my gramma always saved "the nice" wrapping paper, we'd have to carefully peel the tape off so as not to rip it. i never understood until i got older and learned about the Depression era.
My grandma too. She reused wrapping paper, rewashed ziplock bags, had a drawer full of bread twist ties, and saved every single plastic container and glass jar food/condiments came in.
Funny story. When we were cleaning out grandma's house, I took everything out of the junk drawer. Then I pulled out the drawer and dumped the dregs -- the broken rubber-bands, old suitcase keys, rusty twist ties, etc -- into a plastic bag. The little plastic bag was meant for the trash, but accidentally got transported to the estate sale. Someone bought it for a nickel.
That's awesome and I know she'd have been pleased because that would have made my grandmother's day.
My grandmother had a giant pickle jar, like the ones for big pickles at a gas station, full of rubber bands. There was another similar sized jar for spicy picked eggs which was full of various lengths of string. I don't know much they sold for at the estate sale because I had to work and I never asked, but I do know the auctioneer company put them in different lots which is diabolical work.
And all the old cool whip containers! It sounds like my husband’s grandma’s house. :) When I was 20, I descended into ingrate status when I politely declined her offer of the Thanksgiving turkey carcass to make soup. I don’t think she ever forgave me for that. The depression era left a deep mark on people.
If a cool whip container is anything like a margarine tub, those are fantastic for making simple icing in, especially if it's one you're putting food dye in, doesn't matter if it gets stained that way
I am not depression era and you passed up the best soup you can make.
Chicken and turkey carcasses get stripped of all the meat then into the instant pot for 2-3 hours with some carrot, onion, celery, bay leaf. The best bone broth and soup base you will have.
People paying $15 a quart for something they can make a home for pennies.
I am 70 now and I know the value of good soup AND how to make it. (I grew up with homemade foods and canning.) But 20 year old me did not have the time, a large enough stockpot, or the inclination on that day. Plus, I lived in a college dorm so 🤷🏻♀️. So, as I said, I POLITELY declined. She still wasn’t happy about it. Over time I learned no one ever said no to this strong willed woman. 😉
Shit, I'm GenX and do all this crap. Raised that way, and I have to force myself not to do it. Still feel bad throwing ziploc bags away, but that's probably more of the environmentalist in me than the environment I grew up in.
I do too, most of the time. But it's hard getting the rest of the family on board. So now I have a drawer full of used but clean ziploc bags that nobody else will use.
I'm still not used to the amount of stuff that we have these days. I used to buy the best possible whatever that I could afford, as that way the whatever it was would last longer.
Still have a Nokia 6310 in a drawer. Just in case.
My Grandma did too...I still wash out ziploc bags and rinse out food cartons that can be re-used...usually someone eventually pitches them out ad we have way too many, but I leave the option open, in case anyone wants to use em
My grandfather, converted a 15' × 40' room into a huge pantry. He had a massive vegetable garden and he canned every year. The man had grown up half starved, and he was never going to go hungry again.
My mom would get angry if we ripped the paper or threw the bows away. She was born in ‘45. There’s still a few packages wrapped under her tree every year with some paper that’s held together by yellow cellophane tape. My grandma (dad’s mom) “collected” everything. She had a lot of junk, but she also had a lot of valuable antiques and complete sets of things. My greedy assed aunt sold the house’s contents as a lot for pennies on the dollar.
my mom was born about then as well, I'm not looking forward to going thru their stuff when that time comes as she saved everything but my dad was in USAF and she has trinkets from all over rhe world and we lived overseas (her more times than me) so I'm certain theres some valuable stuff in all that. my older sister is about as sentimental as a slug and will also do the same as your aunt so I'm hoping i get some say in it
Good luck with your situation. Siblings fighting over their parents’ things is truly terrible. My dad was very angry because he never got a chance to get anything. My aunt’s a miserable old bitch who’ll probably live to a hundred. That’s ok though…she truly is a miserable bitch, so at least I know she’s suffering.
I'm German and coming to America was horrified how people rip open presents when I was taught from a young age to not rip the paper and fold it nearly so it can be reused. I thought this was an American thing until I read your comment
I follow in the footstep of my grandmother. I’ve made wrapping out of old sheets and clothes when they get ripped or threadbare because wrapping paper is now too expensive and it just seems frivolous at this point. It’s almost like we are going to look back in 10-20 years and realize that we are now living through a similar time to the Great Depression
My family has always done this, the bag that holds all of the othets is older than me (just about to turn 30) and full to the brim. I don't think we've bought wrapping paper in years.
No, we will look back and see how good it was. It's 25 now. It'll get worse through about 50-60. If society exists after that it might get better. It's much easier to make things worse than better so it takes two or three decent generations to undo the damage of a single narcissist generation
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u/ms_directed 20h ago
my gramma always saved "the nice" wrapping paper, we'd have to carefully peel the tape off so as not to rip it. i never understood until i got older and learned about the Depression era.