And I don’t mean that in the good way you might be thinking. I mean I’m a keeper of things, junk, crap, filling up drawers, closets, boxes, coffee cans and anything else I can find to stuff stuff into.
I have check registers dating back to when I opened up my first checking account. I can look up and tell you what my utilities cost me way back when, with the name of a bank that is no longer in existence. I’m sure I’m going to be needing that information anytime now.
I have clothes in my closet that I haven’t worn for 10 years. Maybe they’ll come back in style, but my new and improved body shape wouldn’t be able to squeeze into them no way, no how. I think it’s time for them to go. Maybe.
I have a large box full of old birdfeeders. When I see a new one that catches my eye, the old one goes into the box. Never mind that the feeder holes are a little too large now, and the top is cracked and leaks water into the seeds. Never mind that the birds didn’t really like it to begin with because the perches were awkward to land on. Into the box it goes.
I have a drawer full of old make-up. Eye shadow of every color that’s so old it would surely make me go blind if I used it now. Mascara that is so stiff that the little handle comes off the brush when you try to remove it from the goop. Liquids and powders that I wouldn’t dare put on my face for fear of immediate burning and peeling and a trip to the ER. If I think about it for a little while, I’m sure I can find another use for those things.
I have a couple of 3lb coffee cans full of a zillion nuts, bolts, screws, nails, hooks, eyes, wires, string, doodads and thingamajigs. And I know if I get rid of even one of those, I will need it tomorrow.
Need batteries? The ones that no longer work in the camera are saved to use in the clock because they’re not completely dead and will power the clock for a couple of weeks. That’s not being cheap, that’s being frugal. So I have a small drawer full of batteries. New and used sometimes get mixed up and a little bit of swearing occurs when I put the wrong ones in the camera and lose a chance at a great shot.
Yes, I am a keeper, but at least I only keep those things that I know I’ll be needing any day now.
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27 comments:
I know you get that frugal thing geneticly. Remember mom never got rid of anything unless it fell apart and then she might have found something else that it might work with. You probably save those things and when it's time to use them you go buy new ones because you either forgot where you put them or forgot you have them. I know I do. Middle sis p.s don't forget to shred all those old bank papers.
Betty,
You're right, mom did do that. All those christmas presents we would buy her and she never used because she still had the old ones. I'd forgotten about that. So that means it's not my fault I'm cheap, I mean frugal.
Hang on! I'm on my way over with a bunch of big industrial-strength trash bags!!
DG,
Bring extra!! I'll find some place to keep them.
I know I have a keeper problem because even if I don't have anything to keep in them, I CANNOT throw away an empty coffee can with a lid!
Make up..you had to bring up that filthy subject. LOL My mascara is the sme way. Last month I wore make up three days in a row..but a few days later I got a zit! I am 57 years old with a zit on my chin..a sure sign that makeup is not for me. I splurged quite wantonly on rechargable batteries and a charger for my camera..life is good with good batteries for my camera :)
Girl, I don't know which is the funniest; your post or the comments!
When we were getting ready to move from GA to MS we had a big house cleaning out. Do you know we had 8-track tapes? Remember those? We even had them in a cute little carrying case. Problem was, we didn't own an 8-track tape player!!!
Needles to say they didn't make it to MS along with a bunch of other junk. So, maybe that's your solution. Pack up your house like you are going to move. Trust me, you'll throw away alot of stuff.
flydragon: step slowly and carefully away from the trashbags! I can see that you are going to have to be locked in the bathroom or something. (Not the bathroom with the ancient makeup, though - that's the first place I'm hitting.)
Mildred,
I have some extra ones of those too. I'm keeping them in case I get some more stuff to keep.
farside,
Last time I wore make-up was at least 5 years ago, and that make-up was old then.
But if I get a battery charger, what am I going to keep in my battery drawer?
Susie,
The comments are way funnier. Ha, I never saved 8 track tapes, so you got me there. And if I throw away a lot of stuff, what am I going to do with all those boxes and cans?
DG,
Be careful because if you can fit into one of those hefty bags, I just might be keeping you too.
Funny, great post, great comments.
Jen
Girl, what are we going to do with you?
Jen,
Some pretty funny people out there hanging around their computers on a Friday night, that's for sure.
Susie,
Send me some more boxes to keep more stuff in? I like the ones with the cut-out handles on the sides, please.
aha! that's where i got that gene! i think i passed it on too. last night i went to throw away some slippers that emmy chewed, and rob chewed my ass. "you can still wear those! what a waste of money!"
so i showed him where he left 4 lights on in the basement-"speaking of a waste of money".
also, i don't understand why he can't learn his way around the house in the dark! i can do it! perhaps it has something to do with the perpetual rearrangement of the furniture. wonder where i got that gene from?
i think one of the main reasons for buying my house was getting the basement full of jars and cans and boxes of pieces parts that could possibly come in handy some day! and i have been able to find the perfect screw, nut, bolt, wire, glue, cement, paint for many a job in that pile of junk. i've also bought new things that i found in the junk later. overall, i bet i've saved myself at least $5.00 in new hardware!
nvam,
You were actually going to throw chewed slippers out?? What were you thinking? You'll grow out of that rearranging thing. I know I did, because I found out that if you don't move it, you don't have to clean behind it.
But you'll never stop with the cans of goodies. Isn't it fun when you dump that can all over the table looking for that perfect size, half of the small pieces falling on the floor, stepping on them with your bare feet, hopping around as if that will ease the pain, then scooping everything back up, all for a whopping 99 cents? I still love doing that.
Hey, are you related to my husband? He's like that. Of course when the day comes that he needs that stuff, he can't find it because it's buried under all the other stuff that he'll need tomorrow!
Hi Sherry,
We may very well be related. I also can't find something I know I have because it's buried. Tell him to look in that box that's under the bed, that's where I find a lot of stuff I'm looking for :)
i am a keeper as well.
i surely understand it.. :)
kali,
I think there's a little bit of keeper in all of us. Everybody I know has at least one junk drawer:)
I was wonderin if you had a couple of whatchamacallits? I thought I saved mine but then remembered I forgot where I put them.
My Scottish ancestors are smiling down on you.
The only thing about saving that stuff is you can never find it when you need it. Unless you are super organized;)
Marnie
TC,
Why yes I do have some of those. Now let me see, where.....
Marnie,
Well I'm not so I can't. And I'm glad that someone is smiling about all this stuff.
I see myself--I'm awful about it, but thought I was the only one in the whole wide world that did this!! But I do have a bunch of 78 records that I didn't seen anyone else keeping--I also have a lot of 8 track tapes--Go Figure
I quilt too
i quilt too,
I love it when I find out that I'm not the only one with weird, little quirks:)
Neither of you mentioned dad and his 'collection.' How you couldn't park the car in the garage for all the junk. And how he loved the dump at the end of 117th Street, always bringing home something else to 'fix.' You need to move like I did to get rid of anything 'extra.' But as you also probably remember, Landlady Kathy NEVER threw anything away; little did she know you all were coming to help her!
SisterNan
Nan,
With both mom and dad being "keepers" I guess I shouldn't be surprised that I happen to keep a few necessary, must have, things too. As for Kathy, I have no trouble at all with getting rid of other peoples' "treasures".
you have at least one grandkid who does the same thing...
Hi Brad,
I'm always glad when I pass down a good trait to one of the family. Be glad I didn't pass down any of the bad ones.
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