If you’ve ever kept a pair of jeans that were too small for you, or had trouble getting rid of clothes that are too large for the body you’re in now, this one’s for you. There are many reasons to hold on to clothes that don’t fit, and I’ve summarized them into three common scenarios

Scenario #1: You purchased clothing that was originally too small for you as a motivator to lose weight.

Scenario #2: You no longer fit into clothes you once really loved, and you hold onto them in hopes you’ll one day be that size again.

Scenario #3: You hold onto clothes after a significant change in your weight, you don’t plan on being that weight again, but you’re not sure how to part with them.

Here’s my advice for each scenario, but at the end, I’d love to hear your own opinion or something that worked for you.

Scenario #1: You purchased clothing that was originally too small for you as a motivator to lose weight.

If this is the case, I think we should explore the motivation behind holding on to, but not wearing these clothes. If your experience is anything like mine has been, you may actually fit into these clothes, you just don’t look the way you think you “should”. I once purchased a cropped denim halter top and told myself I could wear it when I had abs. It fit me just fine, but I didn’t think I looked like a model in it, so I wouldn’t wear it. I kept it for ten years, never believing I was good enough to wear it. Yes, you read that right, 10 YEARS. Now, I wish I had that crop top, because it was truly adorable and I would happily wear it with my current chubby stomach.

Advice: Wear it. Whether that’s in the privacy of your house, amongst friends, or loud and proud in public, if you love a piece of clothing, wear it no matter what you look like. If you don’t want to wear it, donate it and move on.

Scenario #2: You no longer fit into clothes you once really loved, and you hold onto them in hopes you’ll one day be that size again.

When I was living on a very restricted diet and was at my absolute smallest, I had a pair of jeans that fit perfectly. They were like the unicorn of jeans; they never needed to be pulled up or adjusted, and they looked great with everything. After I realized my strict diet was not sustainable, I predictably gained weight and didn’t fit these unicorn jeans anymore, but I held onto them for several years. Finally, I sadly parted with them by selling them at a consignment store, and used the money towards a new pair that fit.

Advice: As Marie Kondo would say, thank the clothing for the joy it’s brought you, for the lesson it’s teaching you by no longer working in your life, and let it go. If you are ever that size again, the great news is that stores will most likely have other clothes that you’ll fit into.

Scenario #3: You hold onto clothes after a significant change in your weight, you don’t plan on being that weight again, but you’re not sure how to part with them.

This reason was the original inspiration for this blog. Someone reached out to me because they were in this situation and wondered whether they would ever return to that past weight.

Advice: I think it can feel like a grieving process to move on from a body you had before, and you don't necessarily have to part with these clothes if you're not ready. These clothes may represent a memento from a different time in your life, just like any other keepsakes you may be holding onto that have mixed emotions tied to them. I'm sure there's some sadness and fear that's tied to those clothes, but also good things too. You could always keep a few of them as reminders of who you were in the past, just like old photos and souvenirs, and the rest you could donate because I bet there's a person out there who could really use them.

Did these scenarios resonate with you? Let me know in the comments or by reaching out to me at blondieathletics@gmail.com

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What To Do With Clothes That Don't Fit You Anymore