Question for my organization guru mamas/dads on here:
I have a very nice black trench coat that I bought in Indiana 10-12 years ago, before I moved to southern Florida where I have lived for a decade. It has sat in my closet all this time, gathering dust.
I'm cleaning out my closet (!!! very difficult for me) and wondering if I should let this coat go. We are thinking of taking some trips in the next couple years (to cold places) and I could envision needing a coat like this one at some point.
What would you super organized mamas/daddies do, in light of the fact that we don't have solid plans to travel yet and I have looked at this coat (and not worn it) for 10 years already?
Give it to someone who can actually use it on a regular basis. Chances are, if you plan on traveling to cold climates, you'll need something heavier than a trench coat anyway.
Keep, particularly if it is a classic cut. Put it in a garmet bag so it doesn't get dusty. Just remember that when you travel to look through everything just so you don't forget it's there and go out and buy another.
Did you try it on again? Did you like the way it fits? Should have asked that first:-) You go with your downsizing self: - )
Normal clothes--my rule is 2 years of no wearing--toss.
But a classic trench that you actually might need O. day--keep it.
A trench is much more versatile than, say, a long wool coat--you can use it in cool weather, rainy weather, sleet, etc.
Is it STILL In very nice condition after 12 years? If yes, and you truly will be traveling to colder areas during the actual colder seasons... I"d keep it. I may vacuum seal it on those bags to make it smaller to fit elsewhere.
Try it on again and make sure it fits. Is it a classic? I have a couple of classic dresses in my closet in garment bags to protect them.
Another idea would be to use it sometime to surprise hibby when he comes home from work... be wearing the coat and spike heels ONLY!!
I have a long down coat I bought (second hand, for $15) when we lived in Iowa.... we moved to Texas in 1992. I STILL have that coat!
We do travel to Kansas (family lives there) occasionally, and sometimes it gets cold enough to wear it here...
I still have it. It is getting a bit small, but I still use it when it gets real cold.
We still have a snow shovel! Just can't get rid of that, either.
(What can I say? I'm a packrat!)
If you haven't worn it for 2 years - get rid of it.
After 10 years, it's not likely it will fit like it use to and all clothes break down over time (unless carefully preserved like wedding dresses).
It's hard for pack rats to clean out the closets (and I'm one of the worst).
You get to a point after awhile where you don't own the stuff - the stuff owns you.
A very few things for sentimental reasons are fine (did your husband propose to you while you were wearing the coat?), but most things are just a dead weight which takes up space that could be better used for anything else.
Let it go...when you actually make travel plans get yourself a new coat that you'll love -- and keep that one for 10 years! : )
I lived in Delray Beach for 2 years about 7 years ago and I remember it getting pretty chilly in the winter. We even had at least 5 days when there were freeze warnings. I would hang on to it, if it were up to me. :)
Keep it. I'm from Ohio and lived in FL 14 years now. Our coat closet if full of jackets/coats, etc. We use them when we go up north or when the weather gets cooler.
I would keep it, especially if it's vintage, which is very sought-after by fashionistas and collectors, and if it is a brand name, even more reason to keep it (unless it doesn't fit, of course, in which case, you may want to wait until winter rolls around and sell it on eBay). You should store it in the closet in a garment bag so it doesn't get dusty. Just make sure there's no humidity in your closet, as my mother has had very nice leather jackets get ruined when they grew mold, and I lost a pair of knee-high boots at her house because of that same problem.
This past winter, there was a week or 2 that was cold (at least for South Florida standards) and Burlington Coat Factory was jam-packed. I ended up buying a coat (even though the next day it warmed up, ugh!), but with the strange climate lately, it wouldn't surprise me if we have more 30-degree winters in South Florida in the future, so you might get some use out of it after all. The good thing with a trench coat is that it is so long that it can keep you quite warm, so instead of piling on a thick sweater and 2 layers of pants, you could get away with a thin sweater (or even short sleeves), and a skirt, since it's always so warm indoors and anything thicker will make you sweat. I'd rather deal with a coat on my arm and be comfortable than a coat and 2 sweaters on my arm and still be sweating.
A trench coat is a basic staple in a wardrobe. Keep it.
LOL! We moved to the west coast of Florida from the Northeast 11 years ago and I still have my wool coat and other various winter coats/jackets!
We do travel a fair amount up North and I have used my wool coat often on those trips. As to a trench coat, I would probably find use for it here - now that I am acclimated, I get cold very easily!
My vote is hold on to the coat, even if you only have a vague idea of travel to colder climates. You'll wish you had it when/if you do travel to cold places!
