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Post by cyn on Nov 18, 2014 20:03:35 GMT -5
Ok, I know I shouldn't laugh. And, my squalor certainly isn't something to brag about...but do you ever feel like you want to share, without totally freaking someone out? Like, I finally dug out beside my dresser today, and found clothes chewed by mice. Or, I was saving bags of polyester fill for craft projects (for years) and found mouse poop inside - and then wondered how long it was filthy - maybe I could have chucked it 5 years ago? (since I don't save mouse poop, it's one of the *few* things I can toss without looking back, ha) Or that I found a box of papers stashed back there from 4 years ago - and I breathed a *huge* sigh of relief when I found out it was *only* papers, and not a box of books? I know there must be others here who can relate to this. At least, I don't think I'm alone when I want to say, "Hey, that was pretty crazy, what I found today - in the room that I sleep in every night!"
Desqualoring sure has its moments! It's not like going through a nice pile of fresh laundry. Nothing's "fresh" when it's been sitting for years. I tossed a bra today, because it was chewed...and moldy! I saved another, because the mold seemed pretty light, relatively speaking. My neighbour, on the other hand, was going to toss an entire load of laundry she'd forgotten in the washer for 4 days. What?! Yeah, I know it smells, but you rewash it, don't you? How can you even think of tossing a whole bunch of clothes, just like that? What a concept!
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Post by papermoon on Nov 18, 2014 20:15:47 GMT -5
I had a beautiful expensive wool dress from Tweeds, dating from the 1990s when I was 60 pounds heavier than I am today. I saved it just in case I ever got that fat again, then I saved it to sell "one of these days" on eBay. Then earlier this month, I dug it out of my storage unit to donate to Goodwill... and discovered that it was riddled with moth holes. They were really ancient holes, though, as there wasn't a live moth or cocoon to be found anywhere in that box. Fortunately, GW accepts scraps marked as "rags" so the dress went there anyway. Sad sad sad. Today I was planning to go back to my storage unit and dig out something else "vintage" to donate, but then decided I didn't have the stomach for it today. I'm sure I'll find more moth damage, and the thought makes me sick. I need to make peace with that thought, and go back and face it... one of these days.
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Post by cyn on Nov 18, 2014 20:40:22 GMT -5
Aww, that really sucks. I'm sorry about the dress, and I know how you feel: I found a cashmere sweater my mom gave me, in that mess today. I didn't mention it in the OP because it depresses me to think about it. I'm going to stitch the holes and wear it anyhow, but it'll never be a sweater for wearing in public again. I'm going to feel terrible when my mom asks about it. I have lots of ruined things, unfortunately.
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2014 21:44:02 GMT -5
I saw a sweater on pinterest with rhinestones randomly placed all over it. I bet you can do that with your sweater and it will look trendy.
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2014 21:45:31 GMT -5
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Post by cyn on Nov 18, 2014 22:17:56 GMT -5
That's a cool sweater - thanks for thinking of me, hordfest but the worst hole is pretty big, and right on my bellybutton! Argh! I'm just going to sew it up, and wear the crap out of it around the house. My dog can jump on me and put another hole in it, and it won't matter. Maybe this is a good thing, so it'll get worn more often?
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Post by def6 on Nov 18, 2014 23:53:26 GMT -5
Hello Cyn When my 12 year old found the bag of teeth (from all four kids) She said I robbed the tooth fairy.
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Post by sophie hatter on Nov 19, 2014 8:33:19 GMT -5
i had mice until i spent 4 months steel wool and fillering everywhere. worst thing i ever found was half a mouse (i do not have cats so it was the weirdest thing ever) i had a tin of receipts once in my last house, i opened it and they were all faded to pure white, i've never kept receipts since !
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Post by cyn on Nov 19, 2014 8:49:59 GMT -5
Def, that's funny! Sophie, I found a mouse skeleton once, cleaned right to the bone by bugs. I thought that was pretty cool, in a bizarre way. I know what you mean about receipts - I found a box of papers yesterday, and I was squinting so hard to make sure I didn't throw out any I might need. And today, in retrospect, I'm asking myself exactly *how* I'm going to use a 4 year old receipt, even if it was for a major purchase, if it's illegible? Too funny!
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Post by ohblondie on Nov 19, 2014 8:53:51 GMT -5
I found a vintage coach bag (I had a black one and a tan one) It was from the 80's probably. It was the tan one. It was rectangular shaped and on the smaller side and on a longer shoulder strap. The classic solid leather, soft to touch. Well - a mouse got at it and chewed it. ARGH...in the trash it went.
Now to find the black one - hopefully it is not ruined.
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Post by cyn on Nov 19, 2014 9:03:59 GMT -5
Ohblondie, what a bummer! Some of those Coach leathers are to die for - I bet I'd have kept it, lmao! Good luck finding the black one.
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Post by larataylor on Nov 19, 2014 9:06:01 GMT -5
sophie hatter - Many times I've started saving receipts with good intentions of documenting our expenses and figuring out some kind of budget. At best, I put them in a container until it got full, and it was overwhelming to think of going through them all. So I threw them out. Lately I've been tracking my food/household spending here, and dealing with the receipts immediately after shopping. That's working right now. If they start piling up, I will throw them away. DH saves his business receipts in a box (at best) … they're a crumpled, disorganized mess. He says that if we get audited, he wants it to be as annoying as possible for the IRS. I have to keep explaining to him that his little ways of getting back at the Powers That Be are hurting ME, not THEM. I'm annoyed that we have to keep the darn things, too. But I want them to take up as little space as possible, and be organized enough that I can toss the ones we don't need to keep any more. def6 - I still have DD's teeth in a little bottle. cyn - I think it's great to share our disgusting and/or embarrassing stories and finds! We're not glorifying or justifying squalor. We're all here to get cleaned up, right? Nothing wrong with a few laughs at our own expense. And the reminder that good stuff, when hoarded, turns to trash … that's something we all need to keep in mind! We need to USE and ENJOY our good stuff, or give it to someone else to use and enjoy. So those reminders are great … the more disgusting and/or tragic the better.
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Post by larataylor on Nov 19, 2014 9:10:46 GMT -5
We had a freeze-dried cat for a long time. It did not die in our house, though! We're not THAT bad! DH found it in a barn. He's fascinated by skeletons and things, so of course he kept it. He then made a trade with another weird person who wanted it. She had a vague and amusing plan to start up a night spot called "The Dried Cat," with the freeze-dried cat prominently displayed. cyn - I put on a long, dark blue dress, and kept trying to brush off the bit of bright pink that I saw in the full-length mirror … when I looked down at the dress, it was gone … and it reappeared in the mirror. Finally figured out that it was a HOLE … with my bright pink underwear peeking through!
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Post by larataylor on Nov 19, 2014 9:14:25 GMT -5
I found SO MUCH stuff in the inlaws' basement that was in fine shape except for the musty smell. In retrospect, I should have tossed ALL of it immediately. I spent many hours, water, and electricity trying to launder out the musty smell so I could keep or donate the stuff.
I've become much more ruthless about this. Trying to recapture the value of hoarded stuff is often futile and expensive.
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Post by cyn on Nov 19, 2014 9:18:01 GMT -5
Thanks lara, I was hoping this thread wasn't too out of line - I think laughter is *very* important. At least, it helps me tremendously! But I also like what you're saying about good stuff turning into garbage. Maybe my new mantra should be "Use It Or Lose It" when I'm fondling my hoard, and *stop* the fondling and *start* the actual purging? Since it will be trashed eventually, piled into a literal mice nest. That's how I purged the bathroom: "No more mouse playground!" Great point, lara!
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