Should I donate my old goal jeans or hang on?

I hear the tug-of-war. One thing that helped me: I kept one pair of “someday” jeans, but I put them in a labeled bin with a date three months out. If I hadn’t worn them by then—or if seeing them felt like a scolding rather than a curiosity—they went to donation. The money is already spent; the real question is whether they’re taking up mental space. I also only compare weekly averages, not single mornings, so one tight button wouldn’t mean much to me. What would feel kinder in your closet: a neutral benchmark, or empty space?

I’ve been the queen of “goal jeans,” and honestly the button gap was more useful than the jeans themselves. One thing that helped me: put them in a tote under the bed with today’s date, not in daily sight. Check every 4–6 weeks, but measure the gap with a soft tape instead of trying to button them. If the gap hasn’t changed in ~3 months, donate. Also—how do you feel when you accidentally see them? Dread vs

I’m team “make them earn the hanger space.” Dorm closets are tiny, so I’d vacuum-bag the size 10s and put a sticky note on the bag: “Button by the last day of the semester or off to the campus clothing swap/resale.” Then they’re not staring at you every morning. If you sell them, even $20 back funds a size-14 pair that actually buttons, which is a better daily win than an $80 ghost. Also, random q: do they fit differently after a salty dining-hall stir-fry night vs. first thing in the morning? Water weight makes my jeans feral.

tbh dorm closet space is basically a studio apartment, so I’d give the jeans a hard deadline. Put them in a labeled bin with a donate-by date taped on top—mine says “if the button still says no by Thanksgiving, bye.” If they make it, great; if not, list them and turn the $80 into cheap protein (rotisserie chicken, eggs, cottage cheese). I did this with a fancy dress, and the deadline helped more than staring at it. Also: take one pic wearing them open with a long shirt, so you keep the trophy without the guilt.

Honestly, the $80 guilt is real, but you don’t have to decide today. I’d put them in a clear bin with a sticky note: “Try on Oct 1. If no button by then, donate/sell and put $ toward jeans that fit now.” Then track a waist measurement every 2 weeks—not weight—so it’s data, not a shrine. Also, what’s one habit you’re doing differently this 7-week stretch than in 2023? That’s the part I’d protect most.

I’d demote them from “goal jeans” to “evidence jeans” and put them in a bin with a sticky note: recheck on a specific date, like 3 months from now. Then get one cheap pair that actually buttons today — you deserve pants that don’t make you feel like you’re failing before breakfast. If the 10s still don’t button by the date, donate them and put that $80 energy into a new reward at whatever size you’re in then. Sharp question: what’s the smallest non-scale win you’ve noticed in these 7 weeks — sleep, energy, rings, cravings?

I’d ask one question before deciding: were those size 10s from a weight you actually held for a few months, or from a brief dip? I kept goal jeans from a dip and they just ta

night shift here. I don’t keep clothes two sizes away. It’s just a daily “not yet” reminder. I’d take the size 10s to a consignment shop this week. If they sell, use the cash for jeas that fit now. If not, donate. Keep a size 12 as your next checkpoint. What’s your actual goal size this round?

I’m an empty nester too, and I finally realized I was keeping “someday” clothes instead of building a closet for the life I’m actually living now. I’d keep the size 10s only if you can name a real place you’d wear them—date night, concert, whatever—not just “when I’m smaller.” Meanwhile, buy one pair of 14s you genuinely like and get them hemmed. Feeling put-together now has done more for my walks and cooking routine than staring at old jeans. What’s the actual occasion for those 10s?

What were your waist/hip measurements when those size 10s actually fit? Regain can redistribute, especially midsection, so the tag matters less than circumference. I track waist, hip, and preferred rise. If your current waist is >2 inches off and they’re low-rise, donate; tailoring won’t fix rise or pocket placement. If they’re high-rise and only the waistband is tight, they might be salvageable later. Either way, I wouldn’t let them occupy prime closet space until your measurements trend that direction.