So many rules, challenges and styles have emerged; it’s hard to keep up with them all. And so it goes, decluttering is decluttering, no matter what it is called.

As I pulled out and inspected this piece of clothing and that, I saw him wearing each outfit in my mind’s eye and recalled the many events and occasions we attended with family and friends whether decked out or hanging out. The clothes were telling me stories, bringing up memories and sending me back in time. And while certain clothing invoked reminiscing, I know that cherished memories do not disappear into donation bags.

While enduring the age of COVID, decluttering has become an act of self-care.