I once travelled for six months and lived comfortably out of my suitcase, decided to get rid of a lot of clothes after that.

Not enough. Once every couple years. And only when I am forced to due to lack of space. It's easy to get rid of things that are damaged. It's hard to get rid of the stuff I spent good money on that is still in good shape, that I like, but that I just don't have enough occasion to wear. Because someday, I might... ;)

I do a BIG clean out twice a year. I also try to purge a handful of items anytime I'm guilty of buying new things :)

Never know when the urge to purge the closets will hit but when it does, watch out! Give clothes and shoes to relatives and if anything is left, it goes to charity. Find it to be very therapeutic and gives me more room to go out and stimulate the economy with some more shopping!

I keep a large bag in my closet and as I come across things I just know I am never going to wear again I put it in the bag. Once the bag is full I take it to a donation center. That way I never have to dedicate a major chunk of time to that particular chore. Although, I do occasionally like to really get in there and do a solid sort out.

Probably twice a year, once in the spring and another in the fall. Basically whenever we switch out for the winter and when it gets warmer out.

Not nearly often enough! I need to use the rule I used when my son was small and had sooo many toys, when you get something new...something old has to go! ( :

I just finished a major purge. I am recently retired so my professional clothes went to someone who would use them. I kept casual clothes and 1 suit and 2 dresses. My closet is bare. It is so liberating.

Once a year (well, almost).
It's on the list to do this week. I have stopped trying to do the entire walk-in in one day. It gets too overwhelming. So, I'll do hubby s hanging areas, then his shelves and shoes. Next my casual clothes and move on, etc. One section at a session or, for as long as I have the energy or don't get distracted.

Every season and if I didn't wear it over the last season, it goes

Rather than purge, which can be brutal, I tend to go through my clothes regularly and get rid of anything that I don't wear. I also find it is a good idea when returning clothes to the drawers or wardrobe to rotate them, so the last T shirt goes on the bottom of the pile for example and then I get to wear the next one. It works.

spring and fall, when I'm considering updating my wardrobe.
Then I purge :-) !!!!

I very rarely purge since I worry that I'll throw things out and then they'll come back into style. BUT my wardrobes are overflowing and so the contents are currently on my bedroom floor waiting to be sorted this evening!

Constantly. If I wear something that has gotten to big, or small or short, or just doesn't do it for me anymore, it doesn't go back in the closet after wash day, it goes in the donation bin. The MS society sends me these neat bags, when the bag is full I call them for a pick-up. Saint Vincent DePaul also sends out post cards when they are going to be in my area, I leave the bag on the step with their name and off it goes.

Frequently! I love an organized closet and just the clothes that I wear frequently so I can get dressed quickly. I store off-season clothes and things that I haven't worn for awhile but can't part with at the beginning of the season, but almost monthly I remove things that I no longer need or wear and give to the Salvation Army.

Project333. 33 Pieces for 3 months. Check it out.

I recommend purging things from the closet two times a year. My rule is if you have not used it in the last year you probably do not need it anymore!

We try to purge twice a year minimum, sometimes three times if needed. I work retail so I make an effort to keep my classic "staple" pieces until they are worn out and only buy a few current season pieces that will complement what I already have, we are on a tight budget too so that motivates me! I'm also a horse person, so old jeans and t-shirts and sweaters get a longtime use before being deemed too ripped, old or nasty to keep! My rule of thumb is if I haven't worn it in 12 months, it goes to Salvation Army and if I can't make at least one outfit using it, same thing.

Twice a year or more often if I need it to keep from pulling my hair out.

Twice a year...after a purge a few years ago, I put the clothes back in the closet with the hangers turned backwards, then after they are worn, return them to the closet hangers forward...at the end of the season, anything I didn't wear is easily spotted because the hanger is still backwards...no more excuses, it gets tossed...

Maybe once or twice a year... Though, I am not someone who collects things. It sure feels good to raid the closet. There's nothing more satisfying than donating perfectly good clothing to second hand shops.

All you purgers….i'm wondering what is the number one reason for not wearing something?

I purge twice a year when seasons change. When I put warm clothes away, I get rid of anything that I have not worn in the past 6 months. Same thing when I put summer clothes away.

@eightpondfarm....in my case, I purge clothes only for the following reasons: worn out, don't fit (properly), damaged or no longer fit my lifestyle as in can't wear a suit to do my barn chores. I purchase the best quality I can afford (or justify) so that my clothes last but still, things must go from time to time. Fortunately my stepdaughter and I are more or less the same size so she received alot of my good office clothes when I retired. But my style is very classic, never trendy so I never have to purge due to "going out of style". I also like to sew and made a lot of nice tailored jackets/pants out of top quality fabrics like alpaca, cashmere and wools so those things will stay in my closet forever even though I don't wear them as much any more.

I clear out my sons drawers and wardrobes quite often but my own one is really needing a good clear out. Hmmm, maybe tomorrow.

I clear out my closet each time the season changes. I also will rid myself of duplicates such as 2 red handbags. For every new piece of clothing I buy, I try to rid myself of something I either haven't worn in a long time or have worn long enough.

I read on Houzz somewhere, advice to place a small hamper in the walk-in closet to use just for donations. Makes so much sense, I ordered one today for my closet. Might just turn a yearly purge to "One Hamper at a Time".

@moggie73: Just makes sense to me too.

With the change of the seasons and whenever I decide to do a whole-house purge.

I do a complete purge every couple of years for the entire house. This past year I not only sold my large house but we joined two households (double of everything). Trailer loads to the dump, thrift store and a garage sale fixed that in a hurry. I figured "If I haven't needed it in the last 2 years, then, I don't need it at all and perhaps someone else will want it". Simple!

Every five years or so.

I don't buy a lot, so I purge as I go. But I do find myself doing a major overhaul when circumstances change. When I had a job that required business suits and heels to be worn daily, I had to do a major overhaul to accommodate quick changing of purses, the shoe storage and easy access to those, and the new clothes. I used to purge seasonally, but now that I have a huge closet, I just keep winter on one side and summer on the other and purge as I go.

For myself, I try to get rid of things on an ongoing basis. For my husband, we share a bottle of wine and have a "date night" where he tries everything on for me and then has to justify why he needs to keep it! I have 2 votes to his 1! With my son, our annual end of summer routine is to go through his clothes before school starts again! Make it fun!

Eightpondfarm,
The number one reason for not wearing something is......drum roll please; habit. People rotate the same few items week after week. I always make it a point to wear everything in my closet at least once a season. If I have worn a sweater once, I dig deeper in the closet until I find one I have not worn yet this winter. I am so good at it that a women at a previous job accused me of wearing clothes and returning them to the store. Its the only explanation she could come up with for not seeing me in the same clothes day in and day out. lol

twice a year, with the new seasons

As I do laundry I get rid of anything torn or stained. I can only justify so many "yard work" clothes, so I only have a couple things. This helps keep me from running out of room in the closet and dressers too quickly.

I also get rid of things that don't fit me right any more. I despise belts, so if I've spent the day pulling up my pants, I'll wash 'em and donate 'em. I don't buy clothes very often either, so when I do get new clothes, I go through my closet and purge.

My husband on the other hand... He doesn't purge. His stuff is encroaching on my space. I get rid of anything that's holey or torn or faded with the hopes that it'll eventually make a difference.

Once a year in the spring. At this time of year I am going thru winter clothes to put away, and spring and summer clothes are taken out.

Good way to clean out the wardrobe - lose weight.
Recently I 'lost' (if you find it I don't want it back) 16 kilograms.
(454 grams = 1lb. Roughly 2lbs to a kilo.)
I now have 2 skirts that stay up when I wear them. No slacks/pants/trousers that fit. A few shirts still fit ok.
Under things all baggy and toooo big.
Big bags of clothes binned or sent to charity shop.
Some of my most favourite clothes.
And I hate shopping in any form. Actually amazing how I manage with so few clothes.

The same thing happened to me within the last year (40 pounds) although I clear out my closet seasonally. To leave too-big clothes in your closet is to anticipate wearing them again.

Losing weight is the best reason for a purge. I've lost 19, so far. And it's not just the closet, but the drawers, right?

The only thing that hurts a little is that the dress I bought to wear to a wedding last fall is already too big. Ah, well, some woman at a second hand shop will get a chance to wear a nice little black dress, right?

Not often enough, but closet designer Lisa Adams gave me the best piece of advice and I follow it - when I try something on that washes me out, is unflattering, too low-rise, too high-rise, too big (yeah right) or too small, I toss it in a donate bin that now has a permanent spot in my closet. When the bin is full, I take it to Goodwill.

At least twice a year-late fall and early spring, but always assessing throughout the year.

At least twice a year.

I purge once a year and decide what to toss or send to a goodwill store.

At the end of the each season.

My wife's walk-in closet only holds current season clothing. The entire closet is swapped out/in seasonally from our "off season" clothing storage room, so a purge is done each time...

Purged in connection with recent move. Like Eightpondfarm's idea of repurposing my "good" office clothes for barn use.

annually

Too big clothes is certainly a reason for closet purging. I've lost 70 lbs and now it seems like there's hardly anything in there! .

Spring and Fall