packrat

I was reading an article about packrats this morning and thought it might be a good topic for discussion in here.

I am not a packrat, but Mom was. My kids may think I am becasue I save every card I think any of us have ever received. Well, almost. It's crazy, but I love to look back over them. Especially sitting in front of the fire in the middle of winter.

I remember cleaning out Mom and Dad's house before they moved to their apartment. It took all five kids and some of our children to go through everything. While I thought it was crazy that Mom had saved so much, I have to admit, it was fun reliving our childhoods. We found old school projects, prom gowns, uniforms with signatures all over them, diaries from elementary school, etc.

What do you keep that you no longer use, but can't seem to part with?

I can't stand that feeling of trying to get rid of something, but never knowing f I might regret throwing or giving it away.

Dotsie...like you...I have kept every card or note or poem that I have ever received...I have about a dozen large boxes of them in my basement...I have also saved all of my kids report cards and awards along with anything they have ever written...our school ditrict sends home their "Writing Folders" at the end of each school year...I love going over them and reading about what they thought about things in say, first grade as opposed to 7th or 10th grades...I have also saved infant clothes...or especially cute little jackets ...my duaghters were gymansts and cheerleaders...and every special meet or competition they enetered they received tee shirts,,,I saved them also...i plan someday to incorporate them into quilts...I also saved lots of their toys and books and hope to pass them on to my grandchildren (someday soon please God)...so there you have it...I guess you could say I'm your typical packrat!!..

I haven't kept every card, but I do have many things from my son's growing up years. One year a teacher had every child write a note to every other child telling them why they like them. I have a construction paper Christmas stocking filled with notes that say things like: "Keith, I like you because you play good tether ball. I like you because you always let me go first. I like you because your nice. I like you because you have big muscles (in the 2nd grade?) I like you because you always let me play baseball."

I don't keep too much and I'm constantly weeding things out. When my mother passed away and we cleaned out her house, she still had all the clothes from special occasions, such as the dress she wore to my h.s. graduation. I don't have any clothing from my past. I think one reason I wouldn't keep things is that my son couldn't care any less about sentimental keepsakes.

Daisygirl

I created a scrapbook of sorts for both my boys that contain special items or cards that will bring fond memories to them when they are older.
I also have a little box that my youngest made for me when he was in the 4th grade. The box is wrapped and has a card glued to it that says
" This is a special gift that you can never see. The reason it's so special is it's just for you from me. Whenever you are lonely or even feeling blue. You only have to hold this gift and know I think of you. You never can unwrap it, Please leave the ribbon tied. Just hold this box close to your heart, it's filled with love inside.

Blondi, our kids had writing folders in elementary schools. I saved them. I guess I've saved more paper than anything.

Daisy, I don't hang onto clothes either. There are a couple of the kids outfits I wished I had saved, but at least I have pictures of them in the clothes.

almost, that's something I hope to do in my empty nest. I have a big box for each of them with with old drawings, writings, notes, cards, report cards, etc. I hope to create some sort of book in chronological order for them one day!
That box is a keeper!

I did the box thing too (I say did because my youngest just had her last day of highschool today and I don't know how much I'll be adding to their boxes from now on). I think it's easiier for me to go through their boxes (although I don't much) than it is to look at old picture albums. Wonder why? I'm an in/out person. Stuff comes in, stuff goes out immediately, but I did save lots of school papers, projects for each girl. No clothes, but some special toys, books. A couple of Barbies.

I'm not a packrat at all, but each of my kids has a keepsake box...Jim and I do, too

downdog, last day of high school. How's it going? Mine have a couple more weeks, but in theri minds, they're out of there!

Bluebird, do you keep it for them?

Katy, my oldest, has her box now, but the rest are still in my house (as are most of the kids!). If they move out and want them, I will be thrilled to give it to them. If not, I will keep them.

I put in end of year report cards, class pics, baptismal stuff, cards I got when they were born, hospital bracelets, etc.

Dotsie, it's going okay. She has graduation on Wednesday, ask me then how I'm holding up!

She wanted to do one of those really elaborate scrapbooks (and expensive), so we went through her box yesterday. We both had alot of fun reading the papers, looking at the drawings...I'm glad I saved all the stuff that I did. She's using some of the stuff in her scrapbook.

BLuebird, I have all of that in boxes. I hope to get it all organized in my empty nest. That will be an evening project that will take months, but I look forward to going back through things.

downdog, I'll be thinking of you this week. How many in her graduating class? Are you doing anything to celebrate?

My daughter gave me a scrapbook and all the trimmings for Mother's Day. She wants to do a book with me. I was so touched.

I save cards. I don't know why. I don't go back and look at them much. They're just accumulating in a box. I like to save Christmas cards. I put special cards in my journal, so it's kind of a scrapbook in a way.

Ever since we went digital with our cameras I haven't had pictures to put in the photo albums. Sad that such a convenience of advanced technology could very well bring about the extinction of photo albums.

For my daughter's wedding, all the pictures were digital. We used an online service http://www.shutterfly.com/ to have them printed out in various sizes from 8x10, to 5x7, to the 4x6 size for albums. They did a really good job.

As far as being a packrat, I plead guilty. Every few months, I try to go through things and discard as much as I can, but it still accumulates. I don't keep newspapers or things like that. But, I do have leftover supplies from my aromatherapy business that I can't seem to part with. And I have piles and piles of books everywhere that I can't fit onto my overstuffed bookshelves. I love books and refuse to give any away.

And then there's just stuff that takes up space. Like this: We bought an air pop popcorn popper for healthier snacks and I have no place to put it. So, it's sitting out on the counter and takes up space.

Just don't get me started on my office. I definitely am a packrat there. I keep these 4 inch binders full of story ideas. They're stuffed so full, I need more binders. Articles cut from the newspaper are all over the place. Waiting to be filed. I use the articles to spark ideas. My bills stack up waiting for me to scan them into the computer then I shred them.

I think I need help. LOL Isn't that the first step? Admitting you have a problem? Hello, my name is Vicki and I'm a packrat. There. I did it. Now, what's the next step?

Vicki,
Don't feel bad about the cards I do too . I love those old cards. I am happy that I saved all mother sent to me. I did get rid of some cards , but keep others in a keepsake box from Hallmark . I told my daughter to come get her stuff animals from the attic . and come get her bike from the shad and so on. I keep personal records in file folders . I have reclycled news papers and paint cans . We have to here in MD.
You can resale you old books or donate them .

Just some thoughts .

Renee

Dotsie, I don't know how many are in her class! It's a pretty big school though. Guess I'll find out tomorrow. We are having a cookout Friday night. She has alot of friends and we think we will have around 70 people here. Pray for NO RAIN! I'm going to be busy!

The scrapbooking has been fun. I didn't get into it when it first came out, but now that I've tried it I'm afraid I'm hooked. You'll have fun with your daughter. What a nice gift.

Renee, when I moved out of my parents house they said that they were going to keep my room the same for awhile. It wasn't two months before they brought over my boxes of stuffed animals to me! I guess awhile equals two months huh?!

How was the graduation? Congrats!

We went to my daughter's big senior dinner last night with the faculty, students and parents. She goes to a small school so all the seniors get roasted.

I will pray for no rain. Are you cooking for all those kids? Oh my gosh! This is fun, isn't it? Have fun getting ready.

Its all done! Yes we cooked for all those kids. Hamburgers and hotdogs with all the fixin's. Went great, no rain, the kids stayed til around midnight. It was fun. 300 graduated in her class.

Small schools can do so much more individually. The roast sound fun. Are you doing a party? When's the graduation?

Glad to hear you had good weather. Now we're praying for good weather. We are having a party and it's for both of our high school seniors. It is going to be huge so we are hopin' and prayin' we can be outside.

So, are all the festivities behind you? Your school schedule is a little ahead of ours. My daughter had her last exam yesterday and my son has a couple half days this week.

All done, whew! But I enjoyed every moment of it. Hope you do too. What kind of party are you having? Are you cooking? When is it? Sounds like you could have alot of people!

While doing devotions yesterday, the author of the book I'm reading shared this term in regards to us hoarding our cares and concerns as opposed to turning them over to God.

I much prefer to unload and share my burdens with the Lord each morning. That way when I take back my issues for the day, I give them back again the next morning. I definitely don't want to be a packrat in this regard.

Very different topic, but thought I'd share.

When I first became a Christian I had a major "pow wow" with God about my kids and giving them over to him. He won, I'm glad, and now we are back there again - huh- would'a thought I would have learned! But YES unloading my burdens to Him is the answer, He is the one to take care of my kiddos, ultimately, forever, not me. Ever read C.S.Lewis's "The Great Divorce" (I think that's the one) where the mother can't make her way to the promised land because of her "maternal desires" are too strong, wrongly too strong (apparentely there is such a thing!). I have found that telling God THE TRUTH about how I'm feeling does -set me free- if I tell Him I don't want my kids to leave...I don't wan't to grow old...I don't understand...HE does answer me. And I do get peace. And you are right, you got to do this every day!

downdog, I haven't read that book but have heard of it. Funny, I never knew that's what it's about. I should read it.

My son left for beach week this morning. The only way I know to get through this is to put him and all his friends in God's hands.

Yup, every time I think about my kids, I immediately say a prayer for them. So I've been praying for them alot lately. Ashamed to say I should have been praying for them this much all the way through. Sad that it takes a sorrowful heart to up the prayer life. It usually turns the focus from me to Him and them.

I have two aunts who are pack-rats(my parents weren't - thank goodness!), and the fact that I have moved around alot has pushed me in the opposite direction. Am a devotee of simple living, and never save any papers unless it is absolutely necessary(important documents). All my belongings would fit in the back of a small pick-up truck. We have little in the way of furniture, either. My husband has a good bit more to deal with, like about 3-4 times that amount, but he is going to have to, soon!