Macaroni-pictures slowly shedding their macaroni. Hand-print plaster casts broken in two or more pieces. Unworn neck-ties. Saltwater-clay sculptures that have become soft and gooey. Hand-made greeting cards slowly turning yellow. Novelty mugs.
Am I obligated to keep them forever?
I am not a pack-rat. If I'm not using it, I get rid of it. I have one box of important keepsakes, and it contains a fair amount of wife-and-kid-gifts....mostly the ones that can be folded flat.
The rest are either:
a. being used (these include a pencil holder, CD's, books)
or
b. sitting awkwardly on a shelf somewhere, collecting dust.
It's that latter group that troubles me. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but that stuff has got to go. Should I be open about it, and boldly announce that they have proudly served their purpose and are now ready be retired, or should I just "lose" them and never say a word. What if I get caught? What if someday Jessi wonders whatever happened to that sculpture she made me in the third grade? Even more horrifically, what if she finds it trash next Tuesday? I can see her now, the broken shards in her hands and tears in her eyes.
If I throw them away will I regret it? Will they become treasures to me in my old age, and if so, where in the heck where I keep it all?
You can see my dilemma.
So I ask again: am I obligated to keep them forever?
I don't think so. It is funny because in this house it is the opposite. Scott loves to keep EVERYTHING and I want purge! If I kept every picture that my kids have drawn for me then my house would be full of sheets of paper. If I kept every gift then it would be full of a bunch of stuff, like you said, that just collects dust.
ReplyDeleteI keep a few but I can guarantee that by the time my kids are the age of your kids most of the stuff I do keep will be gone too. I agree with the "fold flat and keep in a box" theory. Other than that TRASH IT!:) Sorry Jess if that hurts;)
I have a solution!!! Before your purge - take pictures of the cards and gifts and make a book. You can even include your thoughts and feelings on the gift. This is what I am about to do and I feel like it is a perfect solution and will have me feeling lighter and guilt free! :)
ReplyDeleteAlison...you are a genius!
ReplyDelete