Timing to consolidate Ethereum wallets with small balances

So I definitely get why gas fees are "high" on Ethereum's base layer (it's useful). Also that the goal of the layer 2's will be to combine many transactions into a single transaction on the base layer so that base layer gas fees are distributed across the transactions, so each layer 2 transaction costs less per transaction. (Feel free to harass me in the comments if you feel this is an oversimplification regarding the questions I have below)

With that in mind, when do you think the best time will be to combine base layer dust wallets? I have a couple methods of thought, and I am curious what your opinion is.

1. Combine them now. Layer 2 use will lower gas fees for users utilizing layer 2, but will actually increase the base layer gas fees because of layer 2 utilization
2. Wait to combine them. The layer 2 use will increase the value of the base Ethereum in the wallets proportionally more than the fee increase, so while you will pay more in terms of dollars later for the fee, you will pay less in terms of Ethereum
3. Wait to combine them. Layer 2 use will lower congestion on the base layer so that base layer gas fees will actually decrease in the future
4. Wait to combine them. When sharding is introduced in the future, this combined with layer 2 will lower congestion on the base layer to decrease gas fees
5. Some other option

Also, for those of you who are in the group 1 opinion. What do you think should be done with wallets that currently have less Ethereum than the current base gas fee? If your opinion is the gas fee will never be consistently lower than it is currently, then theoretically I might as well abandon any of those wallets.