I am still a couple months out from Surgery. So every day that I am routing around in my closet trying to find something that fits, I dream about the future when I am pulling everything out and putting it in bags for donation. I imagine my closet to be empty! There is no point in having more than the bare minimum until the weight stops coming off.

I would love to hear about how you manage your wardrobe and would love to see some pictures :-)

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I am 3 1/2 years post-op RNY gastric bypass surgery. Just about everything in my closet is now gone. And I mean everything. I went from a size 3X in shirts down to a size small and from a size 46 in pants down to a size 33. I tried to keep my belts by notching additional holes in them and cutting off the ends. But they are all gone now. I gave up all my coats and jackets, because my shoulders became smaller and as a result, the sleeves became longer and I started to look like Disney character Droopy, the dwarf in Snow White. For some people they even have to replace their shoes because their feet become smaller in length and for some in width.

After surgery you will find the loose fitting clothes will come in handy. It will help to minimize the pain in the area around your stomach. You may also find that belts are indispensable to keep your pants up. Also there is a saying called "Never trust a fart" that you need to remember. Fortunately this condition only last for a month or two.

I am still a couple months out from Surgery. So every day that I am routing around in my closet trying to find something that fits, I dream about the future when I am pulling everything out and putting it in bags for donation. I imagine my closet to be empty! There is no point in having more than the bare minimum until the weight stops coming off.

I would love to hear about how you manage your wardrobe and would love to see some pictures :-)

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I did just that a month ago. Luckily I have always had clothes in a size 6-20. As I've dropped I've been mercilessly donating the big clothes, the second they start to look big. Before Christmas I pulled out all my clothing bins and went through them. Of the smaller clothes I ditched the stuff that was ordinary etc, and kept my favorite pieces and a couple pairs of pants/skirts in each size. My mother in law has inherited a lot and usually gets a new set of clothes from me every month or so. She started complaining that she has no excuse to shop. I also found an amazing sale and bought things like jeans in the next 3 sizes down, same with a sweater I love that was only $7. Got it in medium, small and extra small.

I had clothes from 10-22, and it is so much fun to ditch them! It's getting expensive replacing the pajamas and underwear/bras -- those I didn't have all the sizes of, but so much fun to replace my lingerie with pretty things! I actually organized my drawers a bit last night to have it be a lovely experience picking out which frilly bra and panty set I want to wear. Love it!

I have pants organized by size in one side, and I rotate the new sizes down to another section so I'm not overwhelmed or discouraged looking at the skinnier stuff. My tops are on another side, and those I will be replacing come spring/summer since I don't have anything smaller to wear.

I'm using my old gym pants, but my foot is down half a size. Not buying new shoes until I'm at goal and know where I will end up.

I do have clothes size 4 to 18. As I purge the bigger sizes, it will be nice to pull it all out and fill the closet back in. But, I once I stabilize at a size I hope to purge everything else. My NSV is to have a closet with only clothes that fit. It can be sparse, that would be fine. I just really want to only look at clothes that fit for once in my life!

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I'm using my old gym pants, but my foot is down half a size. Not buying new shoes until I'm at goal and know where I will end up.

I guess I will never understand that foot thing. Maybe it's the type of shoes people wear if you need to get smaller sizes?

My closet looks pretty thinned out. I'm in the lucky situation though that I don't need to buy clothes for work. I would have to spend way more money on a wardrobe if I would work at an office instead of a hospital.

@@summerset, the foot thing is a combination of having two 9+lb babies back-to-back in 2012 and 2013 and breaking every bone in my foot while pregnant in 2012. I think there was weight-related swelling. Now that we are in the frigid cold winter temperatures and I've dropped lbs, the bulk of my foot has gone down a bit.

My wedding rings are falling off, too! Need to get them sized before I lose them.

I concur with @@RJrocks -- I hope to have a streamlined closet of only things I love, that are flattering, and I don't have to think about to make look good. I have a friend who is VERY particular about her clothes -- won't buy something unless it's perfect fit, color, match, length, texture, etc. She's not a flashy dresser, but I appreciate her cohesive look and sticking to a budget because she's so fussy.

Gone are the days of buying the same schlubby gear in every color it comes in because it's my only option of what fits/looks halfway decent. I want statement pieces now.

Never underestimate the power of a great tailor - but remember that you DESERVE some fabulous, new things that will make you feel your best, as well. I'm finally at the point where almost all of the "skinny" clothes in my closet fit, but they fit in different ways than they did before. Be ruthless in getting rid of things, but treat yourself to some truly amazing clothes that will remind you why you did all of this, in the first place. Good luck!

Oh, and I was the queen of gorgeous scarves and handbags before surgery (they always fit!) and generally wore multiples of the same, black outfit almost all the time. So great to be out of that rut - and you will be, too. Sooner than you think, you will feel great about what you wear, and great about yourself. Be strong! Be determined! You will get there before you know it.

@@summersetMy wedding rings are falling off, too! Need to get them sized before I lose them.

Ah yes, almost forgot. Same here.

I am down to a 14/16 from a 22/24, and I've been having fun fitting into some older things and buying some new ones. Almost all my new dresses and work clothes I have bought at Ross, which has some phenomenal deals on really cute pieces. I have been donating or giving away my larger clothes, and now I am going to try ThredUp, too (on online consignment site).

A big part of paring down my closet has been not only getting rid of clothes that are too big, but clothes that aren't "me" anymore. If I don't feel excited to wear it or if it doesn't reflect my personal style and new-found confidence, I decided it's just taking up space in my closet and could serve someone else better.

Regarding rings getting too loose ... I ordered these and they seem to work:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PI0T25Q?psc=1

I don't want to have my rings resized until I am down to goal weight.

One thing about weight loss, clothes r cheaper!

I have to say that depends.

One year this month I had my surgery... when you get to your goal cleaning your closet out is the most fun. I retired last summer and gave all business suits to good will. Giving away my my heels to buy running shoes is a lot of fun too! Down 100 lbs, passed my goal and feeling better then ever. Going shopping dreading to but hoping I find something to buy that will look half way descent to me. Now, everything looks good it's hard to decide what not to buy. Being healthy has no age!