Dear Kathi,
My closet is full of clothes that I don’t want to wear but can’t seem to part with. How can I get rid of these clothes without feeling like I am being disrespectful to them by throwing them out? I have worked really hard to buy these clothes and wish I could justify removing them from my closet.
Tricia, San Marcos
Tricia,
It’s time to let go of the mistakes in your closet. It is a disservice to yourself to keep unwanted and unworn clothing in your possession. The most respectful thing is to give them to others less fortunate by donating them to a local charity.
We’ve all done it at one time or another – purchased something expensive on a whim only to change our mind later. Most of us also have the “other” clothes that just didn’t work out like we thought they would.
Rather than letting these unworn mistakes hang in the closet as reminders that stir up guilt and regret, just let them go. Walk over right now, pull them off the hanger, and give them away.
You will be sending them on their way to others less fortunate and they will finally stop costing you in space, time and anguish. Release and let go. There truly is no time better than the present to add space to your life.
Kathi is a professional organizer, image consultant and event planner based in San Diego California.
Please submit your questions to: [email protected].
San Diego Professional Organizer
I know the feelings of too may clothes Ihave lost 40 pounds and none of my beautiful clothes fit anymore, but I’m having a Very hard time letting them go, why? Any thoughts on this..?
It is hard to release items that might have cost a bit of money. The point is, they are costing you more in space and perhaps negative feelings about your ‘old’ body before you lost the weight.
Sometimes not wanting to let go is also fear based reaction. You might be worried that you will regain your weight and need them again.
The ‘but I might need it someday’ is a frequent comment that I hear when working with clients. The fact is when you find yourself saying this to yourself you have to realize that you are not being in the present moment. You are thinking about future possibilities in the worst light possible. That you might gain back the weight that you have worked so hard to get rid of! The fact is that right now, you do not need those clothes. If, in the future, you do gain weight, you probably will want to wear different clothes anyhow. There is nothing more depressing than gaining weight and having to climb into your old clothes again. It is sad and demoralizing.
So, go ahead and donate your clothes to charity. It will feel great, I promise! You will also get a tax write-off for 2013, if you hurry! Think about the thrill of someone less fortunate finding your clothes and having something new to wear that she could not have otherwise afforded.
If your clothes are business worthy, consider donating them to Dress For Success. They help women get dressed for interviews as they are reemerging into the workplace.
Right here, right now those old clothes are not doing you a bit of good. Turn them into a good thing and let them go to someone who truly needs them right now.
I know the feelings of too may clothes Ihave lost 40 pounds and none of my beautiful clothes fit anymore, but I’m having a Very hard time letting them go, why? Any thoughts on this..?
It is hard to release items that might have cost a bit of money. The point is, they are costing you more in space and perhaps negative feelings about your ‘old’ body before you lost the weight.
Sometimes not wanting to let go is also fear based reaction. You might be worried that you will regain your weight and need them again.
The ‘but I might need it someday’ is a frequent comment that I hear when working with clients. The fact is when you find yourself saying this to yourself you have to realize that you are not being in the present moment. You are thinking about future possibilities in the worst light possible. That you might gain back the weight that you have worked so hard to get rid of! The fact is that right now, you do not need those clothes. If, in the future, you do gain weight, you probably will want to wear different clothes anyhow. There is nothing more depressing than gaining weight and having to climb into your old clothes again. It is sad and demoralizing.
So, go ahead and donate your clothes to charity. It will feel great, I promise! You will also get a tax write-off for 2013, if you hurry! Think about the thrill of someone less fortunate finding your clothes and having something new to wear that she could not have otherwise afforded.
If your clothes are business worthy, consider donating them to Dress For Success. They help women get dressed for interviews as they are reemerging into the workplace.
Right here, right now those old clothes are not doing you a bit of good. Turn them into a good thing and let them go to someone who truly needs them right now.