Thrift Stores

[Danny62]

Okay I was shopping for stuff for my Halloween costume at a thrift store during lunch.

Then I saw a shirt I atcually liked. Then as I was about to take it up front to purchase it the "Death Hag" side of me took over. I asked myself these questions:

"I wonder if a person died in it?"

"I wonder if these were donated clothes that used to belong to some dead person!?"

I mean what do most people do after someone dies with the dead persons clothes? Donate em would be my answer!!!!

So nope...I may pay more but I ain't wearing some dead persons clothes!!!

[vintagesole]

I would. I buy alot of stuff at thrift stores and estate sales...and I know most of the estate sales are being held because someone died. I hope I will buy something hunted someday...

[Bake]

I have...when u gain/loose weight and need something for work but don't have the funds..or..when I work in the auto plant on the assembly line...I'd get glue all over my clothes...why go spend $30-$50 bucks on new jeans to wear to work...I'd go to the thrift store and get em for 50 cents a pair!!

[attackatdawn]

I like to go to garage sales, thrift stores ,the Good Will it doesn't bother me at all if the clothes belong to a dead person after all I will be dead someday too. When my mother died, she passed away in a pair of pajamas. My sister was going to throw them away but I said I wanted them. My adult daughter asked me if she could have grandmas pajamas so I gave them to her.

[secretsquirrel13]

Heck...as long as there are no body parts still hanging around in the clothes, I will buy and wear them...
Always wash them well with a mixture of Gain and Odoban first tho, lol

[Danny62]

I have...when u gain/loose weight and need something for work but don't have the funds..or..when I work in the auto plant on the assembly line...I'd get glue all over my clothes...why go spend $30-$50 bucks on new jeans to wear to work...I'd go to the thrift store and get em for 50 cents a pair!!

Makes perfect sense. I would just spend the whole time wondering if the person died in them...and would bug me!!!

[Aries65]

Well, there's a few women walking around this town I live in, wearing my dead mom's clothes - since we donated about 6 bags of her clothes to Goodwill the day after she died.

And oh, we also sold some of her clothes at a consignment store in town, so some women actually spent money to wear a dead woman's clothes!

I've gotten a lot of my clothes from thrift stores, so who knows if I've worn dead people's clothes (since I wear both men and women's clothing).

But I draw the line at undies - I won't buy used undies at the thrift stores!

[vintagesole]

Well, there's a few women walking around this town I live in, wearing my dead mom's clothes - since we donated about 6 bags of her clothes to Goodwill the day after she died.

And oh, we also sold some of her clothes at a consignment store in town, so some women actually spent money to wear a dead woman's clothes!

I've gotten a lot of my clothes from thrift stores, so who knows if I've worn dead people's clothes (since I wear both men and women's clothing).

But I draw the line at undies - I won't buy used undies at the thrift stores!

I second that!

[dirttrackdemon3]

haha!! my wife bought a little wooden jewelry box at a goodwill last week. she asked me to take the velvet liner out so she could sand it and restain it. when i took out the old liner, there were some old erotic photos, looked like someone liked having their pics taken. the things were black and white!!

[vintagesole]

haha!! my wife bought a little wooden jewelry box at a goodwill last week. she asked me to take the velvet liner out so she could sand it and restain it. when i took out the old liner, there were some old erotic photos, looked like someone liked having their pics taken. the things were black and white!!

How cool!!

[Littleroben]

Yeah I don't think there is anything wrong with second hand stuff. I don't really see there is much difference if I gave clothes to a shop today or if died tomorrow and they were donated next week. As long as they get washed I think that is all that matters.

If you think about it if you go to hospital it is quite possible you will get sheets that someone has died in or a bed.

[Gardner32]

I draw the line at undies and shoes

[Darrianne]

Right....undies and shoes, no way.

[Danny62]

Right....undies and shoes, no way.

Would they sell used undies at the thrift store??? That would be wa gross!!!!!

I seem to be the only person that has an issue wearing used clothes I guess!!!???

I don't have a problem with second hand furniture and stuff. Now a used bed is out of the question as well...what if a person died on the bed!!!

[vintagesole]

What if the person died in the chair you bought?

[Cataroo]

haha!! my wife bought a little wooden jewelry box at a goodwill last week. she asked me to take the velvet liner out so she could sand it and restain it. when i took out the old liner, there were some old erotic photos, looked like someone liked having their pics taken. the things were black and white!!

Wow .. that reminds me of the scene in "Silence of the Lambs" ...

[OBX]

I wanted my wife to get some really short skirts and we both knew she would never wear them out of the house, thrift stores are a great place.

I am the one in our family with the weight issues, so they work for that as well.

[Aries65]

What if the person died in the chair you bought?

We donated the chair my mom died in to the ALS Foundation. She wanted all her medical equipment to go to the foundation to help other people suffering with ALS.

Her chair was one of the "lift" recliner chairs. We had sheets and pillows under her to give her more cushion and make her comfortable. She wasn't able to lay down in a bed due to her condition and being reclined back in the chair was more comfortable for her.

The chair was still "like new" when we donated it - so I doubt if the new user would know any better anyway!

[vintagesole]

God, that is horrible. I am sorry to hear that. About your mom, not the chair!

I would not bug me to buy something that someone might have died in!

[onehunglow]

I'm wearing a $300.00 suit right now that I got for $12.00. I had it cleaned and never worried about it. I've bought all my suits there.

[fanable]

I've never had a problem wearing clothes from the thrift store; it doesn't even bother me to think that someone might have died in them.

Questionable stains, underwear (including bras), socks, and shoes are all my no-no list for items to buy there, though.

[SarahThirteen]

the clothes that someone dies in usually get cut off the body for autopsys and what not.... so someone most likely didnt die in the shirt you were gonna buy...

I buy from thrift shops all the time its cheap haha.

[SlippyInvader]

I draw the line at undies and shoes

Especially if they haven't been washed!

[hlh004]

i have bought stuff and thrift stores. they are cheap!
also i draw the line and undies. i do have a story tho..
there is this dude that lives in our town and comes to all the garage sales in out neighborhood and buys underwear by the dozens. some say that he dresses up in them while others say that he dresses his blow up doll in them. either way....its super creepy and they should have enough undies to last for a loooong time.

[SarahThirteen]

i dont understand why thrift shops accept undies just sick!

[mommafreak]

I love to go thrift shopping. I draw the line at undies, bras, socks and shoes, i wont even do hats. I have found some good finds at the thrift stores. A pair of American Eagle jeans for my daughter was a good find, even the $5.00 bill in the small hidden pkt at the waist and all jeans are $3.00, so the thrift store gave me $2.00 to buy them :-) We had a 50's party and bought up old junk record vinyls for $0.25 each, what a steal. Beds are a definate no for me. Too many coodies.

[kafenervosa]

I wouldn't buy a mattress at a thrift store either, but think about a hospital bed. If you are admitted to the hospital, how do you know the patient that used the bed before you didn't die in it?

[Handrejka]

I could wear clothes that someone had died in but for some reason couldn't knowingly sleep in a bed someone had died in. I know it's likely I have but I'd rather not know, but it wouldn't bother me if someone came up to me and said "Hey you're wearing my dead mum's death bed clothes" I guess I'm odd

[secretsquirrel13]

Well..anytime you stay in a hotel/motel you have NO CLUE what has gone on in that bed before you....sex, death, sex AND death....

[SarahThirteen]

Well..anytime you stay in a hotel/motel you have NO CLUE what has gone on in that bed before you....sex, death, sex AND death....

My mother was a manager of a Super 8 Motel for many many many years and one day one of the housekeepers came to the front desk and said umm Debbie I need you in room 121 (i cant remember the number) there was blood EVERYWHERE!!! trash cans filled to the top, but they found no body. They looked everywhere in the pipes under the beds in the box spring of the bed and got nothing... they got ahold of the guy who had rented the room you know what he said... "I tried to kill myself"
this guy had no marks on his body and the amount of blood found in that room he certainly wouldnt be alive...
ohh and another thing.... while they were cleaning up the blood... they found a pile of shit in the middle of the bed.....

Then a truck driver passed away in one of the rooms sitting infront of the tv sitting in a chair.

Alot of people kill their selves in motels

[Andrea]

I *love* thrift stores for shirts, and have found some great bargains! No underwear or any kind or hats for me either, though! It's cool to be able to walk out of the thrift store with 10 shirts for 10 bucks!

Andrea

[attackatdawn]

I used to work as a housekeeper at a Best Western (all I can say is never again what a crappy job!) anyway like SecretSquirrel said:
Well..anytime you stay in a hotel/motel you have NO CLUE what has gone on in that bed before you....sex, death, sex AND death....
And they only wash the bedspreads & blankets once a month or less, sheets and pillow cases every day however. I didn't have to clean this room but one day a housekeeper came out of a room with a horrified look on her face, there was blood everywhere it almost looked like a murder or a abortion took place in that room. The cops came over to look at it but I never did hear what happened in that room.

[Danny62]

I could wear clothes that someone had died in but for some reason couldn't knowingly sleep in a bed someone had died in. I know it's likely I have but I'd rather not know, but it wouldn't bother me if someone came up to me and said "Hey you're wearing my dead mum's death bed clothes" I guess I'm odd

My ex is dating a guy who's wife died in her sleep in bed.

My daughters told me until recently she was slepping on the same side of the bed his wife died on!!

I think they finally bought a new matress.

[firegilnotguns]

Definitely buy clothes from thrift stores, (again, not underwear) and wash it before you wear it. Like a few people have said, there's more chance of that being more hygenic than staying in a hotel/motel (plus it's way cheaper and you get far more use out of it!)

[RoRo]

I used to work in housekeeping as a supervisor at Opryland Hotel and I will tell you I take sheets and my own pillows to any hotel I stay at...I know how often the linens get cleaned and how often a housekeeper says they changed the sheets and didn't!
As to thrift store...I buy clothes there and at yardsales if they are my size,I never would buy underwear, shoes or hats. I wash the clothes well and have never had a problem. Lots of people donate their loved ones clothes which I think is great.......as for hospital beds most are plastic covered and cleaned

[Bellfire]

Okay I was shopping for stuff for my Halloween costume at a thrift store during lunch.

Then I saw a shirt I atcually liked. Then as I was about to take it up front to purchase it the "Death Hag" side of me took over. I asked myself these questions:

"I wonder if a person died in it?"

"I wonder if these were donated clothes that used to belong to some dead person!?"

I mean what do most people do after someone dies with the dead persons clothes? Donate em would be my answer!!!!

So nope...I may pay more but I ain't wearing some dead persons clothes!!!

Well, I can understand that my friend. I wonder who tries on all the clothes at department stores before I do lol.

[rjbrasher]

Im proud to say i buy stuff from thrift stores, flea markets, garage sales and ebay. And as well as my bloomingdales and macys. There is something called soap. I'm not afraid to use it lol.

[Mrs. Watson]

I love thift stores! I also live in Yuppie Hell so I've gotten things like Stuart Weitzman pumps, brand new, not a scuff on the sole, for $5. I've found a lot of very high end stuff for practically nothing.

Nothing a little Tide or a trip to the dry cleaner's won't handle.

[Noor 7ayaty]

I love wearing my past relatives clothes. Especially the aunt I was named for. My uncle traveled all over the world working on supertankers, he indulged her with gifts from all over, and she left everything to me, her namesake. Both of them (as well as 11 other people on a three-block-long street) came down with mutiple cancers all at the same time (never drink anything but bottled water in New Orleans, folks -- including ice cubes, avoid them if you can) and my Moms nearly killed herself caring for them both around the clock. She had her first heart attack on the plane ride back.

All that time, her [my aunt] two sons and daughters-in-law didn't lift a finger and didn't visit regularly. It broke our hearts.

At the funeral, I was surprised to find she was the first relative in my life I couldn't look at in the casket. I had to carry her memory .. not the ravaged end she met (altho there were ample pictures they took).

I looked around as we were leaving the service, and didn't see my cousins and their wives. At first it didn't click with me. I was a bit in shock anyway ...

When we got back to my aunts home, I saw why. They raced home and took all of her substantial jewelry (ONLY the extremely valuable pieces) but they were far too large to fit her clothes. In minutes they cleaned her out -- and were clucking with joy over it, quite openly, right in front of me. I just stood there, stunned. Didn't dare say a word -- karma's too reliable a thing. They took the china, her awards, her art, everything she left me except the clothes and what they thought was the less expensive jewelry.

I wore her wardrobe the next year and was voted Best Dressed on campus. The art deco jewelry they left behind is now vintage and coming back in style, not that I care it's worth anything.

Last year my father died, no doubt spurred by his beloved wife's passing shortly before, a little before their 57th wedding anniversary. He had to leave hours before she died in my arms. For some reason, I'm the 'angel of death' of my family, the one who always stays until the end, making it as peaceful and loving as possible. It hurt me that when I told people this, they said, "That's horrible." Only one person said, "That's beautiful." And I won't sugarcoat it: these experiences were amazingly awful and took an incredible toll on me, so I went for counseling. I learned what "agonal breaths" are the hard way. I considered suicide; I was fine throughout the ordeal, and refused my own doctor's orders to be hospitalized to be there for both of them. I didn't have the heart to let them die alone. They gave me so much. I had to make sure they left bathed in love. But afterwards ...

Losing Dad those months ago was even harder (only daughter, baby of the family, a true Daddy's girl). I don't even know if I've begun to deal with it. I wear their clothes all the time and love it.

My apologies for the off-topic comments and length of post. This is actually very good therapy, getting it off my chest. I'm sorry

I hope you made it this far for one special reason. I'm psychic/clairvoyant (although those are only words close to describing this 'ability' I refuse to call a gift) and I want people to keep something important in mind. And you're free to feel I'm cuckoo if you like, it's OK. But please keep this in mind: used jewelry and furniture *can* carry echoes of their owner's pasts, and sometimes such can affect your life. If you don't know the previous owner, I don't recommend it. Mom was psychic/clairvoyant in a way that Scared the Hell out of people, she was Uncanny. My elder and middle brother had/have this ability also. Of all of them, I have it the weakest ... thank God.

And for the record, don't approach me for a 'reading.' My 'ability' as such doesn't work that way; you can't come to me, God will send me to you. I have no idea why it works this way, have fought God on it all my life, and it's obvious it isn't going to change anytime soon if ever.

One final note: I and others witnessed Mom face down some fake-faith-healing preachers. My fave was watching her scare the shit out of Earnest Angsley. He looked in her eyes -- beautiful, placid blue eyes -- and I saw sheer panic cross that man's face. He did everything to get away from her as soon as possible. Her best friend and I nearly cried laughing, watching it from short feet away. She exuded so much power she didn't have to say a word, she just looked him right in the eye, and he knew he was looking at The Real Deal. And it scared him shitless. Yay for Mom. BTW that took place in front of 5000 people .. and we're pretty sure he edited out of his taping

Again, sorry for the length. Thanks, if you made it this far.

[Danny62]

i dont understand why thrift shops accept undies just sick!

I think its a hygiene proble as well?? I think you could catch something wearing used undies...

YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fanable]

That was a fascinating read, Noor 7ayaty; thank you so much for sharing with us DHs.

For the record, I think it's a beautiful thing that you are/were able to provide such peace, love, and comfort to your loved ones in their final moments.

[Noor 7ayaty]

That was a fascinating read, Noor 7ayaty; thank you so much for sharing with us DHs.

For the record, I think it's a beautiful thing that you are/were able to provide such peace, love, and comfort to your loved ones in their final moments.

Thank you so much for your kindness and understanding. While incredibly difficult, it is beauty. Oh and when I went for counseling, they said I was sane. Wasn't expecting that answer LOL

One more thing: My bro and I were so shocked that while we were there, six people on that floor died with no one at all but the angelic nurses who lovingly attended them to the end. These wonderful people treated us like royalty, constantly tending to us, because of what we did; evidently few family members can handle it. And I can understand that, and don't judge. But the nurses who do it regularly? Human angels.

They asked me to leave for a few minutes, then came to get me a few minutes later. They had removed every tube and every piece of medical equipment, and posed Mom peacefully, lovingly tucked in her covers. That was their gift for me. It will mean the world to me until I die. These people don't get thanked enough, but then, maybe people don't realize all they do.

I went back later and had baked them up a big batch of pecan tassies (the things that look like miniature pecan pies) and they were all over the moon about it. Apparently not many come back later to thank them after a death. If one of these nurses help you with such a thing, even a note of thanks means the world to them. Make their day if you get a chance! They do so much difficult work.

[MIZIZVOGUE]

Yeah I don't think there is anything wrong with second hand stuff. I don't really see there is much difference if I gave clothes to a shop today or if died tomorrow and they were donated next week. As long as they get washed I think that is all that matters.

If you think about it if you go to hospital it is quite possible you will get sheets that someone has died in or a bed.

GOOD POINT!!

[deathybrad]

I buy good clothes and I donate good clothes to thrift stores. It's not much but it's the least I can do.

[DietCokeofEvil]

Beautiful story Noor.. Brought tears to my eyes..


Now I have to make a confession. My husbands ex-girlfriend (they stayed friends) became a widow after 3 years of marriage. About a month or so after he died, she had to move because she couldn't afford the house she and their two kids were living in. I was helping them move, along with a few other people when Friends stepdaughter came down and said that Friend was up in her closet crying. She hadn't thrown out late hubby's clothes yet and was just sitting there in the midst of all of them. So I grabbed a couple of garbage bags and we bagged everything... underwear, shirts with holes, whatever was there regardless of the condition it was in. I loaded up my car and took it to Goodwill. I still feel kind of bad that they had to sort through all that crap, but I had to do something to get her moving.

It must have helped because a month (about 2 months after her husband died) later, she ran off to New York to marry and Arab guy she met on the internet- left her two kids behind and everything.

[Genevieve]

Absolutely yes, second hand clothes are the best choice - more likely to get something unique and they usually aren't worn out. Also they have been cleaned recently and checked by the shop assistants while many new clothes have harmful chemical dyes in them and have been shipped and stored in store rooms for months, not to mention tried on by consumers with varying hygiene levels. Often they smell much less fresh. Unfortunately in Britain you can buy new clothes cheaper in Primark, TK Maxx etc. than second hand in charity shops. People will always choose the cheaper option - yet more disposable merchandise!

[dirttrackdemon3]

it wouldnt bother me to sleep in a bed or sit in a chair someone died in, but definently not the clothes they died in. i have slept alot of places where people have died, and i have always wanted to si in the chair lincoln was in when he was shot! morbid?? YES!! but as for wearing used underwear....NO WAY!! we shop at thrift stores, yard slaes, and flea markets, but not really for clothes, but for antiques and such. i did buy a small table once that had a civil war bullet lodged in it. the story went that a union soldier had been shot in the house in tenn., and that it was one of the bullets that passed thru his body. never had any problems with the table, and it sold at auction for well over 3 times what i paid for it.

[John Trim]

or..when I work in the auto plant on the assembly line...I'd get glue all over my clothes...

See, I knew real cars were made the same way as the model cars I built as a kid.

[MbalmR]

I can report that as a funeral director, we always laundered personal clothing worn by the deceased and returned it to the family. We also laundered hospital gowns, and they were donated to hospice. To answer the original question posted on this thread, I personally don't have any issues with wearing clothing that someone died in. If I had issues with dead people, I'd never be able to do what I do. My husband's entire closet is filled with plastic hangers for his shirts that families didn't want back after they brought in clothing for their loved ones, and which were just piling up at the funeral home anyway. Nothing wrong with that--no harm in it.

[Noor 7ayaty]

Originally Posted by Littleroben
Yeah I don't think there is anything wrong with second hand stuff. I don't really see there is much difference if I gave clothes to a shop today or if died tomorrow and they were donated next week. As long as they get washed I think that is all that matters.

If you think about it if you go to hospital it is quite possible you will get sheets that someone has died in or a bed.

GOOD POINT!!

Amen, MIZ and Little! Plus the BARGAINS --- omigosh our local Goodwill is so awesome. A friend took me to pick up a pair of jeans ($4) after a surgery, and she got several pairs of slacks for her boyfriend. Every single pair was pristine condition -- we went over them/fine-tooth comb -- and were they were (literally) Eddie Bauer (sp?), Botany 500, real top-quality clothes. Cost per pair = $8.