In my continued quest to scrutinize all my home’s belongings, it is now time to deal with the ephemera of or lives.
This, by far, will be the toughest challenge. I have saved a lot of snippets from my children’s lives and have my own memory boxes filled with the remnants of my life too. Letters (who gets those anymore), programs, cards and …….. There’s a lot and way too much to continue storing.
The good thing is it is it’s all organized and much of it is labelled or in folders and archival boxes. And then there are the photos.
Trust me, that’s not all of them, there’s more. I attempted a few albums here and there. however, the majority are in photo boxes rarely viewed. That doesn’t serve me or my family. I can do better.
So I’ve decided to reevaluate, purge, reorganize, digitize and assemble these meaningful remnants of our lives in a way that can be appreciated. I want to create containable stories of our lives that we can peruse instead of having to pull them from boxes in a closet to reminisce. And so I have been perusing the internet looking for ideas and advice. I encountered this divide between those that save everything and those that save very little or nothing.
Aside from report cards and awards, I plan to ask my children what they value and evokes meaningful memories. And I’m sure this report on Mesopotamia won’t make the cut..
I want it to be about them and for them. And if they don’t want to be bothered in the decision making then I will have to rely on my own discretion. Hopefully, a memory box, a binder and a photo album should suffice. The rest will be digitized and only a click away from their viewing pleasure if they would like to take an all inclusive trip down memory lane.
I get paralyzed by the artwork, though. I just love these chalk prints. Their masterpieces in my mind. I know, I know, it’s not about me, it’s about them.
I titled this one “boy floating in water”. I framed and hung it up on No 2 Son’s bedroom wall.
He painted it some time ago and has since taken it down and replaced it with this one. That’s a tell tale sign of what’s important, wouldn’t you say?
And it has gone beyond my children and extended it to my nephews and their basketball careers.
And then there’s the sand art No. 1 son and I did together. He was both Batman and Robin for Halloween. Hmmm, the creative wheels just started turning! These might be a nice added touch to a scrapbook page!
Once framed and hung, I recently discovered.a poster from elementary school in the recesses of a closet. That handsome guy with the missing teeth is now 23 years old.
It’s going to be hard to let go of some things, but it’s time and very necessary. I know it will be in our best interest to downsize our family’s memories into treasured keepsakes, manageable and in plane view, for our everyday enjoyment.
Okay so now it’s your turn! Can you relate to any of this? Do you have a tough time letting go of life’s remnants and ephemera of yesteryear? What are your secrets for both enjoying and containing the memories? Please leave a comment below, I would love to know your thoughts.
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Between Naps on the Porch:Metamorphosis Monday
I sure can relate to this! I have several boxes of memories from when my boys were young. This is something I’ve been wanting to do for ages. I think there might even be a Mesopotamia report out there.
I am not a parent, but the favorite aunt. For twenty-five wonderful years I have been gifted stacks of photos and artwork and prose and poetry and handmade cards. Even as adults they are thrilled to come over and see something of theirs hanging about the house. Their parents, far more cold than I, have long since tossed the nonessential things. I have made a box for each of the three and put what I think are important to give back to them when they are settled, but for the rest I am torn. For me personally, I scanned and save.
It’s funny how we all have the urge to purge come the beginning of each year. I have never been a packrat until I began DIY’ing and now the clutter is getting to me.
There must be some way to balance it all out!!!!
Anne, I can so relate. Keeping the DIY stuff in check is near impossible but if you ever find a way to achieve that balance, please let me know:)