It won’t be long until we start seeing drives for coats, clothing, mittens and hats. These events are a good way for us to clean out what we don’t use and give to those who need it.

It’s amazing how much stuff we collect over the years. And how much of it do we really use? Speaking from personal experience, I have a closet full of hundreds of shirts, tanks and sweatshirts. I’ve got stacks of jeans and pants. Do I need all this? I’d estimate I wear about 20% of it on a regular basis.

Several times, I’ve stood in the entryway of my spacious closet thinking I’ve got to get rid of some of this stuff! However, when I actually take the time to weed through the never-ending piles of clothes, I have just as many excuses as there are articles of clothing.

There is at least one reason to keep everything in my closet. Maybe it’s a girl thing, but I’m thinking others can relate. The following are some of my excuses for letting rarely-used items hang around:

Excuse #1
But it was so expensive!

So you splurged on that one item that you just knew you would absolutely love. Well, turns out, you loved it enough to wear it once, twice if you count the night you had it on and changed. Ooops.

Solution:
Even though you think the item holds value, it really doesn’t if it’s getting no use. Every time you see your had-to-have-but-now-never-use item, you’re going to feel guilty for spending money on something you didn’t use. Instead of continuing to punish yourself, sell it or give it away. Who knows – you could make a friend’s week!

Excuse #2
But it’s in style!

Some of these unflattering clothes may not fit your style – or even your body. However, you see it everywhere, so you try to make it work in effort to stay in the fashion loop. Pressure to be “hip” does funny things to you. You end up purchasing hoop earrings the size of a basketball rim when you actually prefer studs or wearing leggings when you feel more comfortable with something that helps to hide your chunk.

Solution:
Instead of seeking out one-and-done outfits or pursuing fads that come and go as quickly as the seasons, choose items you can wear in a variety of ways, giving them staying power.

Excuse #3
But that’s from Grandpa!

How could you ever get rid of the sweatshirt that has your name and a clarinet embroidered on it? Even though you play the tuba, it was still a nice gift!

Be aware that anytime you’re given a gift from someone you care about, you also inherit a sense of obligation to that item, forcing you to keep it in memory of the giver. Whether or not you wear (or even like) the item, you’ll keep it because you like who it’s from.

Solution:
It’s sometimes difficult to differentiate between love of the item and love of the giver. You need to realize that “letting go” of their gift doesn’t mean you’re letting go of them. Keep a few of your favorites, and give the rest to a good home.

Excuse #4
But I’ll probably wear it again someday… maybe.

You wouldn’t miss it if it were gone. You haven’t worn it for years! But just when you’re about to toss the item out, you start thinking of how cute it actually is. Your mind races for a reason why you’d be getting rid of this item… it’s not that bad! However, time has proven the chances of you wearing it again is about as likely as a calm day in Fargo. It hangs in front of you every morning and goes untouched, season after season, just taking up closet space.

Solution:
Just face it, these items will never see the light of day unless you take them out of your closet … either by wearing them, or giving them away. Our clinging behaviors make cleaning out our closets difficult. Instead of simply boxing stuff up and donating it to a drive or a thrift store, we hold an emotional ceremony and make a mental list of reasons to keep each item.

If you’re due for a closet cleaning, try not to let emotional significance get the best of you! Remember the goal isn’t to toss out everything in your closet; just try to understand why you’re hung up on what’s hanging. If the reason isn’t good enough, free up some closet space and move on!

Shootin’ the Wit is a weekly column about everyday life that should never, ever be taken too seriously.