You be the judge: should my husband stop throwing away his ‘old’ clothes?

10 months ago

The prosecution: Martina

Jon bins perfectly bully apparel arsenic soon arsenic they person a mini spread aliases stain, which is truthful wasteful

We unrecorded successful a nine that doesn’t for illustration repairing things. People conscionable propulsion retired apparel and appliances alternatively than trying to hole them, and my hubby Jon is 1 of them.

He’s ever been for illustration this and I person beautiful overmuch accepted it, but it does annoy me. Sometimes I hide really wasteful he is until he does thing reprehensible successful beforehand of me. The different day, he was getting dressed for activity and pulled retired a achromatic garment which had a mini ketchup stain connected it. He instantly said: “Oh, that’s going successful nan rubbish,” and put it consecutive successful nan bin. I was like: “What are you doing? You tin conscionable lavation it.” He said it was pointless; nan garment was ruined.

I deliberation that’s incredibly wasteful; you tin easy return retired stains pinch stain remover – nan people wasn’t moreover that big. Or nan garment could person gone to a kindness shop, but erstwhile Jon gets thing into his head, that’s it.

He throws retired perfectly bully shorts, trousers and shirts pinch mini holes aliases minuscule stains. He wouldn’t beryllium organised capable to benignant done his items and donate them. Once I recovered a brace of gym shoes successful nan recycling bin. When I challenged him he said that location was a rip connected nan back. I took nan shoes to a section cobbler and returned them to him. He was very grateful but said: “Why did you do this? It’s easier to bargain caller ones.”

Recently he dropped his Macbook and a mates of nan buttons connected nan keyboard fell off. Instead of taking it to beryllium repaired, he conscionable ordered a marque caller laptop. I lectured him connected this too.

We make decent money arsenic a mates and I suppose we tin spend to bargain caller items each clip thing gets tatty, but I would for illustration not to.

I deliberation I americium opposed to discarded because I was raised successful a working-class home, and my mum would ever sew patches connected my schoolhouse jumper alternatively of buying a full caller one. So my encephalon is wired otherwise from Jon’s, who grew up pinch much money.

I’ll sometimes conscionable get his worldly repaired for him, but I deliberation Jon should study to spot nan worth successful that himself.

The defence: Jon

There’s nary constituent holding onto things you don’t want. I propulsion them consecutive successful nan bin

I don’t for illustration wearing apparel that person stains aliases holes. It makes you look tatty and dirty. And I besides think, what’s nan constituent successful holding connected to things that you don’t want?

I for illustration my wardrobe – and my life – to beryllium afloat of things that I really value. So erstwhile thing is nary longer providing value, I propulsion it out. It’s much businesslike to unrecorded that way. I person an agency occupation truthful I can’t deterioration soiled items, which is why I threw retired nan ketchup-stained shirt. Martina knows my occupation has a smart-casual dress code, truthful I’m not judge why she would want maine to support apparel that don’t trim nan mustard.

I besides person nary qualms astir throwing retired things that don’t suit maine aliases are past their best. She says I tin beryllium wasteful, but I don’t really person nan clip to benignant done my shirts and trousers each morning, seeing which ones are stained and which ones aren’t. I’d alternatively support a postulation of wholly cleanable clothes.

With nan gym shoes that I threw out, possibly I was a spot hasty. I did admit Martina getting them mended arsenic it was conscionable a small spread astatine nan back. Though if I’m honest, I would astir apt ne'er do that myself. I wouldn’t moreover cognize wherever to find a repair shop for illustration that.

Marina is simply a small much thrifty than I americium and possibly that’s because she grew up pinch little money than me. She’s very bully astatine stopping maine from chucking things consecutive successful nan bin. She’ll say: “Hang on, personification will get a 2nd deterioration retired of that,” and past takes it to nan kindness shop. Of people I for illustration nan thought of donating apparel but I conscionable don’t person nan time. When thing nary longer serves a intent it usually goes consecutive successful nan bin without a 2nd thought.

But successful regards to my surgery laptop, I will take sides my determination there. The keyboard didn’t activity truthful I couldn’t usage it astatine all, and it was easier to bargain a caller Macbook. I’m fortunate that I tin spend to do that, but Martina thought I was being ridiculous. I conjecture I could effort to beryllium a spot little wasteful and get much things repaired, but I will ever prioritise redeeming myself time.

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The assemblage of Guardian readers

Should Jon extremity and deliberation earlier throwing somewhat damaged items away?

Jon’s past condemnation says it all: he’s prioritising his ain laziness complete doing what he knows is right. Martina isn’t advocating keeping surgery things, conscionable taking mini steps to hole stuff. Jon tin spend to discard and switch things arsenic and when, but that doesn’t negate nan biology effect of doing so.
Archie, 23

Jon sounds for illustration a spot of a nightmare but he seems to person nan rate to support his garment and laptop wont – and Martina is fighting a losing battle. So she should a) springiness up trying, b) divorcement him, aliases c) get him to bargain her immoderate gorgeous silky shirts to support her sweet.
Anya, 24

I deliberation Jon sees himself arsenic businesslike and focused, but he comes crossed arsenic a institution man who’s excessively engaged for “little people” stuff. His readiness to jettison serviceable products suggests a shallow knowing of value.
Gareth, 39

Jon is bad news for nan environment, but it’s not really causing Martina harm. Jon’s an independent big and Martina can’t power what he decides to propulsion away. She needs to judge that sometimes nan group you emotion tin beryllium really irritating.
Lisa, 43

Jon is wasteful. I’m unsympathetic to his repeated lack-of-time excuse, arsenic he finds clip to bargain caller things. Perhaps Martina could alteration his mindset by getting him to donate to a kindness he cares about.
Shaun, 60