topic Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia... in Community Chat

Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

shy bobcat — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 20:43:04 GMT

Cleaning... and ran across a storage bin full of stuffed animals. They are mostly Boyds Bears and FAO Schwartz bears. Oooh... they are sooo cute and are tearing at my heartstrings. I need to donate them but it is difficult. These bears are reminders of some happy memories. What do you do when you come across keepsakes that you no longer need but, they have attachments to your heart.

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

Marianne1 — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 20:45:39 GMT

put them in my basement, to be honest,

Which is dumb, but...

When I do get brave, I consider that someone else may need it, or it may give someone else joy.

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

issiestorm — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 20:47:18 GMT

Most people will probably tell you to do the noble thing and donate them. I say keep them, put a few out and interchange them once in a while. Good memories are important.

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

VioletEyes — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 20:47:59 GMT

Hi! I tend to be very sentimental but one solution to keeping too many stuffed toys was to take photos of them. I did ask my children first before I donated any of them and asked if they wanted to store them in their own homes. Both were happy just getting a copy of the photos.

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

Qwackertoo — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 20:48:04 GMT

Spread them all over your bed or a sofa . . . take a picture or two or three . . . then donate them.

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

RainyDayGal — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 20:50:56 GMT

On 11/14/2014 Issiestorm said:
Most people will probably tell you to do the noble thing and donate them. I say keep them, put a few out and interchange them once in a while. Good memories are important.

I agree.

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

chickenbutt — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 20:53:42 GMT

I'd probably keep them.

Maybe if that is giving you feeling of guilt you can make a cash donation to the charity of your choice and that way you can know you did something to help somebody else and you won't feel any kind of 'selfish guilt' for keeping them.

Of course I'm not saying you SHOULD feel selfish or guilty on any level. I'm just thinking that might be how I could think if I didn't donate them. I don't think it's a bad thing to keep something that you have attachment for, as long as it doesn't become an obsessive, excessive situation.

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

hennypenny — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 20:54:09 GMT

Not sure of the value of the Boyds, but you could donate them. The FAO bears might have some value. Are any Steiffs?-

----I have a Hermann bear that my daddy bought me for my seventh birthday from FAO in SF. He is a treasure. He was almost as tall as I was at the time. He wore my sisters clothes.

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

chrystaltree — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 20:58:17 GMT

You can try to donate them but most charities will not accept used stuffed animals because they cannot be sterilized. In this situation, I would keep a few of them and give the others to children in my family or in the neighborhood. If that isn't possible, keep the ones that mean the most to you and discard the others.

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

Snowpuppy — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 21:01:49 GMT

I believe in Clean & Pitch so I'm not much of a saver. That said I've come to regret decisions to toss or donate some formerly sentimental items.

I would say keep a few displayed, swap them out from time to time. When you're ready to part with them then do so.

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

raven-blackbird — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 21:05:55 GMT

you keep the ONE that pulls on those heart strings the most..........and donate the others to a children's facility where new strings can be built............when you look at the one you kept, you'll remember the ones you gave to others who needed some happiness...........win, win.............gotta love those win/wins.................................................raven

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

~Serendipity~ — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 21:10:54 GMT

I'd keep them until the next clean and pitch. If you feel differently at that time, donate them.

If something still gives you that warm feeling and such good memories, why part with it???

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

scotttie — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 21:12:06 GMT

On 11/14/2014 raven-blackbird said:
you keep the ONE that pulls on those heart strings the most..........and donate the others to a children's facility where new strings can be built............when you look at the one you kept, you'll remember the ones you gave to others who needed some happiness...........win, win.............gotta love those win/wins.................................................raven

Awww raven, what a sweet sentiment.

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

scotttie — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 21:12:25 GMT

I'm not sure if facilities will accept stuffed toys? Hospitals don't.

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

VioletEyes — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 21:14:11 GMT

On 11/14/2014 raven-blackbird said:
you keep the ONE that pulls on those heart strings the most..........and donate the others to a children's facility where new strings can be built............when you look at the one you kept, you'll remember the ones you gave to others who needed some happiness...........win, win.............gotta love those win/wins.................................................raven

Beautiful sentiment, Raven.

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

abbeythe 8th — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 21:14:51 GMT

I've not found any place that will accept stuffed animals unless they are new.

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

raven-blackbird — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 21:18:19 GMT

On 11/14/2014 scotttie said:
I'm not sure if facilities will accept stuffed toys? Hospitals don't.

police stations will........and juvenile facilities will.........when I had my girl scout troop, every xmas we would do a stuffed toy drive and take the stuffed toys to a center here that housed children of abuse........they stayed at the center until a foster home could be found, if they were made wards of the court.......and it was also temp. housing for children removed from homes until the investigation was complete.............................................raven

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

~kaIypso~ — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 21:18:29 GMT

Sell them on ebay or have a garage sale. It sounds like a collector would love adding them to their collection and cherish them.

You could use the money from the bears and donate it.

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

dooBdoo — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 21:19:38 GMT

I've been going through some major downsizing to a smaller home. Being a sentimental mush of a person, I understand the object-heart-memory connection all too well. Even so, life experiences have affected my attitude somewhat. Two of my close friends lost everything to a fire. The husband was at work, wife was in the shower and ran out of the house in her bathrobe. I remember she said the magnitude of the loss became real when she realized she didn't even have a comb for her hair. Another couple dear to me lost everything to hurricane Katrina. These events changed my perspective.

I finally decided, for me, the memories will last even without the tangible object and even though it's hard (make no mistake about that) I'm donating most of them. I hope they're on their journey to touch another heart, to make a new memory for someone else. In the end, though, we each do what works for us. shy bobcat, don't feel obligated to follow another's path, just do what feels right for you.

Re: Help.......need to get past this nostalgia...

sidsmom — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 21:23:26 GMT

Just think of the special memories some other little girl/boy could have with them. And you could be the reason for those special feelings. Share it. Save 1-3 and donate the rest. Your past could be someone's future. Good luck.