I’m ashamed to say…..

I’ve got several coats that I’ve never even worn. I bought a Laura Ashley coat in a sale 20+ years ago to replace my much loved long grey winter coat but continued to wear old faithful and still do. And pre pandemic was terrible for buying bargain coats in sales. I once took a coat that I was still wearing to a charity shop and they refused it because it was too shabby
I tend to wear the same things for months on end and will often start wearing something that I haven’t worn for years. I’ve got wardrobes full of clothes that have never been worn, especially as, since the pandemic started I’ve hardly done anything except walk the dog.

35 coats and 132 skirts is impressive!

OMG I cannot remember when I last owned a coat. I think I am OTT possessing 2 waterproof jackets.

I own 4 pairs of shoes but wear one pair. I do have a lot of nightdresses, around 8 I think.

I have not bought any sort of coat for five years. The most recent was a lightweight showerproof summer coat. My oldest is a long charcoal grey coat which was expensive but it must be 20 years old. I can’t recall when I last wore it. I just wear a short anorak type jacket for most occasions. I have five, of different weights, colours and condition, plus one decent black coat and a long navy thin coat, so I am OK for funerals. That makes nine. Too many. Plus one waiting to go to a charity shop.

I usually give our clothes to charity but when Covid arrived the three local charity shops closed down. I have been taking clothes to a rescue warehouse who ship stuff out to Ukraine. Last winter I gave six coats of mine and three of DH I am about to sort some more out this week. I tended to buy one colour coat and then repeat the purchase in different colours. I now sensibly think what a waste of money and that habit has gone now.

During my divorce and buying of somewhere to live, I over
stretched on the new purchase, consequently my 13 year old
daughter and I spent 6 months on very little cash.I found a
re-cycling depot near me (charity shops are rare in towns in
France) and still have some of my 'buys' from that era. I was
so gratefull I have willingly moved my own clothes on since
then to the depot and hope someone is as gratefull as I was.

Good Lord I don’t think I’ve ever had that many clothes in my life. I have a wool and cashmere car coat, a long herringbone tweed coat which I haven’t worn for years and probably will never wear again, a down coat for winter and various outdoor jackets. I have one wardrobe for most of my clothes and when I can bring myself to part with DH’s clothes, I will have another. But not yet.

32 coats?! I haven't got a big enough hose to store that many. I've got 2 jackets, 3 winter coats, 2 raincoats and a casual coat.

Gosh 32 coats! I have one quality winter coat which is at least 7 years old, wear it every winter and haven’t tired of it. I try to buy quality clothing which lasts for ever, but have too many pairs of trousers and jeggins, and an excess of casual shoes.
Clothing is so cheap nowadays and it’s easy to over indulge, but there is a price to be paid in sustainability or exploitation of workers in garment factories.

The Baptist church near me has a rail in the lobby where you can drop off warm clothing, an absolute Godsend for some folks. you might have something similar locally. I tend to keep expensive buys as they can come back into fashion but ditch the cheaper stuff. I wore a pair of brown cord trousers this week that are at least 15 years old and they looked great. I also took the shoulder pads out of an expensive black tweedy blazer bought years ago and it's quite fashionable again.

A male friend of ours, once he was becoming weak through illness - got dh to go with him through his coats and raincoats - there were over 40!! All good quality, some with the labels still attached.
About half went to charity shops, but why he still needed 20….

He was a bit of a shopaholic, though, and something of a hoarder. After he died his wife found (among many other multiples) SIX blood pressure monitor thingys. I asked why on earth he’d end up with 6…. ‘When he couldn’t find the first, he’d just buy another….’ Rinse and repeat.

Homeless people always need coats, Salvation Army maybe?

Take them to an inner city charity shops where people are desperate for decent clothes and those charity shops don't have much decent stuff. I can' forget seeing people counting out amounts like 45p for a children's top or spending a long time mulling over a £5 winter coat.

Why so many clothes more than you need? I genuinely don't understand. Just more "stuff" to look after. I have one wardrobe, one set of drawers, and a bed drawer for night things, a shoe and gloves/scarves/woolly hats chest and never short of things to wear.

I have one camel coat, I had a black tweed one and gave it to the charity shop last winter. I also put some tops on local freecycle. They went quickly.
I too am buying little and using up. But my hair is grey now and I'll have to buy some brighter colours.

But no, I definitely don't have a huge amount. I thought I had until I read this thread! One triple wardrobe and 2 chests of drawers.

Thank you Hetty! I know my local 'hubs' and haven't looked on-line recently. I hope others find it useful

I bit the bullet this summer and cleared three clothes rails that were in the loft plus loads of bags of clothes that were kept "just in case". Old suits from when I worked that I would never wear again or that didn't fit, dresses, skirts, coats, shorts, tops. Some of them went to the charity shop, some I simply bundled up in bags and took to a mobile place nearby that pays for old clothes in wearable condition by weight and recycle it to various charities overseas - I made a grand total of £8 and gave this to my grandchildren as a treat.

I am so relieved that all the old stuff is now cleared. I have more space, can see what I have and wear it more often. I was really ruthless, even with stuff that had cost a bit to buy. The money was spent years ago, I'm not going to see it again so what the heck! If my old clothes are put to good use by someone else then I'm happy.

Since retiring I too have gone through my wardrobe, as many of the clothes are too formal to ear now. My charity shop has had around 20 bag! I have also lost some weight so that is a factor too. At least the charity shops might make some money!

eazybee

If it is good quality take it now; in another couple of years it will be out of date. let someone buy it and get some wear out of it if you are not going to.

I shall wear my coats even if they're out of fashion.

Just counted up and I have five, i thought that was too many!

I addressed this excessive items of clothing situation by stopping buying. Nearly three years now. Very pleased with myself but don't know what's happened to the cash I should have saved!

Nannarose, thanks - I've now found this: smartworks.org.uk/support-us/make-a-donation/donate-your-clothes/

It’s not the worse I’ve heard of. I helped my friend clear her late mother in laws house.
132 skirts She obviously liked a style and bought it in every colour. ?

They are not always easy to find (the big charity shops have a better on-line presence) but think about your local homeless, domestic abuse and refugee charities.
They appreciate sensible coats, and decent clothing, which can make a real difference. One of ours has a stock of 'interview clothing'. I also treasure the thanks given to us by a young homeless man who was given one of my dad's suits to wear to a wedding. He realised how people saw him differently when he was smartly dressed.

If it is good quality take it now; in another couple of years it will be out of date. let someone buy it and get some wear out of it if you are not going to.

Dollymixtures, you are not the only one! I have three wardrobes in a spare bedroom that I haven't even opened since before the pandemic (and only rarely before then). I know there's loads of high heels and formal work clothes (jackets, plain blouses, black and navy trousers) - just stuff I don't wear these days. It's all good quality, though, so I can't bring myself to stuff it in the clothes recycling bin. Local charity shops are overloaded with clothes - so do I just leave it for another year or two?

I much prefer to have a large number of cheap coats than one expensive one which I get fed-up of wearing.
So don't feel guilty, you're not alone.
I regular have a 'sort-through' as the seasons change, intending to have a cull but I not only end up keeping them all, I decide I am lacking a certain style and buy another one.
I have got some wonderful bargains in sales...the drop in prices just shows how much profit companies are making.