My sister lifted the garment bag off the hook and unzipped it slowly, as if something might jump out.
Something soft and brown slid into her arms. It was our mother’s mink stole, the one she wore to church on the coldest Sundays of the year.
Behind it were two more things. A long mink coat that we never once saw her wear. And a small mink hat with a satin bow.
That garment bag had hung at the back of the closet in our spare room since we cleared out Mom’s house. It took up half the closet. Every time I opened the door, I saw it, and every time I closed the door again.
This fall, my sister came over, and we finally decided what to do with Mom’s old furs. Here is what we learned, where each piece went, and the one we kept.
Why Old Furs Are So Hard to Let Go
Furs aren’t like other clothes. Our mothers saved for them, sometimes for years. They wore them to weddings, to church, and on special nights out.
So a fur feels like it should be worth something. It feels like it should be kept.
But most of us don’t wear furs now. Our lives are different, and so are our winters. A fur sitting in a closet doesn’t keep anyone warm.
I had to let both feelings be true. Mom loved these things. And they didn’t need to stay in my closet.
First, Check What You Have
Before we decided anything, we laid each piece on the bed in the spare room and looked at it closely. This took about half an hour.