DEAR HARRIETTE: Now that we are not going out at all, I am realizing that I have way too many clothes. I do love fashion, but since I have nowhere to go, I have been taking a visual inventory of my wardrobe, and it’s ridiculously large. I want to purge. There’s absolutely no reason anybody should have all of this stuff. Part of me just wants to dump it. The practical side says I should hold on to essentials because when the world does open up, I will need some basic things. I don’t want to give away too much and have to end up making new purchases. How can I figure out what to discard? -- Let It Go

DEAR LET IT GO: A tried-and-true recommendation for figuring out what clothing to keep and what to discard is to first try it on. If it doesn’t fit, let it go. Don’t trick yourself into waiting until you lose weight to wear it again. Second, if you haven’t worn the item in over a year, it no longer serves you. If you want to follow the wisdom of master organizer Marie Kondo, you can thank your clothing for serving you well as you fold it and put it in a container to donate. Expressing gratitude for the garment’s service in your life may help you to release it for someone else to enjoy.

I strongly suggest that you give yourself a timeline to complete this task. If you tackle a little every day, you will make progress.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My next-door neighbor is a hairdresser. Even though hair salons are officially shut down, I have noticed a steady stream of people -- men and women -- going into his house to get their hair done. I am appalled. As I sit in my house trying to follow the rules, I’m sure this is unsafe. I think I should report him to the authorities, but I’m not sure. I never see more than one person going there at a time -- and I have sat and watched for hours. (I have nothing else to do!) I have also seen him wearing a mask and gloves. But still, it’s just wrong that he is doing something that we were told is unsafe. Should I turn him in? -- Busted

DEAR BUSTED: While it is true that your neighbor is not supposed to be doing hair right now, it sounds like he has set up the safest way of handling his business. Let me be clear: I am not condoning his behavior, nor do I recommend that anyone take a cue from him and open any kind of personal service at home. But I don’t know that you need to report him to the police.

Our frontline service people, who include police officers, are stretched thin in many cities across the country because they are supporting the needs of keeping our country healthy. That includes breaking up large gatherings, taking care of petty crimes, ensuring people remain in check as they lose their jobs, and making it possible for sick people to get to health care professionals when needed. If you notice that your neighbor stops following the precautions you mentioned -- wearing a mask and gloves -- then you should call the police. Otherwise, you may want to stop obsessing over him. Close the curtain.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have three grown children, and we have all been living together again since the government issued a stay-at-home order. In some ways, it has been nice having them around. We are getting to talk about all kinds of things that didn’t ever come up on our short check-in phone calls before. On the other hand, it has been tough with all of the personalities. My husband and I don’t get much quiet time like we used to enjoy since the kids moved out. I feel like we need to enforce a few more house rules so that we don’t end up driving one another crazy. Do you have any ideas? We live in a small house, so it is hard for us to be completely separated. -- Family Time

DEAR FAMILY TIME: Draw upon your children’s creativity. Have a family meeting that you call a brainstorming session. Tell your family how grateful you are that you are together and healthy. Point out what you are enjoying about being in their company. Then state that you believe that it is also hard at times because it can feel like too much togetherness. Tell them you want to come up with some ideas that allow you to each have a bit more space and privacy. Ask them if they can think of any ideas.

Some suggestions include: scheduling bathroom time so that each person can enjoy the bathroom alone; rotating meal preparation and cleanup; observing quiet time with no audible TV or music (you can use headphones); reserving an area for alone time, and scheduling it for each person.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My son is graduating from high school this year, and I feel so sad for him. He has worked really hard to be a good student. Plus, he has been involved in student government and other activities at his school. He was an all-in kind of student leading up to the quarantine that has shut down his school until next year.

My son will not have a graduation ceremony, and he is moping a bit. This is only exacerbated by the uncertainty of whether college will start next year as planned. He had considered taking a gap year, but there’s nowhere to go now. Without a clear path for the future, he is becoming depressed. How can I help him? -- Uncertain Future

DEAR UNCERTAIN FUTURE: Plan a Zoom graduation party for your son. Have him help you with the plans. Make an invitation list. Decide on activities that will occur, including him wearing his cap and gown (if he has it already) and giving a speech. Invite loved ones to give him presents. You can encourage financial gifts, which students always appreciate, and let them know how to send it electronically.

As far as the future goes, encourage your son to reach out to his college to find out what the plan is for the fall. If the school hasn’t decided yet, encourage him to stay in touch. He needs to become proactive. This will keep him engaged even though times are tough.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: My mother lives in a retirement home, and I am so worried about her. There have been reports all over the country about the virus infiltrating old folks’ homes and killing lots of people. I feel like I should bring my mother home with me, but I’m worried that she might not stay healthy. My husband goes to work outside of the home every day. He practices social distancing to the extent that he can, but he’s a contractor, and he works with people. My mother is in her 90s and in fragile health. That’s why I want her out of the retirement building, but I’m not sure that my house is safer. How can I figure that out? -- Mom’s Safety

DEAR MOM’S SAFETY: This is one of the most frequently asked questions today. For anyone who has a parent or loved one living in a nursing home, the worry is that they might contract COVID-19, even after all of the precautions have been put in place. As you know, the level of quarantine in those spaces is high. Nobody can visit for the foreseeable future to avoid exposure. And yet there are stories of nursing homes having deadly COVID-19 outbreaks.

Talk to your mother’s doctor. Lay out your concerns and detail how your household runs. Chances are slim that the doctor will want you to move your mother there, given the way that your husband interacts with people outside the home. But trust the doctor. For AARP recommendations on how to support your mother, go to bit.ly/3bAstpW.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a friend who is extremely pushy. Whenever we talk, it feels like it is on her terms and only when it is convenient for her. And she always seems to find something to criticize me about. Just some little thing that she finds annoying enough to want to get off her chest. As my son says, she is judgmental. I’m sick of it. I feel like I can never relax when I talk to her; I never know when she is going to say something that will hurt my feelings. I don’t think she realizes how harsh her comments can be. Even when I stand up for myself, I find that she deflects and throws more punches. How can I get her to be more sensitive to my feelings? She is my friend, and I love her. But I’ve had enough of her meanness. -- Below the Belt

DEAR BELOW THE BELT: It is time for you to stand up for yourself with this friend. Do not allow her pushiness to silence you. As her friend, you deserve to be treated with greater care. But you have to tell her. You should not assume that she is aware of how her barbs land. Chances are, she thinks the way she communicates is just the way she is, without considering that her “way” may be abrasive and hurtful to others.

Be prepared to tell her that her words hurt and to give her specific examples so that she cannot wriggle out of the conversation. Stop her when she deflects. Tell her -- and punctuate your point with anecdotes -- that she hurts your feelings regularly. Ask her to be more sensitive to you. Remind her each time she says something inappropriate. If she refuses to be more mindful, begin to distance yourself from her.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)