Different people have different things that they are successful doing. For some it is their job, for others it is raising their family, helping people, or becoming an expert gardener. This story is a bit different. It is about my mom and her success with fitting anything and everything into the house.
The Early Days
Mom was born the year after the stock market crashed and when the Great Depression was beginning to hit. Additionally, she was the third child in a small-time farming family. So, money was definitely tight. By the time she was eight or so, her father was in a VA hospital and her mom was raising the family on her own.
The family didn’t have many things. Her younger sister (Ruby) had a baby doll and a couple of siblings had baby albums. However, the only thing as an adult that Mom had from her childhood was a necklace that her grandfather had given her for her 8th grade graduation. She did have a few photos, her diplomas, and high school yearbooks.
As A Young Adult
As a young adult, Mom worked at the Western as did her sister Inez. The family started to accumulate a few items, with salt and pepper shakers being some of the favorite nik-naks to collect. When the family went somewhere, one or more of them would come home with a set of unique salt and pepper shakers. Her sister Inez bought a large display case to display all the pretties.
Getting Married
Still, Mom didn’t have a lot of things until she got married. She didn’t get any china or crystal for her wedding. However, she got plenty of useful items and a few items that she considered too good for every day. The new canister set, rolling pin, cutting board, and other items filled her cupboards. Her fancy glasses, cake plate, and other fancy dishes filled the built-in in the dining room.
Every time she got a new plate, bowl, set of cups, set of pans, etc., she fit them in. She saw no reason to get rid of the old ones unless it was truly broken and unusable. The same was true of the latest pretty bowl, pretty candle, cute stuffed animal, Christmas ornament, pillow case, and more. The thing is that over the years she had plenty of time to collect a lot of items. And, she found a place for every single one.
Dad always wanted to store things outside of the house, but that wasn’t Mom’s way. I think it just motivated her to find that open spot for the latest item that she had acquired with most being gifts.
Kept Through The Years
Even years after she passed, the breadboard, rolling pin, cake plate, fancy glasses, and more were still in the house. The Great Depression mentality of keeping things in case you need them or simply keeping them because you have something to keep had stayed with her throughout the years. And, Mom had been very successful squeezing it all in!
I think she passed that gene down because I can pack more stuff in a suitcase, car or whatever container than you can imagine. And, if I get stuck fitting everything in, I just ask my youngest as he is even better at it. Mom would be impressed.
It isn’t a skill most people even think about it, but it can really come in handy. And, Mom used it to the fullest to ensure she could enjoy those things she accumulated through the years!