Too Many Clothes? Stop Buying Things You Won't Wear

If you have too many clothes but still feel like you have nothing to wear, these 10 ways are sure to to help you stop wasting money.

Are you ready to have a wardrobe that reflects your personal style, works for your body, and makes it easy to put together outfits you feel great in?

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For example, I had a client who loved the coral. She would buy anything in that color, regardless of whether it fit her well, suited her style, or worked for her lifestyle. She never wore the items and kept purchasing clothes in her favorite color but ended up with pieces she didn’t enjoy wearing.

2. Know Your 3 Criteria

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One thing I always recommend is knowing your criteria. What are your non-negotiables? What must an item have before it enters your wardrobe? For me, the item has to fit well or I need to commit to getting it tailored. It also needs to be a classic silhouette. Lastly, it has to be high-quality. I prefer natural fibers that feel good on my body because I know I’ll reach for them. If something is made of rayon or polyester, I won’t wear it because it’s uncomfortable.

These are my three non-negotiables: fit, timelessness, and quality. If an item doesn’t meet all three, it’s an automatic no for me. Even if it fits me well, if it’s low quality or not in line with my style, I won’t buy it. I’ve seen many women make the mistake of compromising. Before you bring anything into your closet, make sure it meets at least three of your criteria. If it doesn’t, chances are you won’t wear it.

3. Buying An Item Because You Need Something To Wear

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If you’re buying clothes because you feel like you have nothing to wear, you might end up with something you don’t love. Maybe it’s not ideal, but you feel the urgency to have something to wear. You might wear it once, but if you don’t love it, chances are you won’t reach for it again. This leads to wasted money on pieces that don’t align with your personal style or lifestyle.

It’s important to focus on buying the right items for you. Pieces that fit your unique style, work with your lifestyle, and make you feel great. If you’re buying an item because you feel desperate, you’re likely wasting money. I’ve seen many closets full of clothes with tags still on them, items that were bought on impulse and never worn. To avoid this, always buy with intention. Choose pieces that meet your non-negotiables and that make you feel confident, rather than buying because you have nothing to wear.

4. You Don’t Know What You Like

If you don’t know what you like, whether it’s colors, silhouettes, fabrics, or prints, then it’s going to be hard to build a wardrobe that works for you. You might end up buying things because you’re having a bad day, they’re on sale, or you feel you need something to wear. If you’re not considering how the item makes you feel and whether it suits you, you’re likely wasting money on pieces you won’t wear long-term.

When you try something on, focus on how it makes you feel. This is a key step I take with clients. Instead of just telling them if something works, I ask them to pay attention to how they feel about the item. After all, they’ll be the ones wearing it, not me. It’s important to develop the habit of tuning in to how an item feels on your body, rather than relying on outside opinions like a friend’s or family member’s.

The more you pay attention to how you feel in clothes, the easier it will be to build a wardrobe you love. This isn’t something we naturally know. It takes time and practice. Once you start paying attention, it becomes easier to pick pieces that truly work for you, and your wardrobe will start to reflect your style and make getting dressed simpler.

5. Stop Buying For Your “Fantasy Self”

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Stop buying clothes for the life you wish you had for your “fantasy self,” or for the life you used to have. Instead, buy for the life you have right now. If you need new pieces, focus on what fits your current lifestyle.

Here’s a simple exercise: open your notebook and write down what your day-to-day looks like. What does your week consist of? Are you going to work? If so, is it in an office, a coffee shop, or from home? What’s your ideal outfit for those situations? Next, think about your evenings. Are you picking up kids, going on date nights, meeting friends, seeing a movie, or staying in? Write down what you’re typically doing in the evenings and what outfits would be ideal for those activities. Do the same for your weekends—what do your weekends usually look like, and what do you want to wear for those activities?

If you’re unsure, try tracking your activities for a week. Start on a Monday, and at the end of each day jot down what you did. After the week is over, look at the patterns. Where are you going, and what do you need outfits for? This will help you build a wardrobe that fits your actual life, rather than one full of items for your “fantasy self”.

6. Stop Buying What Influencers Are Wearing

The next tip is to stop buying things because you see influencers wearing them. Influencers often have brand deals, get items sent to them, or hand-pick items to style under perfect lighting with tweaks to make the outfits look their best. Essentially, they’re advertising, not necessarily showing you outfits that will work for your life. Instead, use influencers, Pinterest, and social media for inspiration.

A great practice is to shop your closet. Go through the pieces you already have and try recreating the looks you’ve seen. Nine times out of 10, you’ll be able to pull together an outfit from your wardrobe that you feel better in than if you’d bought something just because an influencer advertised it. It’s a smarter, more personal way to put together outfits.

7. Skip Style Subscriptions That Don’t Take YOU Into Account

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While it’s not necessarily bad to try different things, what I’ve found with many of my clients who have used subscription services like Stitch Fix is that they end up with a closet full of clothes that don’t reflect their personal style and body shape. They don’t love the pieces, and they don’t wear them. One of the main reasons is that these boxes are curated based on trends or what someone else thinks is in style. It is not what works for your body, your unique personal style, or your lifestyle.

If you’ve been using a subscription service and feel like it’s not working for you, know that you’re not alone. It hasn’t worked for any of my clients because these services don’t take into account the specific needs of your style, body, and day-to-day life.

8. Have A Shopping List

If you don’t have a shopping list, chances are you’re not paying attention to what you need when you’re shopping. But if you’re struggling to put outfits together and only wearing 20% or less of your wardrobe, a shopping list will help you buy what you truly need. Identify the items you are missing, and that’s where your focus needs to be. A shopping list keeps you on track, helping you make smarter shopping decisions by focusing on what you’re missing, rather than adding more of the same things.

9. Shop With Intention

Having intention in your life whether it’s how you live day-to-day or how you build your wardrobe, is essential to avoid wasting money on clothes you won’t wear. Many of us have shopped for reasons other than a genuine need. Maybe you had a bad day, went through something hard, or shopped for stress relief. In these moments, you’re not shopping to buy pieces that you love and will wear long-term.

Another important factor is fit. Most people don’t get a perfect fit off the rack, and many pieces require alterations. So, when deciding whether to buy something, consider if you’re willing to commit to having it tailored. If the answer is anything other than a firm “yes,” don’t buy it. I’ve seen many closets full of clothes with tags still on them because they needed alterations that were never done. In short, if you’re not willing to make the necessary adjustments, don’t bring the item into your closet. Shop with intention and commit to making your clothes work for you.

10. Stop Buying Things Just Because They’re On Sale

If you love to shop and hunt for deals, there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as your closet is full of pieces you love and it’s easy for you to put outfits together. However, if you find yourself struggling to get dressed or feeling like you have nothing to wear, it’s time to stop buying items because they’re on sale.

A discounted price doesn’t mean you’ll wear the item. Even if it’s $10 or $20, that money adds up, especially when you aren’t wearing what you buy. If you take that money and invest in a few quality pieces you truly love and that fit your style, your closet will be completely different. The key is to buy items because you love them and they fit your style, not just because they’re on sale.