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.