Hi Reader,

There’s something I love about the end of a season: it gives us a little data. You just lived through this summer and know what outfits you loved and which were continually ignored.

So for the next few Fridays, we’re going to spend a little time working our way through the closet, one small category at a time. Nothing overwhelming. Just declutter 5 simple things.

This week: summer clothes.

Take a look at your summer wardrobe and see if you can find:

1. The thing you kept skipping over. You saw it plenty of times, but somehow you always reached for something else.

2. The outfit that never felt quite right. Maybe it didn’t fit the way it used to, wasn’t comfortable, or just didn’t feel like you.

3. The thing you wore once…and then never again. Sometimes that one wear tells you everything you need to know, it's okay to let go of the one-hit closet wonders.

4. The “I’ll wear it eventually” piece. If “eventually” never came this summer, it's time to be honest, take the emotion out of the decision, and use your behavior as the data.

5. The duplicate. If you have three different colors of essentially the same tank top, are you wearing them all? Say goodbye to the color you never wear and keep your favorites (pro tip - remember this when you're shopping, don't buy it simply because it's on sale - it's only a good deal if you actually wear it!)

Remember, we are keeping this small and simple. You don’t need to pull everything out of your closet or make a giant pile on the bed. Just find five summer clothing items to declutter.

And remember: you’re not trying to predict the future about what you might wear next summer. You’re paying attention to what actually happened this season. That’s often enough to make the decision a whole lot easier.

Happy decluttering!

Nicole