Clean Out the Closet - What to Keep?

[Wavewacker]

First step as I understand it to getting out there is to get rid of stuff. I realize that my old stuff, like my cycling trophies, grandmother's platform rocker and mom's night stand will need to be stored or given to the kids now. But what about clothing?

I have been a jeans guy for about ten years now. My suits will go, but should you keep one for funerals and weddings (neither I intend to attend as the main attraction. How many shoes, tennis, leather, boots, waders?

Coats, jackets, windbreakers, sweaters (I have toons of them), and I know I don't wear half of them, but what is comfortable out there keeping in mind 12 months of the year.

I'm thinking cotton, quick dry stuff. Cotton and wool socks. We may not have anything on at times but I'm sure the clothing thing will be necessary.....

What's in your locker?

[Pete7]

If you are going somewhere hot and humid leather shoes will be in the skip within 3 months. Suggest one suit and matching shoes are kept in a vacuum bag just in case. Not too keen on jeans on board, they take an age to dry if wet. Suggest you wear them out or cut then down to shorts. The hard bit with cloths is stopping that musty, wet dog smell, so lots of airing or store sealed up by season.

Pete

[perchance]

Save those platform shoes and bell bottom trousers. I hear Disco is making a comeback.

[peghall]

If you haven' worn it in at least a year, it goes. If it turns out you should have kept it, buy a new one. That won't happen often.

Except for foulies and other outerwear, if it can't be folded and stored in a drawer, it goes. Anything that you're keeping 'cuz you'll be able to wear it again after you've lost the few (?) pounds that you've gained also has to go...by the time you lose those pounds--IF you ever do (the odds are against it)--you won't want to be seen in it.

Forget about the suit "in case you need it,"...I saw people in JEANS at funeral recently! A nice pair of washable slacks (e.g. Dockers), a nice pullover and MAYBE a blazer, with some decent moccasin deck shoes will be all you'll need these days.

For the most part you only need tee shirts for hot weather, turtlenecks and sweatshirts for cold weather, washable no-iron corduroy and cotton blend slacks and shirts...maybe a couple of sets of warm-ups.... Two windbreakers, a winter Polar-Tek lined foulie, some wet foulies...and of course, some underwear and socks.

That's my $.02 worth anyway.

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

And all those nice collared polo shirts are too hot for the tropics, you'll be hunting around for the cheapest giveaway tee shirts you have to stay cool.

[Wavewacker]

Ah man, I just got rid of my striped bell bottoms and the 4" white belt. Hopping to keep my wide collar casual suit, lime green with a silky shirt!

I'm think'n keep the northface coat, kacket. A couple light jackets/windbreakers. Jeans, like three pair. Shorts....maybe 5 pair. and thanks, one pr of blue dockers and one kahki. Couple casual hiking boots, one for real and another casual pr. A pr of boat shoes/loffer style and not sure about any dress clothes, 3 pr of tennis shoes. I could drop off a suit at my funeral home with my wingtips!

Gotta have my combat boots, bike leathers and a couple helmets.

I have a pr of overalls, those tan insulated suits for the reall cold stuff, just in case I have to be out in it.

Picking out just three sweaters will be hard to do, guess the turtle neck button/zipper type that old salts are supposed to wear.

Bike gloves, work gloves and casual gloves...couple scarf thingys and my neck warmer/hoody cap (goes under the helmets).

Socks and more socks......how do they get lost on a boat?

Couple ball caps, and my old jungle hat for the sun.

A few belts, I'll lose weight and need to keep my pants up.

Now, that's starting off I guess......

Is there any really great jacket, type of long pants (cargos, I forgot those, a couple make into shorts)???

There are new materials for water clothes that are used by kayakers, forgot what those are, they dry quickly, would they be worth it?

I'm not out to be styling along the shore, don't expect to meet anyone that I need to impress, So lots of T-shirts will probably go.

I have not been to an ICW type marina, I'd rather show up looking like I kinda been there and done that, lol, but it won't take them long to know the difference I'm sure....

Maybe along the lines of sensible tips, shoes that don't have black soles/heels, any good boat shoes?
lly not for a fashion show, just pratical, all weather stuff...

Whats kind of good weather gear?
ea

[captdbg]

Don't waste your money on a storage locker.We never used it in 7 years finally gave the stuff away 7 years of wasted rent money.my wife's fault ha

[Wavewacker]

Got a GF three years ago, she moved in with me and put her stuff in storage, what a waste of money, spent more keeping it than it was worth. If I store anything it will be a few small boxes, the family stuff at my dad's or son's place. Otherwise it will be in the garage sale of off to the Salvation Army.

Just found my water shoes, forgot I had them, 2 differnt pairs, so they have to go with me, pretty neat and comfortable shoes from my kayak days.

Now I'm into the bedding, sheets, blankets, pillows and cases....a nice feather bed, so.....

In a 12 month jaunt, it will be cold and will need a good bed. What do you guys really use most and store on the boat, blankets or bedrolls? In the V berth I see blankets being more..."jump up in a hurry" friendly than getting out of a mummy bag..... Then if stuff gets wet....do you lean more toward household bedding or camping/backpacking stuff????

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Wavewacker

Got a GF three years ago, she moved in with me and put her stuff in storage, what a waste of money, spent more keeping it than it was worth. If I store anything it will be a few small boxes, the family stuff at my dad's or son's place. Otherwise it will be in the garage sale of off to the Salvation Army.

Just found my water shoes, forgot I had them, 2 differnt pairs, so they have to go with me, pretty neat and comfortable shoes from my kayak days.

Now I'm into the bedding, sheets, blankets, pillows and cases....a nice feather bed, so.....

In a 12 month jaunt, it will be cold and will need a good bed. What do you guys really use most and store on the boat, blankets or bedrolls? In the V berth I see blankets being more..."jump up in a hurry" friendly than getting out of a mummy bag..... Then if stuff gets wet....do you lean more toward household bedding or camping/backpacking stuff????

Egyptian cotton sheets and a king size duvet...

[janice142]

You need VERY VERY little ... seriously, plan on washing clothes regularly (by hand you do not want a huge pile) so think minimal. Items I have in total after years aboard:

White long sleeved dress shirts (for sun protection) -- 6 or so (turned into rags when they become too disreputable to wear in public) ... these are $1 (color tag sales price) at Salvation Army.

Skirts in the summer (three, all fast drying and light weight)
Blue jeans -- two pairs, rotated

Silk undergarments (long johns, camisoles, slips)
Light-weight turtleneck long sleeved tee-shirts (for warmth) - 3

A windbreaker
A trench-coat *unlined (from the thrift store -- $8)

And, a little black dress with heels and a light weight black "dressy" sweater (in four years I've never worn it but since it's so compact it resides in the locker)

One pair of sneakers
Two pairs of slip-on shoes
A pair of warm fluffy slipper-boots

And a couple of hats, etc.

If I were a male, I can see bringing a blazer though I'm not certain it would get worn in warmer climates. I prefer men in collar shirts -- I think y'all look more together than in ratty tee-shirts, plus a light-weight cotton fabric dries lots faster than a knit tee-shirt.

[I've not had much use for sweaters -- they tend to be bulky and storage space is at a premium aboard.]

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Wavewacker

First step as I understand it to getting out there is to get rid of stuff. I realize that my old stuff, like my cycling trophies, grandmother's platform rocker and mom's night stand will need to be stored or given to the kids now. But what about clothing?

I have been a jeans guy for about ten years now. My suits will go, but should you keep one for funerals and weddings (neither I intend to attend as the main attraction. How many shoes, tennis, leather, boots, waders?

Coats, jackets, windbreakers, sweaters (I have toons of them), and I know I don't wear half of them, but what is comfortable out there keeping in mind 12 months of the year.

I'm thinking cotton, quick dry stuff. Cotton and wool socks. We may not have anything on at times but I'm sure the clothing thing will be necessary.....

What's in your locker?

I sing in a show chorus and I have to keep some VERY dressy clothes. Then there's the occasional wedding. I have a small storage unit, and those things hang there. But what I did to move on, was to arbitrarily take three plastic bins and put in what I thought I needed -- EVERYTHING, including shoes and accessories.

If I wanted to wear something that wasn't in the boxes, something had to come out of the box. I did that for two months -- but discovered that in th end I'd pretty much gotten it right from the beginning.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by peghall

If you haven' worn it in at least a year, it goes. If it turns out you should have kept it, buy a new one. That won't happen often.

Except for foulies and other outerwear, if it can't be folded and stored in a drawer, it goes. Anything that you're keeping 'cuz you'll be able to wear it again after you've lost the few (?) pounds that you've gained also has to go...by the time you lose those pounds--IF you ever do (the odds are against it)--you won't want to be seen in it.

Forget about the suit "in case you need it,"...I saw people in JEANS at funeral recently! A nice pair of washable slacks (e.g. Dockers), a nice pullover and MAYBE a blazer, with some decent moccasin deck shoes will be all you'll need these days.

For the most part you only need tee shirts for hot weather, turtlenecks and sweatshirts for cold weather, washable no-iron corduroy and cotton blend slacks and shirts...maybe a couple of sets of warm-ups.... Two windbreakers, a winter Polar-Tek lined foulie, some wet foulies...and of course, some underwear and socks.

That's my $.02 worth anyway.

In addition, do the "wrinkle test." Ball up a hunk of it in your hand and squeeze hard. If it comes out badly wrinkled, don't take it on the boat. In the future, do that test in the store before bringing anything home.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by captdbg

Don't waste your money on a storage locker.We never used it in 7 years finally gave the stuff away 7 years of wasted rent money.my wife's fault ha

You may not use yours, but I use mine -- very sparingly, it's small -- but for me, it's important. For instance, I have a "travel shelf." If I'm going to go visit someone, I put the things I'm going to take there. It's my "packing" shelf. I don't have a place on the boat where I can do that. It also stores the few dressy clothes I do need, seasonal things for the boat (ex: the hatch drop-in AC), etc. Whether you need outside storage will vary from person to person.

[Wavewacker]

Agreed Rakuflames, the AC unit is a good example and something I had not thought of really, but you need to be sorta close when it's needed.

Just thinking too, maybe those cruisers who have land based squats and extra room might offer some storage space some how. Was thinking that some stuff might be mailed to a drop off and rotate your stuff back to your home port....Hmmmm?

[IolantheSF]

We are in the process of closing down a 5 bedroom house and a 1 bdrm work apt. It is really hard to decide what to do with things. Our biggest problem is that we are both book addicts. We have one room with floor to ceiling books. It would be VERY expensive to replace our well loved books on the Kindle, which we both own. So, for now, the books were packed and put into storage. My contribution to the chaos is shoes. I have about 25 pairs.
The other problem is cherished, well loved things. We also have paintings, and family heirlooms. What to do with a set of family china that feeds 16 people. When am I ever going to feed 16 people??? that got sent off to my brother.
My husband has a tool for everything. He is having real anxiety about his tools!
I will write an update later when the house and apt are finally gone! LOL