Ask, “Is This My Favorite One?”

This is part of Stewie's Guide to Ruthlessly Declutter Your Clothes Today.

In my early 20s, I had a thing for hideous neckties. Not just bad ties—spectacularly bad ties. Paisleys that clashed violently with anything I owned, plaids that looked like they belonged on Great Grandma’s couch, and the pièce de résistance: a tie shaped like a rainbow trout.

Most came from thrift stores, but some were well-meaning gifts from family who had apparently heard about my growing (and completely impractical) collection.

Did I ever wear these ties? Of course not. I wouldn’t be caught dead in a tie shaped like a fish. The point wasn’t to wear them—it was to have them. To collect them. To hold onto them for reasons I never really examined.

At one point, I had an entire gallon-sized Ziploc bag stuffed with ridiculous ties that I never even looked at.

And every six months or so, my wife would gently suggest I get rid of a few.

“No way!”

Because in my mind, getting rid of them meant giving up something—though what, exactly, I couldn’t say.

The Moment I Let Go

Eventually, I came to my senses.

When I started decluttering my clothes, I pulled out that overstuffed bag of ties, grabbed a few ties hanging in my closet, and tossed them on my bed. Then, I asked myself a simple question, “Which ones do I actually love?”

The answer? Maybe six or seven.

So I kept those. And I let go of the rest—the paisleys, the plaids, and yes, even the fish tie.

And you know what? I don’t miss them. Not a single one.

Keep Your Favorites. Let Go of the Rest.

That’s my advice to you.

If you have 64 concert T-shirts, pick your absolute favorite and let the rest go.

If you’ve run dozens of 5Ks, do you really need all those race shirts? Or just the one that means the most?

This rule works especially well for items that just seem to accumulate—things we never think to get rid of because they sneak into our lives. Sneakers. Ball caps. Black dresses. Winter gloves.

(And as I write this, I realize I have four ball caps that I never wear—but only one is my favorite. Time to let the others go.)

What’s Your Favorite?

If you’re struggling to declutter, start here: Find your favorite. The best one. The one you actually use and love.

And then ask yourself—do you really need the rest?

Because when you keep what you love and let go of the excess, you’re not losing anything. You’re just making room for what truly matters.

Next steps…