My Dad's horse show ribbons

This was a hubba hubba day when it came to purging another closet in our house! I found my Dad’s horse show ribbons from the 1940s and 50s. I haven’t seen these for ten years! A few years ago when the altered ribbons started showing up on different blogs, I wondered where this collection might be. I finally had resigned myself to the fact that they were probably given away when we downsized my Mom’s things.

The ribbons are staying in their Frederick and Nelson box, but not going back in the big “treasures” box. It was too large, and too easy to fill to the brim. And then because it was so nice and big, I could stack a load of stuff on top of it. Easy access is one of my new mottos. -- Beth

Sentimental about shopping bags

While cleaning out a hall closet (with a great deal of purging involved), I ran across this collection of shopping bags I have saved from our travels. I put the brakes on my purging progress! Is there anyone else out there, besides my friend bj, that saves shopping bags because they are sentimental? Every once in a while, I’ll part with one of my “special” bags to return a borrowed book to a friend. They rarely notice the bag. I am reminded that it’s only a bag.

So I have pared down my bag accumulation. I’ll probably go to junkers’ heaven still hanging onto my bags from the glove store in Rome and the tea shop in Paris. But if you’re buying something from us at the next Sand Point Antiques Show (December 6), don’t be surprised if your purchase gets put in a nifty bag. -- Beth

Hoarders ala A&E TV

I have started watching this television show recently, after Laurie at Crazy Aunt Purl mentioned she was watching it. Since I do tend to save things that "I might need or use someday", I can relate to these people. The first time I watched it, I did the fast forward at triple speed through a lot of it - way too much crying and turn-your-head-away filth. But then I watched another episode, and could recognize traits I have - such as so many of my possessions tell a story. Lisa and I have been invited into enough homes to salvage items, that we have seen firsthand sometimes folks can part with their unwanted things if it is going to be used by someone else. I guess I am captivated by the whole process of saving - which requires organizational skills to not be smothered by your stuff, and purging - which can become an emotional process. And who hasn't experienced the feeling of being overwhelmed, and not knowing where to start?