Unless you are very lucky or die at an early age, you will someday clean out your parent’s home. It is hard work, touching, embarrassing, sad, nostalgic and even fun.
Rule number one is, do not do this alone. The best plan is to have a brother or sister with you who shares the history of the belongings and is willing to take some of the stuff home with them.
My brother and I cleaned out my mother’s apartment in a retirement complex, because, at 97, after she broke her hip, she needed to go into a nursing home. We had previously moved her from our childhood home, but this move was different. It was more just her and the personal closing of a door in her life. Everything in the apartment showed us who our mother was and what made her happy.
The large farm family she grew up with and the Depression made her very frugal and a believer in recycling before the word was invented. We found aprons that had been kitchen curtains, potholders that had once been dish towels and a variety of odd things saved for “just in case.”
We found things that had been bought from door-to-door salesmen such as the Fuller Brush and Jewel T.
Knowing how these things were bought and what they meant to her gives them value to us.
We found evidence of a few personality quirks that we could not explain. She had at least 30 pairs of scissors and almost that many tweezers. Presents? Looking for the perfect pair? There were a number of pruning shears, but she had a lot of roses to prune. There was a large collection of talcum powder, evidence of how many birthdays she had celebrated.
I was delighted to find a box of thimbles, all sizes and ages. These replaced mine that always seemed to disappear when we sewed together.
She always loved rubber bands, so we were not surprised to find many in use and a good supply in reserve.
The linen closet and her cedar chest were filled with quilts she had made, afghans in all colors old, crocheted pieces used in a different era, and embroidered pillowcases. There was a yo-yo bedspread waiting to be given to the next family bride. We found cloth, yarn, lace and such, but nothing unfinished. She always finished what she started. Too bad that trait has skipped a generation!
There were remains of some of her more questionable pet projects such as crocheted turtles that fit over a bar of soap, a potholder designed to look like a chicken, and towels cut in half made to hang on the oven door. I must admit I have other such oddities hidden in the back of a drawer. Not sure why.
In the small pantry we found a collection of vases she used to take her roses to people whether they were sick or not. There was a collection of different size pie plates that reminded us that in some circles she was known as the “Pie Lady.” There was a stack of 4-inch pie plates she used mostly for children. Her theory was that sweet things make people happy — the sweeter, the happier!
There were few things of great monetary value but there were many things that said to us that a good person had lived there wisely and happily. A treasured secret that she taught me is knowing what makes you happy and going for it. Knowing that growing flowers makes you happy, then you should always grow flowers! Simple.
Jeanette Smith, 95, a Blythewood resident, has been active in the community’s civic affairs for over 50 years.