Donating clothes after weight loss and whether to keep larger sizes

Nice work getting here. Same spot for me before, and I hung onto the old sizes in the closet. When the weight crept back I already had things to wear so no immediate cost or hassle. Maybe not having them would have pushed me to stay on track though. This round I'm leaning toward giving everything to a shelter since people without housing need clothes they can't buy. If anything is nicer and still good you could sell it online to help pay for new stuff.

Shelters for women or people without homes usually accept clothes even if they're not perfect. While I was dropping sizes I bought stretch waist things so they lasted longer as I changed. Lots of sweaters that started fitted and ended up baggy got worn for months. Now I stick to clothes that actually fit but kept a few of the stretch jeans and big sweaters just in case. I don't expect to gain again but a broken leg or months stuck inside could add a few pounds.

When I was going down sizes I folded the too-big underwear and white socks neatly, put them in a paper bag labeled clean and free, and left it by the soup kitchen door. Those things get used fast and cost a lot when money is tight or gone.

A friend who works in the ER said they need clean underwear and pants to give patients when their clothes get cut off or ruined. Worth asking around.

Once I'm home I'll give the 40 and up sizes to a local mission. They help a lot of people without housing and always need clothes. I'm at 38 now and aiming for 34, so I'll need new things then anyway.

Big congrats on the 34s, that's huge. Donate the rest and don't keep any as a safety net. Charity shops, shelters, or those metal drop bins in lots work fine. It feels good to help and also marks the change, no closet full of reminders that going back is okay.

The 34s are great news. A couple months back I gave a big load of 3X-4X shirts and 42-48 pants to a men's drug rehab place. Tried for a veterans group but nothing nearby. Underwear went in the trash, people probably want new packs of those. Only gave things without stains or rips. Now I'm piling up the next round of 2X and 40s. Realized I have a clothes hoarding issue.

Hang onto them in case rules change later.

Donate them, no chance I'm going back to that size.

Donating makes sense. Though I don't wear clothes at all.

Most of my clothes come from resale sites. Now in my skinny phase I went to the mall to check brands and sizes, bought a couple things to keep stores open. Came home, ordered more online, and started a bag of old stuff to send back. That'll help cover the cost of new things.

Give them to people who can actually use them.

Same rules here on what gets accepted. I bagged everything too big, set it aside, and said if I didn't touch it for three months it goes out. That's what happened. A coach once told me any time you start with yeah but you're just arguing to keep the problem.

I'm kind of a hoarder. Found 30 inch Levi 501s from forty years ago in the closet and they fit now. Weight is handled, maybe time to deal with the hoarding too.

If you're planning to bulk up again keep just the tightest ones. Otherwise donate the lot, no need for them to end up in the trash.

Donate so someone else gets use, and we turned some old event shirts into a quilt.

Goodwill isn't great to deal with lately. Call shelters or churches first and ask if they need anything.

I give good condition stuff to the local school district program that hands out free clothes to families who need them. They don't mark things up like some places. Has to be stuff high school kids would wear, but plain shirts, sweaters, jeans and lounge pants usually work.

Hold onto them, you never know when a relapse could happen.

I donated everything that was too big. Still wear some and just pin the sides so they don't fall down.

I've given away many of my larger outfits to a local charity instead. I share the view about avoiding Goodwill. My spouse mentioned they auction things off, so I switched back to the same charity for drops.

Wow, amazing progress! I've stuck with shedding the pounds by clearing out my wardrobe. A handful of pieces got sold, others handed over to charity, and the rest just tossed away. Note that bigger clothing options can be tough to locate in secondhand spots or giveaway bins.

It's awesome dealing with having too many oversized outfits after losing weight. I held off for nearly two years until the change was clear enough that I could go through my things and donate the larger ones. I tackled the closet according to the time of year, starting with cooler months and then warmer ones. My teen helped decide what stayed or went. The oversized pieces got donated to places that help people out. For the ones that still worked, she gave a quick yes or no as I modeled them. It hit me that just because something was the right size didn't mean it suited me now or looked current. Lots of stuff I saved hoping to wear again turned out to be old-fashioned or unflattering once I tried it. Clearing away all that outdated and unflattering stuff felt freeing, leaving only the pieces that matched my current size and had a timeless look. After that, I noted down what I actually wanted or needed next. Buying clothes became enjoyable and purposeful once more, without collecting extras. That focus shifted over to routines involving Asian beauty products and certain supplements. 😹

I saved a couple for myself and gave the leftovers away. Other places accept donations too.

Folks mentioned reaching out to centers helping those without homes and women in need. Those places want fresh garments constantly regardless of style or how old the pieces are. I always leave the big chain spots as my final option.