How To Stop Hanging On To Old Clothes You Don't Wear

Let’s grieve. Let’s grieve for the bodies we used to have.

For flat tummies, for cellulite-free thighs, for single chins…

Oh, those were the days!

And I didn’t even appreciate what I had! I was concerned with the amount of hair on my arms, and sideburns, and thought my nose was too big.

When we try to stomp on the sadness we experience about the loss of the shape we used to have and perhaps feel embarrassed about the vanity of those thoughts, they don’t go away. They keep haunting us and stop us from enjoying and embracing ourselves as we are now, in the present moment.

It’s so hard to part with the things which used to fit us and used to look flattering on us. 

The problem is, if we keep storing them in our wardrobes, they take away from the lovely things which work and make us look gorgeous now. Those things, which no longer fit, overwhelm us when they take space in our wardrobes.

Sometimes you physically can’t fit into it, but it just feels like a part of you. When you see it, it brings you physical joy. Perhaps you loved the way it looked on you then, or how it made you feel and how it suited your body back then.

Well, my body's probably not going to go back to the way it was 20 years ago, So what I loved about it is never, never going to happen again… and that sucks! 

So…  maybe it's time to let them go…

I’ve been talking to the amazing women in my membership and we came up with 5 ideas on what to do with those clothes, so dear to us, that we can’t seem to be able to get rid of them.

Here we go:

First, ask yourself these 2 questions to help you make a decision:

What do I love about it?

  • It can be the texture of the item. Perhaps you love the way the garment feels on you or what it feels like when you touch it.

  • It can be that it's associated with a certain event and the memories of when you were wearing it. 

  • It can be the way it’s constructed

  • Maybe it’s the intricacy of the details in it

  • Maybe it’s just the way it made you feel

What was good about my life back then and what is good about my life now?

For me, for instance, even though I see the signs of my body getting older, I also see myself becoming wiser and finding purpose in my life now. I feel more grounded, calmer. 

Hopefully these prompts are helpful! Now, pick one of these ideas:

1. Give it a second life by repurposing / upcycling it into something smaller

Have you got a dog or kids or fancy something new yourself? You could upcycle the so much loved thing you don’t want to let go into something new. 

Nadien Klages takes the clothes you no longer wear and makes them into kids outfits:

Is your dog a fashionista? Why not repurpose your old jumper into an outfit for them:

thrifted-sweaters-before-1536x1092.jpeg

2. Refashion it:

Here are some more ideas how you can make something new for yourself using your old clothes:

This is a great book I came across with some cool ideas on how to make really creative designs of clothes from upcycled materials:

3. Frame it / Make it into a piece of art.

4. Make a scrapbook

Have you got old pictures of yourself wearing those pieces of clothes you can’t let go of? You can lay out the garment with the picture of you wearing it on top and take a snap of them together. And do the same with any other garments. Even if you haven’t got an image of yourself wearing it, you could still take a picture of the garment and include it in the scrapbook. Here are a couple of ideas to get your creative juices flowing. 

5. Time capsule.

We live in unusual times. The majority of my clients have put on weight since the pandemic started. So what do we do with all these things in our wardrobe which don’t fit at the moment but might fit in 6-12 months from now?

Rule 101: DON’T KEEP THEM ON HANGERS NEXT TO THE STUFF YOU WEAR REGULARLY.

Here is what you can do:

Put them all in a box or a bag and label them with today’s date. Then put the reminder on your phone, set for anything between 6-12 months ahead (judge this by how long you think it might take you to get back into your previous shape). That way they won’t muddle up with the things you actually wear at the moment. 

You might think if they are in the wardrobe they might remind you about having to get back into shape and therefore push you to actually do it, but in reality, they will just make you feel guilty when you notice them at inappropriate times. It’s much better to sit down and make a plan if fitting into them is your goal (it doesn’t have to be!) - having a clear plan will be much more productive.

There is a brilliant app I highly recommend For reminders on your phone called Things.

It’s based on the book by David Allen “Getting things done”. It’s the best life organising app I know.

Follow these tips and you too can make it to the final stage of grief, acceptance, and find peace with the new you, which (might I add) is just as beautiful, if not more beautiful, than the old you.

Pic credit at the very top @ Laetitia Rouget