Dear SYSters,

I recently read an article that stated two-thirds of women admitted to hoarding clothes that don't fit them. So then I wondered, why are women keeping clothes they can't wear?

Most of these women interviewed hoped that someday...somehow they'd fit into these clothes again. Others had kept clothes that didn't fit them for sentimental reasons (or because they were so expensive) and they were attached to the memory (or how much they paid) and simply couldn't part with these clothes. If you think about it, these “reasons” for keeping clothes that don’t fit are silly--but most women admit to doing this.

Question: Do you have clothes in your closet that don't fit? If so, why are they still hanging in there (literally, LOL)? Let's share and learn from each other! SHARE BY POSTING YOUR STORY BELOW...

I've begun to stash clothes in a variety of sizes because I don't trust myself to remain at a steady weight. The scales move up, the scales move down, the scales move up. Ugh! I remained within a very steady range for most of my adult life... until my late 40s. I'm 56 and the last 8-10 years have been challenging. I've been as high as size 16, as low as size 6 (for a hot minute). I'm trying to find my new normal. Is this a pipe dream? I don't want to fight this yo-yo for the rest of my life. I want to purge, but I don't want to keep repurchasing clothes as I navigate this new phase of life.

Thanks Donnad for sharing. You make such a valid point...body size fluctuating when you reach menopause. So many woman struggle with their weight (it's up, it's down-then up again) when their hormones down shift. What's a gal to do? Perhaps others will share how they deal with changes in weight.
The only thing I can recommend is fabric with stretch which allows for a small change in weight-yet your clothes still fit comfortably. That is one reason I have always loved Not Your Daughters Jeans. They are real jeans, yet allow for the body to move around and to gain a few pounds and still fit!

I lost 30 pounds 4 years ago. I happily got rid of my fat clothes. After 2 years of maintaining my weight, the weight came back on with work and family stress. I was in the position of having not much to wear again. I have replaced my wardrobe. I never buy anything the doesn't go with two other things in my closet. It also has to fit today. I have a history of buying clothes for weight loss motivation. Not anymore. However, now I am in a different situation. I was widowed 6 months ago, so now I am purging my wardrobe of anything that has too many memories.

MSP, A few years a ago I found the "flylady site.' Her site led me to yours. Your article on purging your closet made perfect sense. How could I be so selfish,All that money!!! Must admit I read and re-read the article over a period of weeks. Over a long weekend I found myself alone with out a project. I took every thing our of my closet and bureau a little at a time. A lot of the clothes, I tried some on, some I hadn't worn since I brought them home. These were mostly ones that I had bought simply because they fit, I am not a ruffle and frills kind of girl..so they got taken straight to the Goodwill. What I was left with was pretty scant. I did keep my wedding dress from 2001, a long skirt, camisole and beaded jacket in "Barbara Bush Blue." For some reason it got hung where I saw it every day. I started out as a "D" on your site. Over a period of two years I have lost 65 lbs. Around 40 lbs lost I had morphed into a "C". I would like to lose another 15 lbs, that's where I feel the best. I sent you in a photo for my color seasons and you said I was a "winter". While I will be able to fit into my original wedding dress; I bought a new dress for our anniversary, an Alex Evenings, Portrait Collar Sheath Dress in Black. I am in LOVE with this dress: http://www.dillards.com/p/alex-evenings-portrait-collar-sheath-dress/504758050?di=04278551_zi_black&categoryId=666715&facetCache=pageSize%3D96%26beginIndex%3D0%26orderBy%3D1%26facet%3D-119661089799107 I know I PURGED several thousands of dollars worth of clothes. I realize that after left the donation site. I felt better! I didn't have many clothes but the clothes I had fit me! From the EXAMPLES on your website I found a few clothiers that I really like and make me feel good when I wear them. (J.Jill, Coldwater Creek, some the styles you featured on Dillards etc.) I now do most of my shopping online. Free returns are a +. I do like shopping with my daughters-in-laws.... Now I am happy to go home with one good item or none for that matter. (They like it too, more goodies for them. If they ask me my opinion I give it to them. They know about your site; I don't know if they use it or not. My one daughter (in-law) was born with good fashion sense. She's a big girl but she knows what she looks great in. While I do know how to sew - now have my clothes altered if need be. If I do happen to lose more weight - I will have them re-altered ....if I Really like the item.... if not PURGE IT! NO longer buy ANYTHING simply because it's on sale or simply fits. PS: I will be purging my shoes this fall. I've already purged some as I've gotten them out....seems my taste in shoes has changed too. Who Knew ones 'Shoe Sense' could change? Will have to look for 'Not Your Daughters Jeans." Looking forward to the upcoming year. Thanks.

Interesting question and answers. I haven't too many clothes - quite the opposite. : ) But have recently been looking for fashionable shoes and boots to make the most of the basic items in the wardrobe. Also must look for new handbags. Clothing in colours that suit us always helps, too.

I never had that many clothes either (I purged probably one trash bag, and it cleaned out my closet). Everything fits, and everything gets worn.

A few years ago, I forswore men's/unisex clothing (t-shirts and hoodies), so now the number one problem I have with clothes I don't wear but still keep is t-shirts--mostly from concerts and other events. I have a HUGE stack! I'm boxing them up for the attic now, and when I'm old, I'm going to make a "T-shirt and Jeans" quilt. I also keep one or two pairs of jeans that are a size too big. If I'm going to be outside in winter, I want space for wool tights underneath.

I feel if I finally purge those few items I'm keeping that no longer fit, that I'm giving up the fight of trying to get to the weight and health I should be at.

I have lots of clothes in my closet that don't fit or shouldn't be there. If I purged, there probably wouldn't be anything in it. I'm not kidding when I say if my husband didn't buy me some clothes I would go around naked! Blah!!! I hate buying clothes! First, I never seem to have money to buy clothes. Second, I just can't find clothes that fit. So most of the clothes in my closet are T's and jeans. Third, I don't ever wear "nice" clothes because I don't go anywhere but a quick run to buy groceries. Everything I wear gets ruined, little holes here and there, faded, dusty, dirty, and plain ugly. The chickens and animals always love to see me coming but they don't care what muck they leave on me. I tried to buy me some nice blouses and slacks again last summer. All ruined already. And the colors and styles just aren't me! I would love to have a 'little black dress' that can be dressed up for those special outings, but I've looked and looked to no avail. Every now and again I go to a wedding, baby shower, or the opera with friends and I have nothing to wear and have trouble finding shops that have clothes that fit me. I'm not good at clothing at all!

Hi Kab, the little black dress (and some other dresses?) sound like a good idea for your social occasions. If you can't find them in the shops, could you get someone to make them for you? Good luck

I will pile things that don't fit, but that I genuinely like, into a small box/reusable bag. If it's a big purge, goes into a box. I make it a rule that if I haven't worn slimmed down w/in 12-18 months, bye-bye clothes. If only I could be so ruthless about other items I need to get rid of.

I will admit to having a pair of stone-washed jeans that I bought 25+ years and 40+ pounds ago. They were just then coming out with "tall" sized jeans and I bought them with my own money (quite a bit of it). I know they need to go, but doubt if Goodwill even wants them. I agree with the hint in today's fashion article that even tall girls should check out the petite section! I am nearly 6 feet tall, with most of it being legs. Lots of shirts and blouses are just a bit too long for my D-type self. I have found a few truly cute and nice-fitting blouses in the petite section- after wandering there while shopping with my 5ft 2in mom. For those of you who know what you like/need and cannot find it in local shops, I have found some things I like on eBay. It is a crap-shoot, sometimes. But if you stick to what you are willing to pay to chance it, the CPW could be quite reasonable. The thrift store is a great place to look, as well!

I was brought up in the era that you didn't throw things away, you reused them. When a pair of pants, tops, sweaters or shoes became too faded or worn, you wore them around the house or out in the yard, you cut them up for rags. I learned my lesson very well and my closets are cluttered. If I got rid of everything I couldn't or didn't wear, I would be using just one closet.

I was overweight and held on to my skinny clothes for many years. Finally, I purged them. Then, in a plot twist, I lost a lot of weight. Could have used those clothes, after all. Then again, it's more fun to buy new stuff. Now I'm nearly done purging my bigger clothes so I can see just what I need for that new wardrobe. Here's to hoping I don't need those bigger clothes ever again.

WOW! So it is not just me that keeps clothes of several sizes! i am trying to loose weigh at the moment. i am starting to think that the reason I can't loose weight is that I am holding on to the past and not allowing myself to be the person i am today. I too am having a quiet weekend in a few weeks and I am going to try to let things go that don't fit. I need to be the woman I am today and wear my clothes with pride. I need to let even the expensive things go. I also think I need to allow myself to evaluate the items rather than someone else. I am the one that is wearing them so I should be happy with the way I look. I recently was advised to throw out something I really loved. I couldn't bare to part with the item and it has gradually come back in my wardrobe. And I still love and the way I look in it! So i am keeping it!! And i still get compliments too!

I have two or three things in my closet that are legit too small, but over the past year, I've gained probably 40 lbs, so the clothes I like that fit me before I got married don't fit any more. I don't want to get rid of them, because I really want to wear them again, but I don't have the discipline that I should to lose the weight. Plus I was raised to pinch pennies and have a mentality that doesn't want to say I'm worth it, so it's hard to to justify to myself spending serious money on clothes. But I have found some places that sell the cute plus sized clothes I like, I just need to have a plan to shop for clothes.

I found my "basic black dress" at a website, Travelsmith, which carries clothes for travelers. It is a knee length princess line sheath, sleeveless with a scoop neck made of ponte knit. It is the most versatile comfortable dress I own, and I never have to worry about wrinkles. (it also comes in other colors besides black.)

With time and practice I've become a lot less precious about getting rid of worn or donating items that aren't my style anymore and have a very minimalistic wardrobe. There are two items in there that I can't seem to get over the hurdle with letting them go: one is a pair of golden high-heeled open-toed dressy sandals that I haven't worn in years. I suppose I keep those for an occasion... that hasn't materialized! The other are a pair of dark denim Levi's jeans that cost me I think €120, didn't fit me right from day 1 and even then only after a spell of crazy diets. Why do I keep them? I think they're my first pair of branded jeans that I could afford to buy myself and I hold onto the hope that I will be slim enough to wear them some day. I know I should really let them go and get something else I can actually wear.

If I didn't have boxes stashed in the attic, my closet would be stuffed. I find it hard to part with pretty clothes, but putting them in limbo helps. After a few years they don't look as nice, and I can let them go. Sentimental ones, oh man.... I keep one small drawer of paint/bleach/yuck clothes.