In the Spirit of Goodwill (and Cleaning Out My Closet) by Mark Edgington

Every few months, I get inspired to “simplify my life.” That’s code for: dig through my closet, find shirts I haven’t worn since 2008, and convince myself someone at Goodwill is going to give them a comeback tour.

This time, I filled a few bags with clothes I swore I might wear again “someday…” you know, the faded jeans that just fit weird, a stack of polos that I’ve been holding onto for no good reason, and a jacket I bought for exactly one wedding and zero other occasions.

Pulling up to Goodwill, I felt like a minimalist. A man unburdened by excessive cotton blends. The attendant gave me a polite nod and a receipt that I’ll absolutely never use for taxes.

Maybe some of those shirts will get their second chance. And maybe next time, I’ll wait less than five years before doing another drop-off.

— Mark Edgington

This article also appears on https://www.markedgington.org, where you can learn more about Mark Edgington’s ongoing work.