Hello everyone:

Some men rush to immediately give away their deceased wife’s clothing. Try not to be in too big a hurry here, or you may find that someone who could have really used the clothes as been overlooked.

Offer the clothing to your children first; you never know when some jacket or shirt has a special meaning to your kids. However, do not try to force the clothing on them; the size or style may be wrong for them and you should not do a guilt trip on the kids for not wanting the clothes.

After your children have had the first opportunity to look through the items, consider people you know who might enjoy having them. Is there a neighbor or friend who could use them (and who is a similar size)? When my aunt died, we offered her clothes to a nearby neighbor who had done so much for my aunt for many years. It turned out that her mother was my aunt’s size and was able to enjoy the like-new winter coats that my aunt had barely worn.

Hope this helps!

Sheri