How much is too much?

Any time is a good time to go through your closets and figure out what you can donate, give away or toss in the trash. But, how do you know how many shoes are too many? How many suits do you need? Purses? Belts? Hats? 

It is great to have color-coordinated outfits with matching purses, belts, shoes, scarves, etc. But there comes a point when you run out of closet space and/or your significant other has a tiny corner of the closet and the rest of the stuff is yours. Where do you draw the line? 

There is no right answer. The solution is as individual as your own style. But, the size of your home and closets is a good starting point.  

Can you put everything away? If not, it is time to weed out some things. A good rule of thumb is that if you haven’t worn something in two years, you probably don’t need it any more. Yes, some styles go away and come back into fashion, but you really don’t need to save a skirt you had in college because there is a chance it might come back in style. Sure, you got that big office job wearing it. And absolutely, you looked great in it. But, be honest.... when is the last time you wore it and even if it did fit, is it still something you’d wear today? 

This problem is not restricted to women. A friend of mine’s father had a closet that was so full of suits, you could barely stuff your hand in between them to pull one out. And, he had several closets around the house like that. Pair after pair of shoes lined the top shelves and floor of each closet. And ties – there was a gigantic tie holder that was at least five deep in neckties, where each slot was meant to hold a single tie. There were thick ones, thin ones, whimsical hula dancer ties – no bolo ties, but just about everything else.  

Having too much clothing can be a source of contention between spouses/partners/roommates. Eliminating some of the excess can go a long way toward family peace and tranquility. That alone is worth purging some unnecessary items.

There are lots of people who have clothing in a variety of sizes. Someone who has gained weight may not want to donate a favorite item that may someday fit again. That is understandable, but how about keeping ONE item rather than dozens of wrong-sized clothing from yesteryear.

While it is nice to have something for any and all occasions, it does not always work in an already stuffed-to-the-brim home. You don’t have to get rid of everything at once... I always suggest that you pick even one item a day to place in a “donation” bag and when it’s full, take it to a donation site.  Put your very favorite items that you want to keep aside and be brutal with the questionable ones, especially those covered in dust or stuck so far back in the closet that you forgot you had them. You’ll get a nice tax deduction for donating the usable items to charity and get that cathartic clean feeling at the same time.