The Wise Owl – May 2026

By Inchara Arun

Dear Wise Owl, 

I have a massive problem. I’m moving, and I found a box in my closet filled with things I just can’t make myself throw away. There is a receipt from a famous diner I went to in 1994, a broken Miami souvenir keychain, a flyer for a band I never saw, and a birthday card from an aunt I don’t talk to anymore. Every time I try to throw them away, I feel like I’m betraying my past self. How do I get rid of all my clutter without breaking my own heart? 

–Sincerely, Mr. Sad Person

Dear Mr. Sad Person,

Use some common sense, memory lives in the heart, not in a 32-year-old receipt. If you really want to, then take a picture. Then just recycle the items. If you haven’t looked at it in a year, it is clutter, not treasure. Your past self is busy, he doesn’t need a paper trail. Hope this advice is effective.

—The Wise Owl

Dear Wise Owl,

My hotel roommate is too nice, and it’s driving me crazy. I know I’m making no senseWhenever I leave dishes in the sink–like basically, always– she doesn’t tell me. Instead, she rearranges the entire kitchen in a way that suggests she’s annoyed, but then when I ask if she’s mad, she says ‘Oh no, I love organizing!’ How do I get her to be honest so I can have an ordinary roommate? 

–By the Tourist Guy

Dear Tourist Guy,

That’s perfectly normal. Some people try not to be mad, and when someone catches them channeling out their anger in a different, more effective, way, they get embarrassed and (usually) lie. If you really hate this, the best advice I can give you is stop leaving your dishes in the sink. If she notices, you guys will most likely have a good time during your stay at the hotel.

—By the Wise Owl