X, I didn't find much in the consigment and thrift shops (and bought on bcoutlet), but I could sell my clothes very easily,n and they sold quickly at incredible (to me) prices.
As I'm getting smaller, my clothes aren't selling for quite as high a price, but I'm finding more clothes at much better prices. I'm still breaking even (or better). If I really worked at it, I think I could make a profit, as my current efforts mostly break even (the clothes I sell, pay for virtually all of the clothes I buy).
I donated my clothes once they became 2-3 sizes too big. I didn't want to make it too easy to gradually get back in them which is what I did in the past, not even realizing how much weight I had put on. Now, when my clothes fit a bit snug, I think about the money, giving up my favorite clothes, and how I will feel buying up a size. This usually gives me the incentive I need to buckle down on the eating and hit the gym.
You are so nice person, if i succeed i will donate mine too.
My boss believes that her biggest success comes from donating her old clothes. When the pants get tight, it is her sign that she needs to lose weight again. It also keeps her motivated to stay slim.
I have kept my clothes. I put them in a storage box.
Every time I dropped a size I donated or trashed clothes I had been wearing up to that point. I've now maintained my weight loss for 2 years and there was a period where my current clothes got tight. It got my attention and action taken immediately, no "oh well" and reaching for something else.
Donate them, sell them, alter them - just don't keep the fat clothes in the house and available to you! I altered my jeans twice as I went from over 250 (size 22 - 24 W) to about 200 (regular size 18). I altered knit tops. I gave everything else away. Then I threw away the twice altered clothes. I'm fortunate that my work clothes are very casual, so I got by with very little until I was down to where I am now. Just don't keep the big clothes around. It like you're saying you know you'll need them again. Allowing it. Henry Ford said, "Whether you think you can or can't, you're right." We have to think we can.
I am keeping one of my biggest outfits... but the rest is all going outa here as I lose!!! In fact I have already been buying clothes that are on sale in smaller sizes and looking forward to the day I can pull some of it out and wear it. In fact, I did that on something just this week.
I'm in the process of a closet purge. I've gone from a size 26 down to a size 20. I really can't wear those old clothes any more they're just way too big. I haven't been able to bring myself to get rid of my sweaters though. I loves my sweaters, I does, but the truth is, they are ridiculously big on me now.
I shan't be storing these clothes. I'll give them away. I need to be confident in myself that I will never wear that size again.
I would say get rid of them. I kept mine and I found that it gave me an excuse to re-gain all of the weight that I had lost. It's better to go and get a new wardrobe than keep the clothes you can't wear anymore. Unless of course you want to re-style them to fit your new size.
Last edited by prettypinkfashionist; 08-05-2012 at 11:07 PM.
I promptly got rid of mine...some nice, new ones too, just took em to a consignment store, So if they sell...I can buy new smaller clothes with the money.
I don't want to see them ever again personally...So, I choose not to keep them around...because to be afraid of failure in my mind, instills doubt and I won't do that!
I can't afford a lot of new clothes either, but it is empowering to get rid of them and again in my mind it is positive reinforcement of my ultimate goal and my determination to reach it!
