Yes, really. For your barbell exercises, start with just the bar. This lets you focus on speed and technique, two of the main ingredients in building strength and size. It also fires up your nervous system to push some serious weight without fatiguing your muscles — even world-class powerlifters start with just 45lbs before they set records on the bench press.
The only exception is the deadlift. Why? Because, for most gyms, you need 45lbs plates on each side for the barbell to start at the correct height. At many commercial gyms, 25lbs plates and 35lbs plates are smaller than 45lb ones, which will start your deadlift at a deficit. Also, given how much weight people can pull with a deadlift, 135lbs is a relatively small number anyway.