I try to keep my home clean. I become overwhelmed if the house, and life, becomes too cluttered. We always have different sports items laying around; practice jerseys, basketballs, game uniforms, etc… To me, the sports equipment is a necessary evil to our lives. We keep the items in a specific spot, and the gear just rotates to different sports equipment, depending on the season (i.e. football season, basketball season, baseball season, more football, etc…)
Beyond the sports stuff, the dog toys, kids’ clothing laying around, I seem to have an abundance of antiques.
The ‘History’ of an Item
I’ve always loved history. I’m fascinated with the abundance of stories out there. Now, being an introvert, I really don’t want to talk to a bunch of people and hear every family story they may feel compelled to tell. I do, however, enjoy reading and learning about different events, especially ones from the past.
If I’m at an antique store, one of the few stores I enjoy going to besides book stores, I will pick up an old breadbox or a vintage child’s toy, and wonder about the story behind it. Did the breadbox hold a grandma’s homemade snickerdoodles that she made for her grandchildren that lived across the street, or did it just hold Rye bread? Was the toy dog on wheels with the string a favorite of a little girl with curls, or was it a constant companion to a little boy that enjoyed going on adventures in the backyard?
I know of my problem with antiques so I try to limit myself. I rarely go and browse because I truly don’t want to add any more items to my already jam-packed home. The difficulty that I’ve been running into lately is my need to preserve memories from my own childhood with antiques passed down to me.
I’ve been noticing my habit of collecting various items that hold a special meaning for me. I have difficulty letting these objects go.
The Preservation of a Memory Through an Object
Grandma Lovette had these beautiful blue lady lamps that would sit on her bedroom dresser Up North. They were in her bedroom, the same room where the toy chest was tucked away in her closet. When my sister and I went to go and look for toys, I would glance up at Grandma’s dresser to see if the ladies were still as beautiful as ever.
When Grandma passed away, the lady lamps were found in a box under the bed. They were going to be tossed away or given to Goodwill and I asked my parents if I could have them. They now sit in a China Cabinet I have in my dining room, along with various other treasures.
One such treasure is a collection of polka dotted coffee mugs.
The polka dotted cups happen to be another item from Grandma and Grandpa’s cabin Up North. I remember that I wasn’t yet tall enough to turn the sink faucet on for a drink of water. Grandma would make the grandkids hot coco in the polka dotted mugs, complete with little miniature marshmallows floating around on the top.
After Grandma and Grandpa sold their cabin on Upper Evans, they moved some of the items to my parents cottage. The polka dotted mugs were one of those items. Eventually, Mom was cleaning out the cupboard and I ended up ‘saving’ the cups from yet another box heading to Goodwill. They make me smile whenever I glance over and they catch my eye.
One Step Away from Hoarding?
I could go on and on with more pictures, and more stories. The China Cabinet is filled to the brim with other keepsakes. We have a Pie Safe that is also home to various antiques that either came from my childhood, or were given to me by my Mom, who also had a passion for antiques. There’s also a corner cabinet at the end of the hallway with keepsakes, another cabinet in the porch…. You get the idea.
I’m hoping that my need to organize and attempt to limit my intake of new items into my home keeps me in the category of ‘collector’ as opposed to ‘hoarder.’ (Am I sure, or am I trying to convince myself and the 5 people that read this blog? Well, 5 may be optimistic.)
Tips to Remember When Preserving Cherished Keepsakes
- Selective Keepsakes: Choose meaningful items that truly hold sentimental value to you. Instead of keeping everything, focus on those items that evoke genuine emotions and memories. I try to remember that I can’t ‘save’ all of the keepsakes. Sometimes other family members may have a special connections with an item.
- Set Boundaries: Establish physical limits within your space for storing sentimental items. Allocate a specific shelf, box, or designated area for keepsakes. When that space is full, consider curating and prioritizing what to keep. This is something that I continue to work on.
- Digitize Memories: Embrace technology to preserve memories. Scan old photographs, letters, and documents, and store them digitally. This not only saves space but also ensures your memories are protected for the long term. While digitizing memories can be beneficial, there still is something to be said about tangible objects.
- Create Memory Displays: Instead of stashing sentimental items in boxes, use them to decorate your home. Create shadow boxes, scrapbooks, or wall displays that showcase your memories in an organized and visually appealing manner.
- Regular Evaluation: Periodically revisit your collection of sentimental items. Ask yourself if the memories associated with each item still bring you joy and whether they are worth the space they occupy. If not, consider letting go of some items through donation or recycling. I attempt to do this as I clean/organize specific sections of my house.
I think one of the most important things to remember is the preservation of a memory is not solely tied to an object. Writing stories down is another way to help preserve the continuation of history.
Also, new memories are important too. While I tell short, meaningful tales to my kids about their Grandma that passed away a few years ago, or other relatives that were not even alive when they were born, the memories we make today in the present are just as vital, as stories from the past.
Goals for Today:
- Work in Mom’s Flower Gardens
- Take a Nap
- Watch Some Football