My mother-in-law was a pack-rat. She saved and "collected" so many things. Some of the things are worthless and cause us to chuckle, but some are worthwhile. Therein lies the problem!
We've found we must go through every box and stack because one never knows what you'll find! It's slow going so we've agreed to try and do a little each day.
My father-in-law, at 95, is the exact opposite. He will throw away anything that gets in his way of cleaning a counter or shelf.
Because of this, we have to remove everything from his assisted living apartment that is not needed or necessary to him.
We box it up as fast as we can and have stored it for safe-keeping while we do a little at a time. Here's some interesting things I found while emptying a box...
This Woman's Day from 1965 cost just 15 cents! Mom was crazy about doll's, doll patterns, and books about dolls. She cut parts of magazines out to save for both information and patterns.
Also in this box, several books on making various type dolls...
And my favorite...a book on embroidering animals...I'll add this book to my "someday" pile. I love to embroider, but haven't done it for years.
And here's an article on Frontier Doctors from Texas Highways magazine...another piece I'll squirrel away on my Texas Research shelf!
Two sets of fake pearls...or are they real? No telling! We'll have to take the jewelry to someone who can appraise it.
I'm betting these are not expensive, but there are some family pieces that need an evaluation so we'll take the rest just in case.
Just the other day, due to a conversation, I wanted to re-read The Constitution. As if by magic, a copy was at the top of the first box I opened!
Cheryl, of the blog Cheryl's Frugal Corner, posted the other day about "letting go" by clearing out all the unneeded things we have. She talked about how every piece of clutter represents $$$ spent. So true.
I agreed with her at the time and still do, but I am finding it interesting seeing what one woman saved from all the things she bought.
I'm saving some of her things for myself, hoping for a time in the future when I can explore them fully and understand her a little better.
Hopefully our three daughters will read this post, and they won't have to wonder why I saved some of these things shown in this post today.
They'll have so many other things to ponder after all! I can hear them now laughing away and asking, "What in the world was she saving THIS thing for?"
Thanks for dropping by!
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I can imagine how much work this is, but so interesting too!
ReplyDeleteWe went through this with my mom not too long ago...exactly the same thing. Valuable treasures were mixed in with silly items and we had to check every box, drawer and bag. I am still making my way through it all and trying to enjoy the process...
ReplyDeleteKim, the key word in your message is "enjoy". It would be so easy to push through quickly, but somehow lingering has become enjoyable. Thanks for validating that it can be a pleasure to share a look at mom's "treasures" one last time.
DeleteWhen I got re-married last year I moved my "stuff" into my husband's smaller house. At the time we sorted through a lot and gave some to grandchildren, children and various charities but we know we must get rid of a lot more not only to make room in the house but to save work for our respective families. We have boxes much like yours to sort through.
ReplyDeleteI love how careful you are to assess everything and how you are forming a legacy of her life by getting to know her better through her 'treasures'. I'm so sorry for your loss. It's such a bittersweet task. x Karen
ReplyDeleteThose were some neat items that you found. My parents had so many things squirreled away, and I still have a tote of those 'special' items like you found - my last parent passed in 2001.
ReplyDeleteYour MIL saved items because she loved them - that should be our reasons as well.
Good luck going through all those things. Enjoy the journey of reliving the past in her eyes.
Such a bittersweet task, what a joy to explore her treasures.
ReplyDeletegoing through things like that, are such a fun thing to do, despite some poignancy. :) Hugs to you!
ReplyDeleteI can relate. Our house is FULL of my parents things. I have no idea what we are going to do with all the stuff but I couldn't bring myself to throw it all away.
ReplyDeleteI was just talking about this very thing yesterday to a neighbor. Her mother-in-law, also a neighbor, passed away last December and this weekend they are having an estate sale to clear out her stuff.
ReplyDeleteOur daughter is a minimalist and has no need for anything that she doesn't use regularly. Me, on the other hand, save and collect many things. She will have a time going through my stuff one day. That or she'll just set a match to it, LOL. I hope not, because of all the things that just have meaning to me, there are many things that are family treasures and of value, either sentimental or monetary value.
That's what you're going through, it's not easy knowing after the person is gone.
Take your time in clearing out and you might see a side of her that none of you knew. There is usually a lot more to a person than whatever reaches the eye of others. She might surprise you . I discovered a notebook of poems that my mother wrote and never shared with any of us. Who knew she loved writing?
Have a Happy 4th of July and thank you for your service to our country.
Connie :)
I find this to be a very interesting post! I have three daughters and they don't seem to want any of the things I've saved for them. So I wonder what will become of my "treasures". It is so true, I can just hear them saying, "Why did she keep this?"
ReplyDeleteI am sure all my treasures will end up in the dump...so I am trying to sell off some of them:)
ReplyDeleteWhat fun to go through those old things---well, fun and a ton of work!!!! If you rub the pearls from side to side against your teeth and they feel 'gritty' they are real. My oldest son had a jewelry store for many years.
ReplyDeleteHope you are both doing well, Sugar. Much love to you- xo Diana
These are such fun. It would be hard to let some of them go, at least for me! What wonderful finds.
ReplyDeleteI love to visit the estate sales of the elderly who were pack rats , they usually have some fun and great items
ReplyDeleteI am a pack rat of dishes LOL which my son-in -law wants to to clear out , however they are just to pretty , thanks for sharing
You are honoring her by lovingly going through the things she loved. I'm sad when family members don't at least honor their deceased collections. Not saying they have to keep them but at least appreciate what they meant to their loved ones. Wonderful finds...happy 4th!
ReplyDeleteCathy, I have developed an appreciation for her poems. I find myself reading them instead of working. And all the old family photos and the documentation she started doing years ago in her 80's are fascinating too. I find I just can't part with a lot of it...much to the dismay of my daughters I'm afraid!
DeleteThis truly indeed is a big job. Bless you for doing it. My grandmother was the same. This is how I became the executor of her estate. She knew I would have the patience to do it. You can run the pearls lightly across your teeth. If they feel gritty they generally are real. Smooth is faux.
ReplyDeleteWe recently dismantled my MIL's home of belongings - you really get to know someone by going through their possessions. I came home with some new ornaments and her crystal and 2 antique pieces of furniture. I treasure everything from the family and I too have been discarding some things I no longer want to keep. Going to Goodwill today with a pile.
ReplyDeleteOh Scott, I've got a pickup bed full, but so slow going because she bought things (jewelry, collectibles, coins, etc) and then stuck them in between papers and poems she wrote. Some are worthless...300 Precious Moments statues and such are the top of that pile...and then I run across a beautiful diamond ring set she inherited from a sister who had no children. One just never knows what will be in a broken down box!
DeleteI forgot to say my 2 favorite words are "estate sale"!!!
ReplyDeleteThis made me smile. Your in-laws sound just like my parents -- Mama was a packrat and Daddy didn't want to have one item that was not currently useful! Also, my mother mixed valuable items in with things anyone would toss; so my sister and I had to go through every item, opening every zipper inside every purse, etc.
ReplyDeleteThat chick a dee on the book cover is a darling. The Xavier Roberts book might be a collectable.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip on the collectable Katie! I'll check it out.
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