Help a packrat? Please?

choirgirl · October 2009

I tend to hang on to things, thinking I'll find another use for them, or I can't figure out how to get rid of it in a way that won't just go in a landfill when some aspects of it are certainly good. Sort of EF gone bad, making me fear becoming a hoarder.

(1) I work and go to school too much to have followed through on my plan to make DS' babyfood. I now have eleventy billion empty jars from earth's best babyfood. As a kid, my parents kept them bc my dad used them to keep nails, screws, tacks, etc in his workroom. (he nailed the lids to a board and could then screw them into the lids. But these newfangled jar lids don't securely screw back on. Anything I can do besides throw them into recycling? I can throw the lids in, too, right?

(2) Old clothes, including old underwear (I'm so embarrassed). I have my fill of dust cloths, plus I imagine we'll be using old diapers for that down the not so far road. Some clothes I can donate, but some are just wrecked but have huge sentimental value, like my mom made it or the fabric is so pretty, but I'm not crafty enough to reuse it. Old tee shirts from college with sentimental value. I've heard of people cutting them and making them into quilts, but I'm not sure I'd really use it. Or know how to make it.

(3) The hardest is this: I have a couple of sweaters that used to be my dad's. Technically, quite ugly, but I associate them with him, he was a prof and dressed like a dorky old school prof, and I can't throw them away and can't even donate them bc I'm sure they won't sell and will be pitched. I should have only kept the one that's nice enough that I wear it, the other 2-3 were too much. What can I do with them?

(4) A bag old old stuffed animals. I was SO into them, and a bunch really do still have sentimental value, but I seem to be cool with giving those to DS to play with, but what to do with ones I'm not attached to. Here's the kicker, I read the Velveteen Rabbit at too young and age and part of me feels like I'm throwing out a real being by tossing them, I don't even seal the bag they are in.

(5) I have a bunch of nice wool sweaters that I just don't wear (allergic to wool). Most from my mom, who doesn't seem to remember the hives I get when I wear wool. And she always notices when I don't use stuff she gives me, and gets offended when I remind her I'm allergic to wool. But none of them have a good fit on me, either. Also, a bunch got really dusty in our remodel, but I hate to pay to dryclean them if I'm not going to use them. Maybe someone crafty in the Denver area could help me think of what to do with them?

Clearly I need help. But I'd like to try to help myself before bringing in a professional. I've got to kick this. The backed up sewer has me on a cleaning kick, so I've gotta take advantage of it.

Thanks!

Soyager · October 2009

1. Recycle or FreeCycle. People always find uses for jars.

2. Donate, turn into rags, make a quilt with them!

3. Do these sweaters really emulate *who* your father is/was? Sure, keep one, maybe, in a keepsake box. Donate the others. Someone will be kept warm and his good energy is passed along

4. Donate. Plus, hate to tell ya, if not consistently washed and sufficiently dried, stuffed animals harbor bacteria and allergens.

5. DONATE.

I'm the least-sentimental person when it comes to "stuff," probably because my mom hangs onto EVERYTHING. So, let me know if you need some moral support or someone to just tell you "get rid of it!!!!"

Good luck! Smile

Dobie_Mama · October 2009

You could find someone to turn the old t-shirts from college into diapers. Or it could be a project for you to learn! I have a few like that I'm hoping to tackle soon.

Wool sweaters = longies/shorties/soakers. I know you said you're not crafty but I swear to you that you can repurpose them. That was the first sewing project I ever tackled and it was pretty easy! Or PIP them and send them off to EFFers for repurposing!

Keep one or two of your dad's sweaters. My dad's stuff is the one thing I'm not willing to compromise on.

It's almost Christmas time, so I'm sure you can find a toy drive or donation center that will be in need of stuffed animals soon.

choirgirl · October 2009

Those are some great ideas, ladies.

Now, can someone tell me that even though a shirt was really flattering 3 years ago when I had just lost 20 pounds but gradually put back 15 and now still have 8 more from that from pg, that even though I might lose that weight, and it's faded and so no one else is going to want it, (1) I shouldn't wear it bc it's faded and (2) I don't think my BBs are ever going to be Bs again, and my current D/DDs and even if they shrink to Cs aren't gonna make that shirt even a little flattering ever again?

Temp76535187505890 · October 2009

choirgirl:
Those are some great ideas, ladies.
Now, can someone tell me that even though a shirt was really flattering 3 years ago when I had just lost 20 pounds but gradually put back 15 and now still have 8 more from that from pg, that even though I might lose that weight, and it's faded and so no one else is going to want it, (1) I shouldn't wear it bc it's faded and (2) I don't think my BBs are ever going to be Bs again, and my current D/DDs and even if they shrink to Cs aren't gonna make that shirt even a little flattering ever again?

I'll tell you all that but I need you to tell me that too.

Daisiesinmygarden · October 2009

If you sew, you can make a fun quilt for your LO with old tshirts that are still in decent shapes. Just alternate the printed part of the tshirt with fun material, or salvaged material from the other clothes. I will be doing this with some of my DH's 2.5 drawers full of tshirts.

As far as the sweaters, again, if you sew and are OK repurposing them, you could make a throw pillow, something to hold/hug should you need it ;o). You could cut a square out of the front and or back and layer it with muslin. Sew in a square and stuff - oooh, or you could get a pattern for a little bear and make it into that. But, then you have the whole "living" stuffed anmial thing - so that might not be a good idea. )

ElloPoppet · October 2009

DONATE DONATE DONATE!

I agree with the wool sweaters though, someone could make them into longies etc.

I have a basic rule...if I haven't worn something in about a year (meaning if it's a spring item, it wasn't worn this spring or last spring), it gets donated. I keep a bag hanging from my closet door for donation stuff, and when it's full it goes in the breast cancer bin or wherever else I feel like taking it.

Also, I try to donate "fat clothes" as soon as they're too big for me to reinforce that I will NEVER be that big again. That only bit me in the ass a little bit after I got pregnant Embarrassed but I still believe in it.

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