Getting rid of my clothes....

[Magnolia]

No! I am not going nekkid. Ha!! And you'll be thankful.

I am sorting my clothes closet(s), which, since I've put closet as a plural, you already know I have way too many clothes and that I need to downsize regardless of moving onto a boat or not.

But, how many days worth of clothing does one take to live on board? 2 weeks worth maybe? I'm thinking 2 weeks because we should have use of a washer/dryer while docked somewhere. Correct me if I am wrong on the two weeks.

Our current plan is to leave Ky around Oct., mosey on down the river to Mobile, and hang a left and go over to Apalachicola, Fl. Or, at least mosey on down the river further south, if we can't be ready to leave permanently by Oct.

I guess I am talking more warm weather clothing, my hopes are to store our winter wear...for a long, long time.

Shoes are another topic...boat shoes (2) (1 leather, 1 fabric), my teva hiking shoes (1), (2) pair teva flip-flops, and my birkenstock sandals (1). That is 6 pair total. I can't do without any of these, period.

Thanks oodles!

[coyotejack]

I would bring as many clothes as you have space to conveniently store. As a live aboard cruiser I am always being faced with needing something I never anticipated, I.e. a suit to attend a funeral in. Of course there is always the local Goodwill or thrift store in an unanticipated emergency.

[VetMike]

Interesting conundrum! I'd advise as Jack did; bring as much as you can. Ifyou find that after one year you haven't worn something then donate it. Enjoy!

[wingNwing]

Here's a whole collection of cruisers' blog posts about clothing: The Monkey's Fist: Collecting Cruisers' Perspectives: How do you do laundry on a boat? Clothes for cruisers

[Magnolia]

Thanks everyone. I think I may put together a couple sets...ie: boat work clothes, lounging clothes, and going to town clothes. Maybe this will work, or at least it is a start.

And thank you for the link wingNwing, I will check it out.

[deltaten]

Being in [close to] the same position; I'm inventorying the list now. I've wondered what to do with "better" clothes; ie: sports jacket, suit, /dressy-er shirts, etc.
In mulling this over w/a friend, the idea of a hanging clothes bag came up.
Solution??
I have a well-traveled "ValPak" suitcase of nylon derivation that will hold all the above and more. When the flip-hook is out and the pak is hung, it takes up no more room that perhaps 6 inches thick and not much wider than a standard hanger.
The bag will probably end up being hung on the fwd head bulkhead, just inside the Vee-berth.
"Closet-in-a-sack" !!
Street shoes in the bottom, small clothes above and all the hung dress wear one could ever need in one, "weather" proof bag; without the hasle of dealing with luggage stowing. A bungee about the bottom to secure it and all's good.

I *may* not need all the finery out for a weekend; but planning to live aboard makes sartorial considerations necessary.

???

[Arjen]

I have 2 shirts and 2 shorts. But im a dirty hippy i'm afraid.

[deltaten]

That's OK , Arjen. I plan on being the same, once aboard Tho I'm afraid I'll be an OLD, dirty 'hippy'.... or better, a "scurvy pirate" that occasionally needs to dress for the public! LOL

[aeventyr60]

long pants turn into shorts, city shorts into boat shorts, boat shorts into work shorts then to rags, same with t shirts, city shirt, boat shirt, work shirt, rags......shoes seem to just get moldy....

[Minnewaska]

They make just about everything in quick dry material these days, from underwear to pants to shirts. They are much easier to wash, because they dry so easily, so you can have fewer items and wash them.

If you have access to a vacuum of any kind, the storage bags that suck out air are terrific. Keep things from picking up odors and save tons of space.