What About Nice Clothes that Still Fit?

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

It doesn’t matter how nice your clothes are. It doesn’t matter if they still fit. If you have too many, then you have too many.

I think of it like this: Imagine you and a friend are sitting down to tackle an enormous ice cream sundae—the kind that requires an oversized dish, multiple spoons, and maybe even a waiver from the restaurant.

They call it the “Blood-Sugar Buster.”

It’s got 20 scoops of ice cream, hot fudge, crushed cookies, colorful macarons, whipped cream piled high, and—of course—a handful of bright red cherries on top.

At first, it’s amazing. Every bite is pure joy.

But a quarter of the way in, you’re stuffed. You set your spoon down, lean back in your chair, and let out a long sigh.

Now, what do you do?

Do you force yourself to keep eating because you paid good money for it? Do you shove spoonful after spoonful into your mouth, ignoring your stomach’s protests, until you feel absolutely miserable?

Or do you push the dish toward your friend and say, “I’m full. You go ahead.”

Most of us would choose the second option. Because forcing ourselves to eat past the point of enjoyment makes no sense.

And here’s why:

  1. Eating more won’t change how much you paid. Maybe you shouldn’t have ordered the “Blood-Sugar Buster” in the first place, but forcing yourself to eat every bite won’t un-spend the money.
  2. Overindulging won’t make you feel better—it will make you feel worse. At some point, more isn’t enjoyable; it’s miserable.
  3. It feels good to share. Giving the extra to your friend makes the whole experience more enjoyable.

And just like with ice cream, there comes a point when enough is enough with nice clothes.

Stop Hoarding, Start Sharing

Think about your closet.

Are you hanging onto more than you actually need?

Are you only keeping nice clothes because you paid good money for them?

Are you cramming things into drawers, thinking you’ll somehow wear them just because they’re there?

The same three truths from the ice cream sundae apply here:

  1. Keeping things won’t redeem bad purchases. Maybe you spent too much on nice clothes in the past, but holding onto them won’t bring your money back.
  2. Hoarding nice clothes won’t make you feel better—it will make you feel worse. A stuffed, chaotic closet is no different than an overstuffed stomach—it just feels awful.
  3. It’s gratifying to share with others. Donating nice clothes means giving someone else the opportunity to love and use them.

Letting Go of Nice Clothes Feels Uncomfortable at First—And That’s Okay

I won’t sugarcoat it—getting rid of nice clothes feels weird at first.

You might hesitate. You might feel like you’re wasting money.

That’s normal. We all feel that way.

But don’t let it stop you.

Remind yourself of the ice cream analogy: When there’s too much, stop hoarding and start sharing.

Let go of the excess. Donate what you don’t wear. Give someone else the chance to enjoy those nice clothes.

And best of all? You’ll enjoy your life more, too.

Because just like with ice cream, the joy isn’t in having more—it’s in having just enough.

Next steps…