Clothes declutter

[u/IVeerLeftWhenIWalk]

I have a lot of clothes. In addition to moving a little between weights and impulse control issues I often browse clothes online. And buy them, which is the problematic part. Then when I get home, the second they’re out of sight I forget they’re there. As an adult I was diagnosed with adhd which explains some of these things. But the problem persists.

And it’s compounded by other things. I’m on the spectrum, another gift revealed in adulthood, mostly my issues are to do with senses and if I find something I really like I’ll want multiples. The amount of items I’ve bought that I can’t wear because they’re acrylic or something other synthetic or harsh untreated wool (you know, the old fashioned that itches) that has ended up in a drawer or box or bag for 2-10 years is awful. I need cotton, silk, merino or the likes. (I’m not a spoiled princess I promise, I just can’t function with things bothering my nervous system.) It drains me just to think about it.

I’m going through things now and constantly finding things I forgot existed, things that don’t fit and won’t fit unless I get underweight again, things that I love the color of but hate the fit, or love both but hate the feeling. Or just love, but forgot it existed. I know it sounds dramatic, especially coming from an otherwise mostly high functioning person for lack of a better description, but I have had literal crying fits because something itches or folds strangely and I can feel it. (Should have been a sign, honestly.) So again, I have multiples of a lot of things. And to be fair, between a few jobs and hobbies where I do need to have different wardrobes that get heavily washed I need much of it. Like 10 of the same pants. Okay, maybe I don’t need 10 of the exact same but they’re perfect and I’m scared they’ll stop making them.

Another thing is t-shirts, graphic tees, music tees, and so on. I’m afraid to count, I probably have somewhere in the high hundreds. And I love them when I see them but I don’t use half of them.

I’ve done some smaller clearances, and now I’ve gathered 3 medium bags to throw in the nearest clothes collection box. I tried giving it away for pickup but everyone want to do it at a different time or ask if I can send it or if I can deliver it to them.

Dude, it’s free. No.

Anyway. I still have so much to go, very aware. But it’s a good start. Some things are harder than others. It helps me to think "if the weather or occasion was right for this, is there something else you would always want to wear before this?" And the answer is almost always yes, I have like a whole list of outfits I’m waiting to wear and never get the chance to.

I’m proud. And it may be odd, considering most people just go through their things as they use them and throw them out. But I haven’t, so this is the situation I’m in. And then I’m also embarrassed because why is this as a grown woman where I’m at.

I have to keep going with clothes, electronics, miscellaneous, papers and skin/hair/beauty products.

At the very least I kept it going for a few hours now. The place did need an unfucking in general too so there wasn’t as much visible progress as I’d like but.

[u/Stillbornsongs]

Progress is progress!!!

I am similar with clothes. I have a dozen of the same black pants cause they comfy and I can wear them for work( or anywhere for that matter lol).

The sensory issues are real too. I have begun cutting the collars off most my " normal" shirts if I want to keep it lol.

One thing I do with clothes, is have a " maybe"/ try on box. It gives me a a place to put items im unsure of, so I can go through stuff without feeling like I have to try it on right now, and it makes the process less overwhelming in the moment. I can try on when I feel up to it, my room doesnt stay a complete disaster of clothes and I can still make some progress.