Woman cleans out wardrobe for new season, finds a note from her past self: 'Tough love: to me, from me'

We’ve all been there — hoarding things we don’t like, clothes we don’t wear, and stuff we don’t really need, just in case they somehow become useful later. But Julie Carmen found a way to stop herself from going down that familiar road, and it worked because it came from the one person she listens to the most: herself. Carmen, who posts on TikTok as @juliecarmena, was switching her wardrobe for the season when she found a note taped to the inside of her closet. It was addressed to "Future Julie," dated October 2024.

The note, written on an old Amazon delivery bag, read, "Future Julie: everything past this note is stuff you don’t like but you’re too weird to get rid of it now. If you’re reading this in April of 2025, get rid of it all. Don’t be a hoarder, you freak. Love you lots, present-day Julie." In the video, she said, "Obviously, I don’t even need to look at anything behind that note. I’m just getting rid of it all. Highly recommend this method of purging." Carmen later told Newsweek that writing to her future self is something she does often, especially when she knows she’ll struggle with decisions later.

"I know that I tend to hang onto things because of sentimentality or guilt. I’m also practical and don’t like to waste. I knew that the note would be the perfect reminder for my super-practical future self," she said. While Carmen used this strategy as a self-reminder, research suggests writing to yourself has various other benefits. According to the World Economic Forum, many studies prove that writing to oneself improves your mental health and builds a sense of self-awareness, giving you a canvas to express all your bottled-up emotions.

Carmen later donated the clothes without flipping through them one last time. She shared that her relationship with clothing has shifted over time. While she’s comfortable letting go of most things now, she still makes room for pieces that hold meaning. "Do I still own the Guess denim overalls I worked so hard to save money for and buy in 1987? Yes," she said, adding, "Do I still have the dress I wore when I was a guest on the Rachael Ray show in 2008? Yes. Did I keep the dress I wore to my son’s wedding last September? Yes." But she also knows how to draw the line. "Memories don’t live in objects. I allow myself to keep a very small number of things that make me smile. The rest, I set free, and in turn, I set myself free," she said.

That note, blunt and kind all at once, resonated with thousands of viewers and inspired more than a few to write their own. @yecatseht wrote, "This is actually an amazing idea. Between this and your photo tip, I’m going to be an organized queen soon!" @amydon25 commented, "Friggin genius! I’ve started just purging everything if it’s been in a tote for a full year. If it never made it out of the tote, it goes." @ehfar87 said, "As a fellow Julie, this is absolutely something I have done before as well." @kimmiehudson joked, "The way I would still look at every item in case I might change my mind." @jmcgee584 wrote, "This is the note I needed to see while doing my own closet cleaning. Thanks, Julie!"

You can follow Julie Carmen (@juliecarmena) on TikTok for more vlog-style content.