Just keep them! I still have a box of toys I keep in storage that I look into every few years for nostalgia. There's no shame in it my friend.
Letting go of childhood posessions?
- Thread starter Sean Hollyman
- Start date
I gave my beloved plush donkey to my little brother, I can't remember at what age that was nor for what occasion (I guess he was afraid/sad). Our mother still patched him up when needed and he is still in one of the old children rooms, so I'm not sure if that counts.
I never really had a problem to give away or sharing stuff, like my Legos that went to my brothers somewhen, or my magic cards, Gameboy games... the thing is that those things still aren't disposed off just on a whim. They are still in a box somewhere. Maybe some of those Legos will one day end up with a nephew or niece? A few of my old (but still good condition and good quality) toys were also used for those "send a present to an orphan/custody kid" christmas presents.
I never really had a problem to give away or sharing stuff, like my Legos that went to my brothers somewhen, or my magic cards, Gameboy games... the thing is that those things still aren't disposed off just on a whim. They are still in a box somewhere. Maybe some of those Legos will one day end up with a nephew or niece? A few of my old (but still good condition and good quality) toys were also used for those "send a present to an orphan/custody kid" christmas presents.
Keep it. Put it away. Storage. Anywhere, but keep it. They don't make your toys anymore and the only way you'll ever be able to show them to anyone 20 years from now is to pull yours out.Sean Hollyman said:
There's lots I wish I still had. Most of it thrown out by my mother or someone. Hideously irritating to lose stuff. Even though I never play with them, there's always kids and grandkids who'd think it's the coolest thing on Earth.
I still have most of my childhood stuffed animals left. They're at my parents house except a select few after I moved across the country to be with my SO, but if I ever want them back my mom would ship them to me no problem.
The real kicker though is my blanket. Its this cute little blanket with a duck that has this weird bow thing that you can actually tie. My mother made it for me while I was still in her womb and she wrapped me up in it when I was born. I still have that with my to this day. It, with the stuffed animals I have, sit on my night stand every night as long as my first dogs ashes (got her the same day we came home from the hospital as a 4 day old puppy, we grew up together and was the saddest day of my life when she passed). Some people make fun of me for it, but I've never felt comfortable without having them around.
My parents keep wondering when I'll give them all up (ashes included), but I doubt I ever will. I still say good night to Peanut every night and I still hug the stuffed animals. I can't imagine ever letting them go.
The real kicker though is my blanket. Its this cute little blanket with a duck that has this weird bow thing that you can actually tie. My mother made it for me while I was still in her womb and she wrapped me up in it when I was born. I still have that with my to this day. It, with the stuffed animals I have, sit on my night stand every night as long as my first dogs ashes (got her the same day we came home from the hospital as a 4 day old puppy, we grew up together and was the saddest day of my life when she passed). Some people make fun of me for it, but I've never felt comfortable without having them around.
My parents keep wondering when I'll give them all up (ashes included), but I doubt I ever will. I still say good night to Peanut every night and I still hug the stuffed animals. I can't imagine ever letting them go.
I can't help you the stuff animal Lamb chop I had since I was a 6. I'm now 29 he still sits on my head board. The worst thing people do is completely give up thier childhood. There's time to be an adult and there times to remain then there is times to hold onto parts of your childhood.
Im 31 and I've still got the somewhat tattered bear I had when I was born sitting at the base of the TV in my bedroom with a couple other collector items I've picked up over the years.
I've still got a bear from when I was 3. It's pretty much the only childhood possession I've kept, and I will be buried with the thing. And I don't hide him away; he chills on my chair in my bedroom. Sometimes hold him when life gets a bit shit, helps me feel better. So, if it has value to you, keep the bear. Though, if you're moving into a dorm or something, maybe leave him at the parents. Drunk college kids can be dicks, and bears are flammable.
I didn't, most of my stuff just gets stashed away. My parents seem to do the dumping when I turn my back though.
Everything is material and all meanings are created. Many times those meanings are attached to possessions, sometimes in the form of triggered memories.Treeinthewoods said:
OT:
The big one for me was t-shirts oddly enough. I loved all my tasteless theme shirts and such, but not only were most too small, I would never wear them again.
So when I started getting older, my mother made a blanket out of them with a fuzzy sheet attached to the bottom. It's awesome and I still use it to this day.
Well I keep as much as I can. Sentimental value is great, as you can take one look, one smell or one feel and you'll remember everything like it was yesterday.Sean Hollyman said:
All the items that have held some significance for you will always be special to you. There will never exist any item that has been at that place at that moment.
It all comes down to how you feel about these things, and not what others thinks.
If you have any doubts about it, I'd say store it somewhere. You never know when you'll dig them back up and praise yourself for not tossing it away.
You can always toss them away, but once you do there is no getting them back.
The other day I heard a story about a lady who got a job in Dubai earning "job in Dubai" money. She sold her house and moved out there, where she remained for almost a decade. She moved her furniture and other possessions into storage. Can you guess how much she spent on that storage?
£10,000.
Now that she returned she has decided that she doesn't even want the stuff, she's giving it all to charity now.
I dunno about you but that story made me feel physically ill. Storage of old tat = waste.
£10,000.
Now that she returned she has decided that she doesn't even want the stuff, she's giving it all to charity now.
I dunno about you but that story made me feel physically ill. Storage of old tat = waste.
It's perfectly normal.Sean Hollyman said:
I guess over time you lose the attachment, but I still fondly thing of my snoopy toy.
I don't think you ever let go, I think you either lose them to time, or you keep them to pass on.
My recommendation would be to take the box, store it properly and hopefully one day pass it on to your child.
Too much sentimental value. I'm bloody 23 y/o and still have a spot in my bedroom for my stuffed tortoise that I had since birth.
Why should you throw them away?
I still keep my coolest dinosaur-toys on top of my bookcase, and I take good care of my LEGO ghost and dragon that have gone through a lot and show the wear of being played with for years.
The ghost lost its hand at one point and now it has a hook.
The dragon's wings loosened too much so she no longer has wings and these days has left battles behind her, instead participating in politics and ruling over her kingdom as a loved queen. (I mean there were some controversial decisions concerning the orc-rights, but mostly she has had a very good approval rating over her reign.)
I still keep my coolest dinosaur-toys on top of my bookcase, and I take good care of my LEGO ghost and dragon that have gone through a lot and show the wear of being played with for years.
The ghost lost its hand at one point and now it has a hook.
The dragon's wings loosened too much so she no longer has wings and these days has left battles behind her, instead participating in politics and ruling over her kingdom as a loved queen. (I mean there were some controversial decisions concerning the orc-rights, but mostly she has had a very good approval rating over her reign.)
I have a huge stash of Lego's in my closet back home which I plan to hand down to my kid brothers (10 and 14 years younger than me) when I go home next week. At first I didn't want to give them up, but 6 years without them did wonders for perspective. Plus the brats are finally at the age where I can probably give them the sets without them loosing half the darn pieces and tearing up the manuals. Except for a few special sets which I'll take back to grad school with me.
I'm very sentimental about a lot of things. I still have most of my lego from back in the day, it takes up a fair bit of space in my room, and it's never used, but I'd much rather give it to somebody that'd enjoy it than throw it away. I still have a lot of old cuddly toys, also. I remember some old ones that ended up getting thrown away, but I still have Croco sitting on top of my chest of drawers. Next to a Poliwhirl and Slowpoke I got a Comic Con.
Croco's a beanie baby sort of thing. His official name is "Swampy" but the label that assigns that name has been completely rubbed of all its text. You don't see toys like Croco any more. Ragdolls would be the best way to describe it. He's a very limp little athropomorphised crocodile.
Croco's a beanie baby sort of thing. His official name is "Swampy" but the label that assigns that name has been completely rubbed of all its text. You don't see toys like Croco any more. Ragdolls would be the best way to describe it. He's a very limp little athropomorphised crocodile.
This is pretty topical for me. I just helped my dad clean out my parents' whole house a few weeks ago. Rented a giant dumpster and everything.
I donated most of my old toys and stuff to charity. I kept a few things that meant something special to me, but everything else went.
I don't plan to have children, so it's almost guaranteed that anything I save would end up just collecting dust in a closet or attic. I'd rather that some kid out there whose family has fallen upon hard times be able to play with them. I'd rather that my toys bring happiness to someone.
It hurt like hell to see that stuff go, but it's comforting knowing that someone else out there might experience the same joy that I did.
I donated most of my old toys and stuff to charity. I kept a few things that meant something special to me, but everything else went.
I don't plan to have children, so it's almost guaranteed that anything I save would end up just collecting dust in a closet or attic. I'd rather that some kid out there whose family has fallen upon hard times be able to play with them. I'd rather that my toys bring happiness to someone.
It hurt like hell to see that stuff go, but it's comforting knowing that someone else out there might experience the same joy that I did.
My dad died last year. My mother died last month...May 20th....that's left me with the large task of going through the entire house...every box, every crate, every closet, every nook and cranny and going through the stuff of my entire family by myself and pick what needs to be kept and what needs to be thrown away. Keep it, if it means something to you. Trust me. Keep it if you want it and tell anyone who says anything about it to go fuck themselves.