some things are not usable "forever"
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 727
"Depression babies" and those of us who grew up during WWII not only learned, but lived "saving" everything. It was not just "Waste not, want not", it was survival and during the war, it was pulling together to save not only our country, but other countries who had really suffered the losses of the century. We had to save everything for the war effort, string, rubber bands, the fat off of what little meat our war ration coupons allowed us, cans and transportation was restricted due to gas rationing. It was a way of life and if you lived in those times, it became a lifetime habit, not easily broken.
therefore, I seem to save everything as well as take extremely good care of everything since I may never be able to replace my "things". Just a way of life as you say Yooper32.
#22
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 16,426
My grandmother raised her children during the depression and ended up raising me too. My grandmother would say to her sisters the depression is over, get over it and throw out all those jars you are saving. No one wants them, no one will ever use them. Same with the paper sacks. For some reason seems everyone saved paper grocery sacks except my grandmother. She had a trash pile (no trash pick up then) and her sisters would go through it pulling out 'good stuff' that she tossed, mostly jars. When my two great aunts died, no kids of their own, I had to deal with cleaning out their homes. My grandmother said burn it down, they left it that way. I didn't of course but it sure was a burden getting their homes clear of the saved clutter that was never used.
#23
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,232
And, I forget that I have these 'maybe I'll find a use for it someday' things saved.
#25
Yooper32 - it's not just depression babies and WW II babies, but their children who grew up with parents who taught them this behavior. I have a hard time getting rid of stuff, too. We're trying to declutter our house and my parents used to show up with a car load of stuff from my childhood every time they visited. My husband's a Navy brat, so his entire childhood fits in a single box. Needless to say, he has an easier time letting go than I do. But worn out stuff like bearisgray posted I can throw out.
#26
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,660
#27
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 16,426
I buy a new seam ripper about every trip to a LQS or when I'm at JoAnn store with a coupon and nothing in mind to buy. I have a lot of them in a basket and hardly pick the same one to use so they all stay very sharp. I remember my home ec teacher saying every sewer should have at least two of every sewing notion they use.
#29
about 15 years ago I read Debt Proof Living by Mary Hunt. That and FlyLady changed my life, but the thing I think of most often from Mary was to do with buying on sale. "The only way you save money by buying on sale is to take what you saved and put it in your saving account on the way home. Otherwise you've just spent money, period."
Glass jars can go to recycle, anywhere.
Glass jars can go to recycle, anywhere.
#30
WWII. A bit of research on the united national war effort explains why some things became scarce and collectable. Part of the war effort was collecting metal of all types: today's collectors of antique keys and doorknobs and metal toys cry over the treasures that were scrapped.
After stabbing myself with my seam ripper trying waaaay too hard to cut a thread, I realized it was time for a new one. Yes, Virginia, spit removes blood from fabric.
After stabbing myself with my seam ripper trying waaaay too hard to cut a thread, I realized it was time for a new one. Yes, Virginia, spit removes blood from fabric.
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