A few weeks ago I had a conversation with a friend who told me she had 27 cousins. I have three cousins. I started feeling a little sorry for myself until I realized how much I love my three cousins. Clothes are a lot like cousins–it’s not quantity that matters, it’s quality.

If you have a closet full of clothes that you have no relationship with, consider getting rid of them. (I’m not talking metaphorically about cousins anymore.) If your clothes are no longer right for you (worn, outdated, ill-fitting, unflattering) or don’t coordinate with anything else you have–just ditch them.

Again…not referring to the cousins.

Are your clothes outdated? Do they fit your lifestyle TODAY? Do you feel wonderful when you wear them?

Are you keeping garments that someone else gave you or said looked good on you, but they’re simply not your style?

Are you shocked by the amount of old clothing you have in your closet? Or worse, shocked by how those clothes look on you now?

Do you think creatively when coordinating outfits? Try mixing pieces you already own, in ways you never have before.

Scrutinize every garment when you shop.

Ask yourself: “Where would I wear this? Do I have other things that will go with it? Is it my color? Will it need alterations? Do I have to have it dry cleaned?”

“Is it worth the money and the space it will take up in my closet?”

After you buy something new, introduce it around to the rest of the family closet. In Quintessential Style we call this a “closet orientation.”

How many clothes do you own that you just don’t have an attachment to anymore? Why are you keeping them? It is estimated that woman wear only 20-30% of the clothing they have in their closets. So why are those free-loading garments taking up valuable space in your life?

Remember, it’s not how many cousins clothes you have… it’s how well they fit into your life TODAY.

Because it’s always more fun to get dressed when you have a great relationship with your wardrobe!