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By Maria Morava
Relationships Reporter
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When Julie Carmen went to swap out her winter wardrobe for summer clothes, she didn't expect to find a blunt, hilarious note from her past self.
In a viral TikTok video, she shared the note from October 2024 containing clear instructions on what to do with her warm weather wardrobe—throw it out. Since the video was posted, it has received over 300,000 views and 25,000 likes. Carmen, 51, spoke to Newsweek about her reaction to finding the note and the difference it's going to make to her summer.
"So, I'm doing my twice yearly clothing swap where I get rid of my winter clothes and pull in my summer clothes," Carmen said in the video. "And I opened up the closet and I found this note that I forgot I had written to myself and it's from October of 2024."
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The note, addressed to her future self, 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."
Carmen added in the video, "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."
She told Newsweek she's long been in the habit of writing to her future self as a way of getting to know herself.
"I know that I tend to hang onto things because of sentimentality or guilt. I'm also practical and don't like to waste," she said. "I knew that the note would be the perfect reminder for my super-practical future self. This is not the first time I've written notes to my future self."
Re-reading it six months later, she laughed—then followed through. But not without a final homage to her wardrobe.
"I did a quick 'unfashionable show' video for the commenters who were asking what was behind the note, before packing everything up to donate," she said. "In the video, I had a caveat that viewers could vote and I'd keep one item and wear it. I'm still not sure if that was a mistake. But, rest assured, I don't think the one item will be the gateway item for hoarding."
Sentimentality Still Runs Deep
Carmen said her relationship with clothing has evolved, though she still holds onto a few deeply sentimental pieces.
"Do I still own the Guess denim overalls I worked so hard to save money for and buy in 1987? Yes," she said. "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."
She said she believes the key to balance is self-compassion.
"Memories don't live in objects," she concluded. "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."
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