Three Huge Boxes and a Cedar Chest Down

Slowly, we are clearing the clutter

Dale and I took advantage of the great December weather (in the mid-upper 70s) this past weekend by staying on the continuous journey of cleaning the storage building of all of the stuff that was once part of our lives in the city, as well as the stuff that was part of my mother’s.

It was clothing boxes this past weekend. Unfortunately, some of the clothing was ruined from almost 5 years sitting in boxes. Mice and mildew got one box. Fortunately, I got some great stuff I had been wanting back and it almost feels as if I have a new wardrobe.

What else I didn’t want was bagged to give to charity.

While we only got through three huge boxes, it is a start and we began to make a plan for the rest that needs to go to free up our physical lives of the clutter, as well as freeing our minds of it.

Last month, we attended a wedding of a dear friend of the family. He is my Godmother’s grandson. His father and I grew up together and Dale and I also went to school with his mother.

When I heard that Quinn loved retro mid-century blonde wood, I had the perfect gift in mind. It was a cedar chest of my mother’s, a top of the line Lane with the original paperwork (and an ad for rollers for it) stapled to the inside of the top.

The cedar chest was a little scratched and discolored from years of sitting in a heavy smoker’s home, but otherwise in very good condition.

Dale asked if I was sure I wanted to part with it when I told him my idea.

This has been mostly my issue with getting rid of my mother’s things. But I knew from spending time with Quinn’s parents that he appreciated antiques as much as my mother did, and I thought he would like something connected to his “granny” if only indirectly through one of her best friends.

We emptied it out (sans original keys, which weren’t in the chest, to my disappointment), cleaned it as best we could and wrapped it in a tarp for the 300 mile journey to Kansas City.

The day after the wedding reception, we delivered the cedar chest to Quinn’s house and he was absolutely ecstatic over the gift. He said he remembered meeting my mother a couple of times when he was at his granny’s house.

I told him that I imagined when the chest was either purchased or given to my mother in 1959 (according to the paperwork); his granny was present to oh-and-ah over the new piece of stylish furniture.

Quinn’s house indeed looks like a magazine centerfold spread from the 1950s and they were already mentally placing it in a prime spot in the living room.

I was very happy to see someone who not only had a close family connection getting the piece of my mom’s, but was very satisfied in knowing it will be appreciated for years more, which is more than I can say it would be if it were still sitting in our storage building.

A couple of weeks later, Quinn’s mom told me how he had cleaned it up just like new (as he said he would) and the chest fits perfectly in their living room.

A fine parting and perfect pairing, I only wish I could find such homes with connections to my mom for the rest of it.

Have you ever thought of giving something away, especially if it has sentimental value or is an antique, as a gift?