Check this out. On the schedule for tomorrow morning is a trip to town for drinking water, right? And one thing I planned to do while there was stop at the thrift store and see if they had some long sleeve shirts that weren’t too embarrassing. I never wear them in summer except as gun burqas, but they’re a comfort in winter and most of mine are falling or have fallen to pieces except for one or two I keep for nice and never wear at home.
So I’m having coffee this morning at Landlady’s with S&L, right? And they’ve got a truckload of stuff they’re hauling to the thrift store, including…
In my size, yet. Nice quality, hardly worn at all. One’s got a tiny little stain on it, which is a plus really because I won’t be tempted to set it aside and never use it.
There were also a couple of jackets, which I don’t need – at all – but couldn’t refuse. I said to Landlady later, “It’s like I’m a coat hoarder or something. You know how when something bad happens, and after that you can never stop planning to keep that bad thing from happening again, even when you’re going overboard and actually doing more harm than good? I had that one really bad winter, years ago, and now I can’t turn down a free coat.”
Reuse is the most efficient kind of recycling. In this case, you even cut out the middleman.
I pulled a couple of carhartt-type coats out of a dumpster this summer. I don’t need them and was going to donate them to someone, somewhere. One is very like-new, the other is well worn, but serviceable. If you need more coats for your hoard I would send them your way.
That’s so cool! (Or warm, as the case may be.) I love synchronicity — not to mention S&L.
I laugh at your coat hoarding. I have the same tendency. Every time I go to the thrift store I have to stop myself buying jackets, jackets, and more jackets. And I don’t even have the excuse you do. Your terrible winter in the trailer, sleeping in below-freezing temperatures night after night, would have been enough to make anybody want to collect coats (or club baby seals to make them, even). A lesser person (me, for instance) would have gotten the hell out of there.
Looks like a lot of good karma descending on you to be sure you’re ready for winter. Pallets, shirts, coats, care packages…..
My hoard is heavy long, coat-like, sweaters. I rarely leave a thrift shop without another one. Downsizing into our new-to-us house in town has been challenging regarding closet space, but I’ve found places for all of them. Bring it on winter!
Never turn down a serviceable coat, even those well worn, especially if it’s one size too large. There’s always that time when you have to undertake a really messy job, and if a coat gets ruined better an older already damaged one than a good one. I keep a light one in the truck in a small vacuum-pack bag year round (takes up less space that way), and add a vacuum-packed heavier insulated coat come the first of October. Yes, I’m wearing one in the winter, but having a backup is good, and sometimes one’s passenger didn’t gauge the temps correctly.
Good advice all around. I have snagged quite a few decent long-sleeved shirts in thrift stores for very little money, but haven’t done much about coats. I do need a couple rain coats though as my old one is really falling apart.
Don’t forget the long underwear! 🙂 Not sure you can find that at thrifts…