I don't have a lot of storage space in my closet so I have to get rid of things every once in a while. I get rid of clothes if I haven't worn them in over a year. I don't get too sentimentally attached to items. Once the old ones are gone I have space to buy new ones
I start getting rid of clothes when I notice that they are far too small, they are either falling apart or have lost their shape, they have stains or have faded badly, or they have typically just went so out of style that I wouldn't wear it. One additional reason that I've been getting rid of old clothing lately is because I have clothes from when I was 15 and I'm 21 now. Many of those clothes just don't appeal to me anymore, especially anything like a graphic screen tee or frilly tops in pastel colors.
In some locations, old clothes are being bought. Some ended up being sold in 2nd-hand-clothes-shops in some countries. Mind you, they earn a lot of money doing this. In fact, I have read in an online news article one was caught smuggling old clothes worth US$1M to third world countries. A very lucrative illegal and dangerous business. Due to economic inequalities, some people has to resort buying second hand clothes just to have something decent to wear. Oh and to answer the question for this thread: I get rid of my clothes when I no longer find them wearable. It could be because of change in size or the usual wear-and-tear.
I get rid of my jeans after two years at most. I never wear them past that as the shine is off from jeans by then. Shirts don't last longer as well. The lifetime is not more than 1-1.5 years at most.
I get rid of my clothes when they are too worn out and faded to be worn in public. I don't keep clothes that are too small because I'd rather have the empty closet space. I'm not into fashion anymore. I buy practical, comfortable clothes that fit and I wear then until they wear out.
I get rid of my clothes when they do not fit me anymore. I give the old ones to neighbors or donate them to the community. I do this for like thrice a year.
Oh dear! I just did this the other day. I was debating on whether or not to get rid of all my clothes or not. My son is one now and I have gone through some major, drastic weight changes. Of course with pregnancy none of my clothes fit me and I had to borrow a bunch of my mum's clothes. Then after I had my son, I lost all of my baby weight but my hips were wider. I had to buy a new pants size just because of my hips. Then right after I bought those jeans, my hips went back to normal. I am past my weight before I was pregnant. I could not be happier. What I am trying to get at is, you should have clothes stored up especially if you plan on having kids. You gain, and then you lose weight. It's a crazy process. Clothes that were skimpy that I used to wear before my son was born, I have completely gotten rid of. My fiancé actually had a great idea to cycle out my clothes. I put my favorite clothes out. The clothes I do not wear all the time, I put hidden away and when I feel like I need a new shirt, I just go back to my pile. It is great!
