There are several posts and articles about decluttering, cleaning out, getting rid of–on this site, on others, there are book empires about the topic. And there are sites, articles, books, stores dedicated to vintage shopping and finding treasures there (and you’ve seen some of those treasures on this site). But, how do you go about finding treasures in your own (or your mom’s) stuff? I’m sure that there are books about it. Sites, articles, methods; and it is a challenge. Cleaning out is difficult for many reasons, many of them emotional. We don’t want to throw out anything that we have an emotional connection to, it’s science (for these purposes). Conversely, going through someone else’s things and looking for treasure can be hard–things may not be stored properly, you may be going through bags and bags–and you may have to be creative in your thinking.
I spent the last weekend helping my mom clean out her garage. Now, I’ve been lucky enough to be raised by fashionable women, with plenty of belongings to save, but like any garage there were boxes of paper and things to be thrown out–and there was some hunting to do. However, I knew that somewhere there might be treasure, hidden as it were. And I was right, there were things worth saving. My tips? Keep your eyes open–great things can be inside boxes, bags, stuffed in corners. Keep your mind open–great things can be repurposed (dresses into skirts, etc). Keep it realistic–if an item is damaged or falling apart it may not be able to be saved, let it go.
So what did I “get”? Glad you asked!
This amazing crochet (satin lined) clutch with lucite pull. Needed some cleaning, but in mint condition.
Mom wore these as earmuffs as a child. They go around my waist, so I just got a new belt!
And while I didn’t find it in the garage, I have been using this:
Scarf we cleaned out of my grandma’s hopsital room for everything from a hair tie to over a sundress.
I’d love to know–have you ever cleaned out (or helped clean out) and found treasures? What are your guidelines for keeping things?
Happy Tuesday! XO RA
