Things you can''t throw out.

[Gypsy]

What are somethings you just can''t bring yourself to throw out?

I am pretty good at tossing just about anything, maybe with a pang of regret... maybe without a second thought.

But I cannot throw out a book. No matter how bad a book is, I cannot make myself put it in the trash. I save them in my trunk for the rare visits to used bookstores and if they are rejected by the bookstores I feel so bad for them, I take them home again. I''m an foundling home for orphan books.

What can''t you throw away?

 

[April20]

I can''t seem to throw out a few odds and ends from my childhood that don''t even have sentimental value. I''m not sure why.

I also don''t seem to be able to throw away stationery. Stationery that has my maiden name on it..... It''s just so pretty!

 

[zoebartlett]

I love getting rid of things but I occasionally have a hard time throwing certain things out. I hang onto old stationary, cook books, and certain clothes, mostly, even though I don''t have any reason for keeping them.

 

[PinkTower]

I cannot throw away or donate anything that my mother bought for my children when they were small.

 

[soocool]

I cannot throw out:

My baby shoes
DD''s baby shoes, a few of her baby outfits, her books when she was 0-6 years old, some of her special toys
DD''s baby teeth (yep I saved them. Any ideas on what I can do with them?)
Frye boots from the 1970s/1980s

 

[joflier]

Special occasion cards. (birthdays, christmas, get well, etc) I''ve gotten better with this, lately. I actually do throw most of them out now, eventually. I don''t know why, but I just feel guilty tossing a nice card in the trash. I sit and think - hmm....this person took the time to go to the store, buy a card, write something thougtful, and send it to me. And all I do is read it, save for a little bit, then toss it....Seems like such a shame. Until I saw this BIG box full of them. Ya - time for these to go.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

I can''t throw away books or clothes--I have to take them to goodwill if I''m getting rid of them...

 

[elrohwen]

Books. I love books! I even have some of my old college textbooks and I can''t even think of getting rid of them, though the chances that I''ll need a book on Physical Chemistry are slim to none.

 

[Haven]

I can''t throw out books, either. I *can* get rid of them though, by bringing them to the local used bookstore. We just brought six boxes over there, it felt so good to purge.

I can''t throw out my old yearbooks. They take up nearly half of my hope chest, which is the space I''ve designated for all of my keepsakes. If it doesn''t fit in the chest, it doesn''t stay in the house. If only those darn yearbooks weren''t so big, I could put more things in there!

 

[SapphireLover]

All my notes from university. I have 3 years of undergrad studies and 2 years of postgrad studies. I need to bin them- I mean, why do I need to keep old lecture notes? I just can''t do it though!!

 

[Haven]

Date: 1/10/2010 10:56:28 AM
Author: SapphireLover
All my notes from university. I have 3 years of undergrad studies and 2 years of postgrad studies. I need to bin them- I mean, why do I need to keep old lecture notes? I just can''t do it though!!

Ha! I just came back to add an ETA to my post stating that I can''t throw out my notes from school. I put them in binders with all of my papers and keep them in my office. I only kept my notes from undergrad and grad school, but I kept every single essay I''ve written in English classes since the 8th grade. (Funny, because I never planned on being an English teacher until after I finished undergrad. Maybe it was a subconscious premonition . . . )

I love going back and reading the things I wrote for creative writing when I was 13. It''s almost unbearably entertaining.

 

[isaku5]

*Designer shoes and clothes that I can no longer wear. I had hoped that some of them could be ''dress-up'' play clothes that our granddaughters could wear. DGD #1 tried on quite a few ''vintage'' dresses, but none fit; DGD#2 is only nine and very slim so the clothes slip right off and the very high-heeled shoes that she loves to look at are still too large. She tries them on whenever she visits to see whether she''s getting closer.

*Like Gypsy, my many books are very hard to part with, but I''m getting better at taking them to the second hand store. And again, just like Gypsy, I bring home the ones they don''t want (''rejects'' is too harsh a word, right?)

* The dresses I wore to our kids'' weddings. Too many good memories there. Looking at the pics just isn''t the same.

* Our kids'' cutest baby clothes...but only a few

 

[upgrade]

My kids'' baby clothes. I can pass them on to someone else (except for a few things I''ve kept) but I cannot throw them out. The ones that are not worthy of being passed on (stained, or worn out) get used as shop rags. I don''t know why it''s better to use them to rub stain onto a piece of furniture, but it feels better than putting the clothes I used to snuggle my babies in in the trash.

 

[packrat]

I don''t throw out much-I''ll donate it to Goodwill if it''s something we just don''t need/use anymore. If it''s broken or trashed then, yeah, it gets tossed.

Some of London''s papers she brings home from school or random papers she colors/draws on at home are thrown out. At first I saved everything-but you know, when she brings home 30 papers a week plus artsy craft things, there''s just not enough room. I save the things I like the best and like if she brings home 4 papers she''s done her numbers on, I''ll save one, and they get put up so I can make a book for myself and for mom.

Before the internet and cell phones, I wrote letters like a crazy woman to my Gramma''s and I have a lot of stationary/envelopes and packs of cards that come in the mail from different charities. I don''t want to waste them.

I threw out things from HS that I wish now I hadn''t. I took a Novels class and we had to keep a journal about the books we''d read-I wish I still had that.

 

[wsu12]

I am the exact opposite of a pack rat...Is there a name for this? Oh yeah, type A personality OCD

. I am not attached to ANYTHING except a few select pairs of jeans, my jewelry, my husband, my dog, my wedding dress and my furniture. Not in that order of course. Everything else can be replaced, even my wedding pictures are on our photographers website.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I keep all my old camisoles that are falling apart and or shrunk up and that no longer fit. I have one that''s around seven years old, definetely doesn''t fit and yet it''s sitting stacked up with clothes that I also never wear.

Books are one thing I do get rid of. Started when a friend came over wanting to discuss a book on my book case because it was one of her favorites. Well, of course I had hated the book and had already forgotten most of the story and it was challenging trying to think up small bits that didn''t bug me. Also, I had a billion old Anne Rice books and was given a gift of a few that I didn''t have. The friend assumed I still liked those tales. It was shortly after that then that we were moving and DH and I picked out all the books we no longer felt represented our personality and sold them to a used book store. We still have SO many books. Eye brows go up when guests come over and see piles of novels and non-fiction piled up everywhere.

 

[junebug17]

A few selected pieces of clothing my children wore when they were young...such as a little mermaid nightgown my daughter loved...when I come across it I hug it, and yes I know I have issues!!! Also a few selected art projects my kids did and a few favorite toys of theirs, just can't bring myself to throw them out. And I guess old clothing that is still in good shape, I will donate it rather than throw it out. But I've gotten pretty good at tossing most stuff, I have to, we've been in this house 14 years and have accumulated so much over the years.

eta: I don't have a problem throwing books out either, we have so many that's it's unavoidable! My mother will give me books because she can't bear to throw them out, and then I end up getting rid of them without her knowledge. Sorry Mom!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 1/10/2010 9:28:04 AM
Author: soocool
I cannot throw out:

My baby shoes
DD's baby shoes, a few of her baby outfits, her books when she was 0-6 years old, some of her special toys
DD's baby teeth (yep I saved them. Any ideas on what I can do with them?)
Frye boots from the 1970s/1980s

I also have all my kids' baby teeth. At first I was good about organizing and labeling them (first tooth from kid #1, etc.) but then slacked off and the teeth are scattered everywhere and I have no idea who's is who's. They gross me out to look at, yet I cannot part with them.

What to do with the ones you have, Soocool - maybe make a teeth necklace. lol!!!

 

[Burberrygirl]

There are a ton of things I can''t bring myself to throw away..

-Anything from my childhood that my mom kept throughout the years
-Presents from my parents, all their cards to me (I''m very sentimental and they always write such heartfelt things)
-Designer purses! I keep every designer purse I''ve ever owned, I just can''t bring myself to get rid of them.
-School momentos and notes
-My last pairs of tap, ballet, and jazz shoes! I loved dancing and had to give it up because of an injury. I still think about taking an easy night class one of these days...
-Things I bought while on trips to different places.
-Books, I have a ton of photography, jewelry, fashion, and travel books that take up a lot of room at my place.
-Sketch books from my art classes.

I think that''s all lol.

 

[junebug17]

Oh yeah, and I still have the plastic bracelets my kids wore when they were newborns in the hospital, can''t get rid of those...they are so tiny

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 1/10/2010 1:50:19 PM
Author: junebug17
Oh yeah, and I still have the plastic bracelets my kids wore when they were newborns in the hospital, can''t get rid of those...they are so tiny

I still have the hosptical bracelets too. In fact, I have a box of baby stuff set aside for both boys and included are baby shoes, first books, t-shirt the hospital gave kids, teething rings, binkies, baby cup, etc. Kids love to look through them!

 

[Tuckins1]

Books. I just can''t bring myself to throw out any books, even old text books or books that I hated!

 

[Liane]

I''m another one who has great difficulty throwing away books. I can do it, but only if I really really hated the book a whole lot. I practically need to have a personal vendetta against a book before I can make myself throw it away. Usually, I''ll pay $15 in postage to mail them to my parents for donation to their local library instead (they live near a small branch library that''s always glad to add to its collection, while my local library is packed full and much pickier about donations).

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I am problem with paper. I always think I may need a bank statement or receipt. I also have a difficult time throwing away cards and photos. And Tessa''s artwork even though I KNOW I can''t keep everything. Getting rid of clothes is difficult for me too.

 

[zoebartlett]

Haven, you reminded me of grad school papers and files. I have file folders from every class that I took in grad school and I can''t bring myself to throw them out. I got my M.Ed. almost 7 years ago, and I haven''t really looked at my notes since. I keep thinking that I may need them some day, so they sit in a filing cabinet.

I have a lot of work-related files and books that I need to go through but I can''t get myself to throw them out either.

I''d love to become a minimalist but all our stuff gets in the way.

 

[Skippy123]

Gift bags (we have 2 boxes full of them) then the stupid thing is I have a hard time parting with some of the super cute ones.

I know it is insane!!
Books
College Textbooks and papers
Lotion with just a little bit left ( I have to use that tiny litte amount before I can throw it out)

I use to have to keep clothes but now I am having an easier time of giving it away; styles change, no longer my taste, etc.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 1/10/2010 4:50:58 PM
Author: Skippy123
Gift bags (we have 2 boxes full of them) then the stupid thing is I have a hard time parting with some of the super cute ones.

I know it is insane!!
Books
College Textbooks and papers
Lotion with just a little bit left ( I have to use that tiny litte amount before I can throw it out)

I use to have to keep clothes but now I am having an easier time of giving it away; styles change, no longer my taste, etc.

Add to my list gift bags. I do think it''s okay to reuse those as long as they pertain to the particular event. Once my son was given a b-day gift in womens'' bridal shower bag. Talk about cheap. (also, same person gave him a used toy

)

 

[4ever]

Shoes. I have several pairs of beautiful, almost new condition, leather dress shoes which I saved up and paid alot for as a teenager. Unfortunatly, I was a tall skinny teenager but am now a tall curvey adult who no longer suits pointy shoes. I remember how much I saved to spoil myself with these beautiful shoes and how happy I was when I had an occasion to wear them and it seams so wasteful to get rid of them. I need to sell them really but I''m not quite ready to let go.

I also have a polly pocket collection which I can''t bring myself to get rid of.

Other than that, I''m pretty ruthless when it comes to clearing out the clutter. If it hasn''t been used or dosn''t fit it''s out! BF is horribly bad for keeping things and can''t throw anything away. His parents attic is full of stuff from his childhood (which I am told is worth alot of money to colectors now) which he can''t bring himself to get rid of.

 

[pennquaker09]

I don''t really like clutter and I do my best to not form some kind of sentimental attachment to things, but there are a couple of things I still have:

Class Notes - the only issue is that because I took a lot of AP and IB courses that counted towards my majors, my notes are between 6 and 10 years old. I took Calculus BC when I was in the tenth grade. That was ten years ago and all of my note are in pencil, and they''re starting to fade. Same thing with my biology and chemistry stuff. I was never a big fan of writing with ink pens until I got to college, but when I was in high school, I never thought I would be a teacher. I thought I was going to medical school.

I even have notes from my art history classes!

College textbooks - I keep these for reference, but another reason why I keep them is because they cost so damn much. a biology book will run you like $200 plus. Same thing for chemistry and to a lesser extent, math.

Music books - I keep all of my piano and saxophone music. Even though my piano is now being used by my little brother. I think we might eventually buy one.

I can''t think of anything else, but generally, I purge. I refuse to end up on Clean House or Hoarders.

 

[dragonfly411]

Oh goodness

My broken down old dressage saddle. That thing and I won so many ribbons together... trained quite a few show horses.... I can''t let it go... even if it is housing two field mice right now.

my cabbage patch doll. I don''t quite remember her name... I wish I could find her birth certificate. It''s around somewhere in storage....

my dragon collection. So not me anymore... but I also will never find them again and some were given to me by my friend who passed away. I may eventually just put them in storage. Right now they decorate my library.

books. I''ll keep them till they literally fall apart.