I’ve slowing been going through all of the rooms finding things to throw out or donate to Goodwill. Today it was time to do what I dreaded and tackle the closet, or namely the old clothes hanging in it.
Is it just me, or do you associate clothes with certain memories? I think that’s part of why it’s so hard for me to get rid of some things – I look at them and recall the places, the events, the people that I’ve seen while wearing those clothes. There are the very 1990-esque bolero jackets that I used to wear when we went to the clubs in Germany. I loved the purple one, and I had the best aqua & purple earrings that went with it, and I wore it with the black lycra dress. Hot, hot, hot. There is the brown jacket that I wore on the flight home from Germany, 7 months pregnant with Jason. There is the shirt I wore with the scalloped neckline on one of my first dates with the Insignificant Other. We went to an Astros game, back when they were still playing at the Astrodome. Back when there still was a Dome. Back when the Insignificant Other was still a part of my life.
The threads seem to hold so many memories. But in reality the memories are in my mind, and the clothing was just a piece of it. Time to let them go and move on – there will be more memories to come.
11 replies on “Throwing Out the Memories…”
Hmm, that’s a lovely way to put it, but sometimess don’t you want to take a scissors to those threads entrapping you in your memories … purely hypothetical of course *wink*.
Purge Christine, it’ll make your load seem so much lighter ….
I’m one of those that is often too nostalgic for my own good – but I’m learning to purge. And you’re right – the load is much lighter. And I figure there is a bad vibe around me if I hang on to things any longer that remind me of the ex. It feels so good to get rid of it all! Set me free!
Always, Im in the middle of a cross country move and I have run into many “memories” its bittersweet.
I don’t have those types of attachments with clothes and don’t own anything from more than 3 years. I go on regular “purges” and give to the Jesus House. Songs do give me lots of memories tho.
I still have the tourquoise velvet-like casualwear top and bottom (I refer to them as a sweatsuit but they aren’t make of sweatsuit material) that I wore the evening my brand new boyfriend (now my hubby) and I spent 3 hours rolling around together on the couch over 16 years ago. This was, of course, before we’d ever had sex. A very memorable evening for both of us. Every time I clean out my closet, I put that outfit right back into the box I store it in.
Thanks for reminding me of it again! Nice memory.
It’s hard to purge all the beloved little thingies and whatzits that you accumulate over the years. When I moved across the country I had 17 feet of U-Haul and that was it. I ended up donating or trashing about half of what I owned. It was brutal. Every so often I’ll think of something that is gone with a touch of regret. Mostly, though, it feels good not to have all that stuff (notes from chemistry class in high school – never know when you’re going to need those!) lurking in the background. Not having to find a place to store it all is nice too.
I definitely associate clothing with old memories. I have a whole pile of college t-shirts I’ll probably never be able to part with.
Somewhat related…one of the coolest things I’ve ever received is a handmade St. Nick doll (about 20″ tall) that I keep out year-round. He’s wearing a patchwork-quilted coat, and the fabric in the quilt is from several outfits my grandmother made for my mom and aunt when they were little girls. My mom, aunt, Gma, and I all got identical Santas. That way, nothing had to be thrown out…
Clothing swiped from ex’s are still in the drawer, right next to the old college t-shirts. I’m digging deep, but I’m not quite ready to go that deep yet! Some things have to stay for now.
The St. Nick doll is a great idea. The clothes I’m tossing tonight though don’t have sentiments like that – matter of fact, the ones that are linked to the IO must go. Cleansing the aura and all of that. It would be different if we had stayed together and married. Instead the memories are tainted and not worth having around any longer.
I’m tossing things with the mentality of “if I moved tomorrow would I be willing to pay money to move this.” Amazing how that can motivate you to get rid of things!
When I decided I was moving to Canada, permenantly, I had to liquidate everything I owned. I sent all my personal treasures, via Parcel Post, but the rest? The couch that held so many memories? Had to go.
All went to nice homes though. I had people coming and going for weeks, friends, family, strangers who were referred by others, and, while having a great, but sometimes sad time selling or giving away my worldly goods, I also had more than one mini-party celebrating not only the past but my then coming future.
Memories are the important part.
I know what you mean. I just took my old Laura Ashley garden party dress to Goodwill. There is no way that thing is ever going to fit me again, I was just holding onto it because I remember how beautiful I felt in it when I wore it to a wedding about 10 years ago. *sigh*
hey woman, i’m going through this right now, and it’s so time consuming. i have enough trouble deciding what to eat for breakfast, and now i have to decide whether to keep a t-shirt that was given to me in 1991 by my first boyfriend. oy vey, i’m going nuts. but i keep reminding myself that it’s extremely rare that i’ve ever said, “man, i really wish i hadn’t given that benetton rugby shirt away.”
it’s just stuff.