Spring Rummages & Family History

Spring is here and time for the rummage sales to begin.  For the past few years, mom and dad have been downsizing since retirement.  They've even been able to get me into the act, as per my previous post.  These rummage sales seem to turn into a family event, with the grandkids (my nieces) eager to help out.  Though my preference is an auction, rummages still hold a special place.  Our town's rummage date is always the third weekend in June.


Mom shared with me in an email some thoughts on rummages :

Every spring many people start cleaning out and holding rummage sales.  I remember the many rummage sales my mother and I organized for the church.   We would have one in the spring and fall.   They were very popular.  We had a fun doing them and then it seemed that after awhile, churches stopped having rummage sales.  I imagine it was because they are a lot of work and no one wanted to organize or help with them.   They have been reappearing in a few churches in the recent years.  

 We decided to do one this year and it got to me to thinking about the difference in generations.   My generation (baby boomers) collected and accumulated things possibly because of the way our parents were raised.   My parents were children during the depression and therefore, they didn’t throw anything away unless they couldn’t figure a new use of an item.   I can remember my mother would always remove buttons, zippers, elastic, and usable trim from a garment before she threw it away.    She would figure out how to make something new out of an item even if it she only painted it.   She would upholster furniture instead of buying new.   So I guess I continued on with the way I was raised by accumulating and redoing instead of throwing items away.   I’ve noticed that today’s generation don’t accumulated or collect.   I'm trying to be like today's generation and getting rid of all this stuff that I no longer need or use...wish me luck.

(P.S. I've inherited the same 'bug', just take a look at my garage.  Need to declutter myself....)