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Things we find. Things we keep.

August 21, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner 13 Comments

Decluttering a house to sell and move is time consuming work. It is also entertaining, like signing on for an unintentional treasure hunt.

Here are a few of the interesting (to me) things I’ve found while cleaning and packing.

My original Cinderella watch.

my Cinderella watch

I’ve had this watch since I was about six years old, but I haven’t seen it in years and years. It came with a porcelain Cinderella figurine (long gone). I found this in Kelsey’s jewelry box. Somehow it migrated from the Bat Cave.

And what a landslide of memories.

While cleaning out Kelsey’s closet (which was originally Tate’s until Kelsey left for college), I had completely forgotten we marked height inside on the door frame. Tate’s height dated 10/06/2003 was 4’4″. He was ten years old. I showed this to him a couple of weeks ago, and of course we measured him again for old time’s sake. Now at age twenty-one, his mark is way above Kelsey’s highest mark (taken in 2006).

The new owner will have to paint over this because I can’t.

growth chart

I also found these photo strips. John and I never pass up silly photo booths. These go back to before we were married.

our photos through the years

Left-to-right from younger days to most recent. My favorite is the one that includes Tate.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

“Change is like that: you are no longer where you were; you are not yet where you will get; you are nowhere exactly.”
― Lionel Shriver

Musical Pairing:

Fleetwood Mac – Landslide

 

Filed Under: Life, Memories Tagged With: Cinderella watch, moving, photo strips, Worth Street

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Comments

  1. Jennifer says

    August 21, 2014 at 8:53 am

    We have been decluttering this summer too. You’re right about it being a treasure hunt. My problem comes when my children find some of the not-so-nostalgic items they forgot they had and want to keep them. If they didn’t remember they had them, I say they go!

    Thanks for sharing those beautiful memories. I have a marked up door frame myself.

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      August 21, 2014 at 4:39 pm

      Yes decluttering with children is much more difficult! Good luck. Thanks!

      Reply
  2. Barbara Tate says

    August 21, 2014 at 9:30 am

    Loved this blog. The pictures are great, especially the marked-up door frame. I just cleaned out one drawer this week, and I ran into so many “wonderful” memories.

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      August 21, 2014 at 4:40 pm

      We all know your entire house is a wonderful memory.

      Reply
  3. Colene says

    August 21, 2014 at 9:53 am

    Someday we will have to paint over and move our marked up WALL to a marked up door frame. We have the height marked on the wall of our grandchildren, our adult children, and even ourselves (which happens to be shrinking). Love this and all of your blogs!

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      August 21, 2014 at 4:40 pm

      That’s great Colene! I guess John and I need to put our marks on the wall. Maybe at our new house:)

      Reply
  4. Jamie says

    August 21, 2014 at 2:51 pm

    What great memories!

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      August 21, 2014 at 4:40 pm

      Yes, Jamie. So many!

      Reply
  5. Joyce says

    August 22, 2014 at 9:05 pm

    I love finding old keepsakes. Good luck with your move. I love the song Landslide.

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com/

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      August 23, 2014 at 5:07 am

      Thank you Joyce!

      Reply
  6. Muffett says

    August 22, 2014 at 11:16 pm

    Talya, when Pete and I sold the house our kids grew up in, we couldn’t bear the thought of leaving the door facing that bore all of their dated “height” markings throughout the years so Pete removed it and replaced it with a newly painted strip of door facing. We still have that one strip of wood with all of it’s different colored markings and proudly display it. That’s one piece of wood I’ll definitely fight over.

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      August 23, 2014 at 5:07 am

      That is soooo awesome Muffett!!

      Reply
  7. Mary Hill says

    September 17, 2014 at 12:42 pm

    Hi, we just decluttered my daughter’s old room. We moved her to our other girls’ room. They are grown now. One is on her own and the other still living with her mom, my husband’s ex. She is 20 now. I can remember when she was six and we first met. Cleaning up both rooms and putting up their old beds brought back great memories. Life is so good for both of us right now. 🙂

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Talya Tate Boerner. Writer, Reader, Arkansas Master Naturalist / Master Gardener, Author of

THE ACCIDENTAL SALVATION OF GRACIE LEE (2016)

GENE, EVERYWHERE: a life-changing visit from my father-in-law (2020)

BERNICE RUNS AWAY (Now Available!)

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