The oldest thing in my closet is an Easter dress from 1989--20 years old!  I think I have held on to it b/c it's memories from college.  At the Christian university Olan Mills would come out and do roommate pictures and I still have the picture displayed in my living room with my roommate and me and in the picture I am wearing my Easter dress!  I actually wore it about 2 years ago to work.  It's a simple pastel pink dress that as long as it fits me will probably never go out of style--unless being "too cute" is out of style.  

Two weeks ago when we went to clean the house for the friend who is dying I put on a pair of old Calvin Klein jeans because I knew we were going to get messy and I even got dirty.  The jeans have a t-bear patch on one knee, two holes in the crotch--yes, you could see my panties if I wasn't wearing a long sweatshirt, one belt loop has come undone and the hem is frayed.  I love these jeans though because they are actually the only ones that really fit me!  I haven't worn them in several years but they came in handy the other week.

Other than those 2 items I don't think I have much else.  I clean my walk-in closet out twice a year.  Whatever I didn't wear all season I donate to Goodwill at the end of the season.  I am actually getting ready to do that next month when I have the extra days off during my vacation!      

I keep ALL yup that is all t-shirts from places we have gone. They are in the attic but for my youngest daughter's high school graduation I found someone who makes quilts. I gave her as many t-shirts as she wanted and she made an amazing quilt out of it. I wish I had done a pillow case. It's priceless. I thought my daughter would leave it at home but it has gone everywhere with her

I attempted to make myself a t-shirt quilt with t-shirts from the various camps and places I traveled thru high school.  Like a dummy, I cut all the shirts to make square panels but then couldn't quite figure out the quilt-making thing.  I threw all the panels away when I bought a new home.  But I do have a keepsake t-shirt quilt now!

When 9/11 took place I collected a variety of In Memory shirts and patriotic shirts.  Since my favorite holiday is the Fourth of July I decided to use the shirts to make a t-shirt quilt.  This time I had a friend whose SIL was making them for the Greetk society at USC.  She made me a beautiful full-size quilt and put stars and stripe borders around each panel.  In the center of the quilt is a panel for Richmond, VA (Capitol of the Confederacy) where I was born so that makes it more momentus.

This next item isn't a piece of clothing but it is something that I just can't throw away.  My Daddy gave me a ceramice black/white figurine with two puppies.  The ear has broken off one dog and the tail on the other but it has sentimental value.  He grew up in poverty and this was given to him as  "toy" when he was a child.  It's about 55-60 years old.  I remember seeing it on my mother's knick knack shelf all during my childhood and now it is displayed on my music shelf at home.  When I look at it I am reminded of two childhoods, my own and my Dad's. 

I have lots of things :)  Part of my goal this year is to PURGE.  My husband and I don't want to be packrats and decided we are going to purge this year and then do this once a year.  So I had brought all these stuffed animals when I got married and so far I have Purged those 3 seperate times.  I had these two dogs (one used to be mine and one was my sisters).  So last time I was purging through stuff, I decided I just had to get rid of the one dog that was dirty (I used to draw on it).  It was so tough!  I decided to keep the other dog b/c it was still in really good shape.  It's funny that I have such a hard time getting rid of those!  The only stuffed animals I have left are in great shape so I plan to save them for my kids. I can always run them through the high heat dryer and I got some stuffed animal cleaner to make sure they don't have any dust mites or germs. 

Anyway, I guess that is mine :)

• I still wear some clothes that I wore in high school.
• I have quite a few socks that should be in the garbage right now but I keep forgetting to throw them away and end up washing them and wearing them again.
• I have a hard time parting with shoes that fit really well--the manufacturers seem to change the style and increase the price every time I've gone shoe shopping lately.
• My work gloves have holes in the fingers.
• I've actually sewn patches on my kids' pants that they really like.
• My car has nearly 300,000 miles on it--I'm shooting for 1,000,000.

Katrena, my husband has the same problem with socks.  He will wear them until they fall apart.  I throw them away when he's not looking :)

I have several pairs of jeans, t-shirts and even shoes that are 20+ years old. Some are pushin' 30. My riding boots are 26 years old, leather jacket is 20 years old and leather vest is 25 years old. I have a box full of old hand tools that are at least 50 years old and a drill that's at least as old as I am. I also have books that I got as far back as 1975, and record albums that I've had since '70 or '71.

Oh yes, I have many things.  I have one Garfield nightgown I had since I was about 16 that I WILL NOT throw away.  It's tight fitting, but I still keep it. 

I also have record albums that date back to the early '80s. 

I have a t-bear that my aunt and uncle gave me when I was born.  He has been loved like the Velveteen Rabbit.

I also have a doll in a red velvet dress that I got in the fourth grade for my b-day.  I saw it in the window of a hardware store.  I thought it strange that it would be there but the owner said he always stocked something dainty for the little girls who might come in.  I stared at the doll every time I passed by the window and I told my mother that I wanted a doll like that.  Then one day on the way to the grocery store I looked up and noticed the doll was no longer there.  I ran inside and asked the owner where the rest of them were and he said that was the only one he had but he was sure I would find the doll of my dreams.  I guess he knew something I didn't because a week later my Dad gave me the doll on my tenth birthday.  Looking back the doll was probably only $10 or $15 but it was worth more than King Solomon's mines too me.  Today she sits in my large guest room amidst all the Barbies and porcelain dolls.  Her skin has yellowed some and the little white socks have yellowed but she's still the doll I loved so many years ago and now she tells a story all her own.

Gigi, that's a great story about your doll.  It probably puts a smile on your face everytime you see her :)

How sweet Gigi!  I too have something that has followed me. My dad was in Germany (in the military) and brought me back this adorable music box of a "house" there with a water wheel. It still plays music and it has been with me since I was a teenager - from moving out of my parents house all the way to Houston Texas. 

I however am not a pack rat . . . about once a month I grab and throw, recycle, sell, giveaway and hope that will last me till the next month! 

When you grow up in a very abusive/dysfunctional home it brings back some of the sweeter moments of a childhood that would be soon forgotten.  But hey, into life a little rain must fall and after the storm, the rainbow!!

Jo said…

I keep ALL yup that is all t-shirts from places we have gone. They are in the attic but for my youngest daughter's high school graduation I found someone who makes quilts. I gave her as many t-shirts as she wanted and she made an amazing quilt out of it. I wish I had done a pillow case. It's priceless. I thought my daughter would leave it at home but it has gone everywhere with her

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This is such a great idea! I have held on to all of my Northwestern swimming tshirts and Pi Phi sorority tshirts from college and hope to have my mom make me a quilt with all of them when I am done working out in them. :) Eventually I'll be too busy to go to the gym!

I absolutely will not throw away the Raggedy Ann doll my dad gave to me for my first birthday in 1986. He got her at the FAO Schwartz in Chicago (funny that she lives here now). She's an original - with plain black button eyes, a heart sewn over her chest that says "I love you" and red yarn hair. She's gone everywhere with me - Nationals, Olympic Trials, college, my new apartment. She still goes home to visit Minnesota for the holidays. I refuse to leave her in my bedroom at home in Minnesota... I feel like I'll be 80 and still have her by my side!

My PC and other desk top stuff snuggles very cozily on top of the red cedar desk that my parents bought when they were married in 1938!  When I began spending a lot of time on the Net at home, my poor rump couldn't take the hard chair that had been a mate to the desk so I will never regret buying a nice comfortable ergonomic thing which took 45 minutes to ensemble and was more comfortable to roost on. 

Here's the problem, no matter how I try I just can't throw that old chair away (the one that matched the desk originally) even though I don't use it anymore.  And if a disaster was headed this way, that is probably one of the things I would fight to rescue.  Because I have no other place for it, the old chair now sits in the middle of my bedroom closet which I haven't been able to walk into now for years -- but it really means a lot to me and I just can't throw it away.

This was really an interesting thread, Kaylen!

I still have my maroon prom dress in my closet. My goodness that dress is over 18 years old. The oldest thing I have that I will never part with are my Raggedy Ann doll and my Scooby-Doo doll. My parents gave this to me when I was 2. A few weeks ago, I was doing some Spring cleaning and found Raggedy Ann and Scooby Doo. Now that brought back some memories.

I have an Adoption Doll (Holly) my aunt gave to me on my 13th birthday that I will never get rid of. I have Holly in my bedroom now sitting in a rocking chair. I still have the original Little House on the Prairie and Little Women books that I received as a child. I have been collecting Carousels since I was 18 that I will never sell.

this2shallpass19 said…

Katrena, my husband has the same problem with socks.  He will wear them until they fall apart.  I throw them away when he's not looking :)

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I could give a really long list of things the spouse could throw away!  LOL

I do that with shirts - when I get Bryan a new one I sneak in there and throw one out -- use it for cleaning or whatever. He may have caught on (if he reads this post he will for sure!) as he puts many of his clothes away. 

AnaBanana, that is so neat to have something so old.  Too bad it is sitting in your closet :)  Can't it be used as a chair somewhere in your house?  I love that you would rescue your chair if a disaster struck :)

I have been toying with the idea of moving my printer off the Rubbermaid Hamper it is sitting on (LONG STORY!) and then moving the desk chair back to the side of the desk and putting the printer on that!  That way I could get back into my bedroom closet again!!!!!  How are you doing, Buddy?

AnnaBanana said…

I have been toying with the idea of moving my printer off the Rubbermaid Hamper it is sitting on (LONG STORY!) and then moving the desk chair back to the side of the desk and putting the printer on that!  That way I could get back into my bedroom closet again!!!!!  How are you doing, Buddy?

 

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That's cool.  I am keeping all of my sons "loved" clothes" and am making a quilt.  His newborn clothes are in the and it goes outward with his age.  I'm giving it to him at graduation.  Which also allows a sentimental dad the time to master a craft.  The only downside I fear is that the center won't have the strength of the perimeter.

dreamwoods said…

That's cool.  I am keeping all of my sons "loved" clothes" and am making a quilt.  His newborn clothes are in the and it goes outward with his age.  I'm giving it to him at graduation.  Which also allows a sentimental dad the time to master a craft.  The only downside I fear is that the center won't have the strength of the perimeter.

 

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What a nice idea!

When I have something that is hard to toss.  It's still in good shape, it's sentimental and it's in the way.  I donate it to somebody who needs it.  That good feeling of doing something nice just pushes away any feelings of missing it.

I have an old pale pink robe. I've had it a few years and it has definitely seen better days. But it's soooo comfortable. I wear it when I'm ill, I have it on right now. As soon as I find a new comfortable one, I'll donate this one.

I love to throw stuff away! In this tiny house, we have no extra room for things that we "might" use "someday".  Unfortunately, my husband is a packrat like his father and hates to throw anything away.  We just finished off 3/4 of our basement so now the whole basement's worth of contents is crammed into 1/4 of the space.  It is absurd.  We are going to spend the next few weekends going through everything and PURGING.

I'd rather throw stuff away and have to buy it again in the future than hold onto everything I've ever owned and live without any space.

I'm so glad to see I'm not the only one who can't toss the old stuffed animals!!!  I'm 30 and still have (albeit in a box in my garage) the rattiest, smelliest, probably dust mite and mildew-infested Benji dog that I got as a child.  My children will never touch it for fear of what they'll catch from it, but I just can't toss him!

I can't get rid of ANYTHING. We were cleaning the "extra room" last week and I wouldn't let my husband or son throw anything away of mine. I could find redeeming value in everything even though I didn't even know it was there for years.

I made a vow to get rid of all jeans/pants, no matter how pricey or new, that are over size 5. I am a size 3 and I plan to keep the 5's. I have millions of 7's and some 9's and even though some have tags, they have to go. I also need to dump all my old tops and stuff that are too big or way out of style. I don't wear them. I just don't want to get rid of them. Shoes are impossible for me to get rid of. It's so hard to toss them or give them away.

I still have three Gateway computers in my office that are at least 11-12 years old. I don't know WHAT to do with them. They work just fine but are obviously not state of the art anymore. I have actual real wrestling belts from the defunct ECW (Not the WWE version) and WCW that I have no clue what to do with but have trouble parting with. I need someone to come over and get rid of the stuff while I'm not looking!

Oh yeah, stuffed animals. No way. If I have one, it's mine for life. I'm allergic to them too but I have a 4 foot bear in my room that my husband won at the state fair on our first date over 25 years ago and I have various stuffed animals in rooms and in a big bag, I did give one HUGE rabbit I won to the Ronald McDonald House though. I consider that a breakthrough. lol.

GigiandAdonai said…

I also have record albums that date back to the early '80s.

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Heck, I have vinyl record albums and 45-RPM singles that I bought in the 1960s! My home is filled with crap that I can't throw out, including old books, car parts, electronic doo-dads, etc. I think I still have a fatigue shirt from when I was in the Army, which was 1971-1974. My wife and I own two houses with a total of 14 closets, and all of them are packed.

--Bob