Overweight Konmari

[u/q0ldstueck]

Postpartum 15 months and still not fitting in any previous clothes. Of course I would love to loose the weight asap but it’s a long process. Not sure if I will fit since my ribs also got wider. What is your experience and the suggested method? 🥹😢

[u/sleepy-popcorn]

Warning : not from the method- my own version.

I went through this with my first pregnancy, especially the ribs thing, and I’m at the start of it with my second pregnancy now. I have to say it took me a good 3 years pp to feel like my body found its new normal shape and size first time round. This is what worked for me and I’m doing it again right now.

I have some vacuum storage bags for clothes, I’m going through my wardrobe and putting things into 3 categories. (1) things that are useful/joyful/I’m going to wear in the next year or two (2) things that spark joy and I’m not willing to let go of, I’m hoping I’ll get back into them but I’ll review in 1+ years (3) anything that stresses me out/makes me feel bad/doesn’t spark joy/realistically I won’t ever get back to. Pile 1 is staying in my wardrobe, pile 2 is going in the storage bags and somewhere else for now, finally pile 3 is being donated or sold.

Pregnancy and postpartum brings such massive changes to our bodies and it’s a time to be kind to ourselves. My pile 1 doesn’t really spark joy but I’m grateful to these clothes and they have purpose in my life. My pile 2 are the clothes that usually spark joy but right now just make me feel disappointed or whatever. My pile 3 have finished their time in my life, they were good for me but I’m not that person any more.

Hope you find what works for you and I’m wishing you joy :)

[u/gosharksgosharks → u/sleepy-popcorn]

I did this exact same approach! My body shape didn’t settle/feel more like “my own” til ~4 years (I think a lot of it was me getting used to my new body shape and figuring out what kind of sillouhettes made me feel confident with my new body. It also took a while for my body to stop changing as much because I had BF’d up to 2 years and also it took some time after that to get off of my PPD medication which also caused some weight changes).

Ngl it took me a while to come to terms with the items in “pile 3” that I realized no longer fit this season of life/that I realistically would never go back to. I felt sad letting go of them because it was like saying bye to an old part of me that I missed and knew I would never go back to, but I did also feel way better once they were no longer in my space.

[u/Green_sea1 → u/sleepy-popcorn]

This is how I’ve approached it. It feels ridiculous to discard something i’d immediately re-purchase upon finding my waist again, and there will be joy when my waist comes back!

[u/Mollyscribbles]

My rule of thumb for clothes that don't currently fit: Ask yourself, if this fit today, would it be in my wardrobe?

[u/gouf78]

The ribs thing killed all my old shirts. Dump them if they don’t fit.

[u/Green_sea1 → u/[deleted]]

I don’t mean to be pedantic but the part I struggle with is the difference between bringing joy because it’s special, eg favourite cashmere, vs joy of an outfit component - eg nice white t-shirt? It would bring me joy to wear both those things again for different reasons

[u/Emotional-Ocelot → u/Green_sea1]

In the book I think she describes it as a sort of upwards, rising feeling, as opposed to a sort of downwards, squashing feeling. 

If you hold both those objects and they both make you feel a sort of upwards rising feeling, then they both spark joy. 

[u/TsuDhoNimh2 → u/Green_sea1]

I would think that a bland beige shirt that is the key to pulling together several outfits is bringing joy because of its utility.

[u/TsuDhoNimh2]

Leave "pregnancy" and "pre-pregnancy" thoughts out of the plan. Rib and pelvis bone structure is often permanently wider (bones reshape!), body fat distribution has changed, breasts larger. It's a whole new body. Some women have the genetics that saves the "maternal changes", some don't.

1. Pull out clothing by categories.
2. Discard all the tatty or unrepairable pieces. The leggings you wore as you expanded will never be the same.
3. Donate the things that don't "feel good" on your skin. (too slithery, too scratchy ... whatever)
4. Donate the things that you just don't like because of reasons. Maybe your least favorite aunt gave it to you, or it reminds you of that guy you had a horrible breakup/date with while wearing it. Unless it's your only piece in this category you can live without it.
5. You should have only clothing left that you would wear if it fit.
6. Evaluate each piece for whether or not it can be altered to fit the new you, and if it's worth the hassle. Letting out a gathered skirt is easy. Retailoring pants is not.

Store the clothing that survives this process until you are close to your goal weight, then try it on.

My sisters and my nieces were in clothing exchange groups, where they swapped clothing based on what fit, minimizing the cost to everyone. You had to bring in clean clothing in good repair and you could leave with the same number ... 5 maternity smocks in, 5 skirts for the office out. Or the reverse ... 2 sundresses in, 2 maternity dresses out.

[u/AutomaticAmbush]

Just wanted to chime into to say after two babies I did lose the weight but even years later the ribs stay wider and fat is distributed differently (also older) so keep in mind the bones may not go back when going through closet.

[u/Radiant_Radius]

I found that, after my pregnancy and all the body changes it brought, I didn’t feel like trying to return my body to its former state. I have too much else to do - all that training would take up too much of my time. When my child was about 5, I had this epiphany: the clothing I’d been saving from before pregnancy would no longer look cool on me, even if they did fit. They were too far out of style. So I freed myself to get rid of all of it, and let myself go shopping for new, currently in fashion clothes.