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Originally Posted by Yooper32
(Post 7007046)
"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. |
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.
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And, I forget that I have these 'maybe I'll find a use for it someday' things saved.
Originally Posted by Onebyone
(Post 7006474)
Any item that gives me frustration I get rid of and replace. I don't save used up items that may be useful some day to use for other purposes because I wouldn't have room to live in the house and never has that someday ever came.
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Oh...you mean seam rippers wear out? That could be the problem I am having. It must not be sharp anymore. Rats!
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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.
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Originally Posted by Deb watkins
(Post 7007444)
Oh...you mean seam rippers wear out? That could be the problem I am having. It must not be sharp anymore. Rats!
I just started to use a new one - wow! what a difference! |
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.
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I have still one seam ripper that still works that I probably bought in the 70s.
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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. |
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. :shock: |
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