Recently I got the notion that I had too much stuff, particularly clothes, in my apartment.

This was not a startling revelation. It's like suddenly noticing the Atlantic Ocean is large, wet and salty.

Working with our friend Mr. Tweedy Don, I have been sending him a steady stream of stuff that no longer fits me but is too good to dump off at the thrift shop.

This works for Mr. Tweedy Don and it works for me. Every so often he sends me my cut, which keeps me in beer and skittles, or would except that I don't drink alcohol and I'm not sure what a skittle is.

During this marathon I have been steaming and brushing everything, lest a faint whiff of fine tobacco product discourage a buyer.

Here's something to give you an idea of the extent of this. Earlier this week I boxed up and shipped some 20-24 sport coats and blazers. This is the post-purge sport coat rack.




The trusty Whirlpool Fabric Freshener steamer, long since discontinued and purchased by me on eBay about 12 years ago for $165, finally crapped out during the steam marathon. But I have a little hand-held one, so I've stuck that in the corner, blowing away from the garments, and we are carrying on.

Steamer pix:




The moral of the story is:

If you haven't worn it in a year get rid of it.

So if you are in the 42-44 range with relatively short legs (29 inch inseam) and short arms (33 inch shirt sleeve) and a 36-ish waist keep your eyes peeled, either at the mother ship or at Waterhollow Tweed's website for suits and jackets of impeccable Tradlinessitation.

The Purge is over. I have sent what seems like dozens of boxes, one weighing 30 pounds, to our man in New Jersey and elsewhere. Well, two dozen boxes.

I took wagonloads of stuff to the thrift store, to the point they had to say "enough."

And the charity box next to the Masonic lodge got the rest (five trips there).

It's incredible. I stirred up about 40 tons of dust. I filled up one vacuum bag and most of another. While I was pulling things apart, I unplugged the drain in the sink in the half bath. And I discovered where I put all those fish socks people give me.