Hanging on to well-worn clothes may be the *least*of my hoarding concerns. Compared to my other hoarder behaviors, I feel next-to-no shame about keeping favored garments that have gotten super-soft.
I called these sweats “well-worn”, but they’re closer to “worn OUT”. It will not take many more washings for them to have a huge hole in the crotch where this threadbare patch is between my legs.
Again, this site is causing me to pause for reflection and making me confront what I said just a few sentences ago is NO PROBLEMO in my opinion! I have here photographic evidence and mindful awareness that these sweats have outworn their ability to properly clothe/cloak me in public. And I was using the fact that I *do* wear these in public as evidence that I am not hoarding, since I’m getting USE out of the item I won’t let go of that others would consider garbage. But hey, I’m not just letting it take up space in my dresser drawers, going unloved and wasted, right?!?
This is the thing. NOT using new things, waiting until circumstances are perfect to appropriately exalt the new hoarded things that have been hanging around for YEARS with tags still on them. While I have other things like these that I’ve been wearing for many years — decades, in some cases — that I simply cannot part with. That I fear are irreplaceable. But that anyone else would look at and say I am crazy and/or neglecting my own care by continuing to wear them.
On top of that, the drawstring is totally knotted up so I can’t tighten it anymore (since I can’t untie it) AND there are ratty hairs entangled in it. So I have this ratty hairy knot of bouncy bedraggled string hanging down in front of my crotch. And I have to hitch them up every few steps so they don’t FALL DOWN OFF MY ASS.
It’s not a good look.
Of course, I tuck that stuff inside the waistband (when I remember to). And I make sure to wear matching grey boxer-briefs under these joggers. And I make sure never to wear them anywhere in public where I might sit down and wind up giving someone a view between my legs.
I only wear them at home, on walks, and grocery shopping! They’re still taking care of me! I don’t have anything better! I’ll never be able to replace them with their two-tone greys! I paid too much for their Calvin Klein distressed pre-broken-in-ness! Even if it was over a decade ago, I really want to make sure I get my money’s worth!! And this is like my STYLE, man … like … concrete zombie apocalypse shuffle.
They still bring me joy, Marie Kondo.
What is wrong with me?