How Do You Organize a Closet When You Have a Range of Sizes?
Dear Done and Done,
I have recently lost a significant amount of weight, not for the first time. I have quite a bit of clothing in a wide range of sizes and I don’t know what to do with them or how to organize my closet. Should I donate in the hopes that I will never wear those sizes again? Or should I store them somewhere just in case? I definitely don’t want to have to spend money on bigger sizes again if things go awry. Please help Done and Done! They are taking up valuable real estate in my closet and mind!
Thanks,
Yo-Yo A Go-Go
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Dear Yo-Yo,
Thanks so much for your question and congratulations on your weight loss!
Here’s The Skinny
Though you may have a wider range of sizes to deal with than some women, many women do have a range. When evaluating what stays and what can be donated, it’s not just the sizes we recommend you consider.
Take It All Out…All Of It…For Real
To begin with, spread some sheets or large towels around the room and use the bed. Take all of your clothes out of the closet and out of the dresser – absolutely everything…no really, everything. Group your clothes “like with like” and within each group make subcategories. In other words, jeans might be a group and then subcategories could be white jeans, black jeans or skinny jeans. (To read more about sorting like with like, read our blog post Like with Like: How To Organize Logically)
photo:Done and Done Home
Live In The Present
Once everything is sorted, shop your clothes for what you like, what fits now and what you need. Before you choose, try on everything. Don’t choose jeans because they’re a smaller size than you’ve ever worn before if you don’t love them. Don’t keep a dress or shirt just because it was your goal item for years. Keep what you love now, today, at this moment. Keep what flatters your new profile and makes you feel confident, beautiful and accomplished. Put those items back into your closet or dresser.
photo:Done and Done Home
Should It Stay Or Should It Go?
As far as keeping things that are too big, we don’t recommend keeping anything bigger than two sizes up. If you’re an eight now, you may sneak back up to a ten or a small twelve before you get comfortable keeping the weight steady. Keep those larger sizes -maybe half a dozen items- in a box or bag up on a shelf or under your bed. Definitely keep them out of view and out of your working wardrobe.
Don’t hold on to t-shirts or things you can pick up for relatively little money should you need them. However, do reserve a good dress in case you are a little bigger than your thinnest and you have to go to a wedding or a party. Keep a nice pair of jeans that make you feel good even though they may be a size or two up from where you are now. You may never need any of it, and a year or a year and a half from now when you’ve really settled into your current weight, you can then donate those clothes too.
You Go Girl!
Take this opportunity to sort through all your old socks, undies and bras and only keep what fits and what’s in good shape. Let your working wardrobe reflect exactly where you are today. The future is bright! Enjoy your accomplishment!
PS. If you need more help with decluttering your wardrobe or closet, be sure to check our course, here.