What About Clothes That I Inherited?

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

My youngest brother was an auto mechanic. He passed away a few years ago, and I miss him more than I can put into words. But my memories of him—his laugh, the way he put Ranch dressing on everything, and his ability to fix things—these memories aren’t stored in his old coveralls or steel-toe boots.

Those were just things. They were part of his life, but they weren’t him.

Similarly, my parents’ love for me isn’t contained in the 49ers jacket they gave me for Christmas when I was 12. At the time, I adored that jacket—I wore it everywhere. But eventually, I outgrew it, both physically and emotionally. So I let it go.

And you know what? My parents’ love didn’t go with it.

Because love isn’t something that lives in objects.

You’re Not Obligated to Keep Inherited Items

Don’t get me wrong—if an item brings you joy, keep it. If your dad’s old flannel makes you smile every time you wear it, if your grandmother’s scarf still smells like Chanel and makes you feel close to her, then those things have value.

But if you’re holding onto clothes (or anything else) out of obligation, it’s time to ask yourself:

If you feel guilty even considering letting go of inherited items, I get it. It’s easy to feel like getting rid of something means you’re losing a piece of that person.

But here’s the truth: your love, your memories, your connection to them—they don’t live in a sweater or a pair of boots. They live in you.

You don’t need anyone’s permission to declutter inherited clothes that you don’t want.

Because their love was never in the fabric. It was always in the moments you shared. And those? You get to keep forever.

Next steps…