home : paper overload


we think scott's grandmother is on the left.

i don't know what triggers this behavior, but sometimes i feel like i'm drowning in paper. it happened this weekend and for some reason i needed to go through all of our photos to re-organize and consolidate them. i haven't printed photos in years, so these were photos that weren't bothering anyone in their albums and shoe boxes. that led to going through four boxes of greeting cards from each other and family, friends.



i think hearing charlie talk repeatedly about the burden of all the papers helen kept had something to do with it. our stuff can become a burden and who would want to look at all of these things like inconsequential landscape photos from someplace in england, blurry no less? not even us since most of them are stored in boxes in the closet.



it is nice to look at our mementos and we're about halfway done. i did the photos and scott the cards. he likes to give me cards and did make the pouty face when i asked him if we really needed to keep all those he chose (duplicates, triplicates!), but after all, there are two boxes to go! one box includes notes from when we were dating and early in our marriage, so that one has full immunity.



i can no longer say i have every card scott has ever given to me, but those i do have are the most special and not a burden in any way. this weekend, we did get out and see the movie the informant! with matt damon as compulsive corporate liar mark whitacre and it was great. enjoy your week!

xo, cindy

22 comments:

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

Here's a good thought - if and when you have children, you can offload these things to them (and they will want them, at least some of them). It's one of the reasons to have kids. The other being so you have someone to mow the lawn and load the dishwasher. ;)

Cindy said...

very funny, pj! especially the last sentence. as someone who is a child, there's a limit to how much we're willing to take. i love the two photo album's i have that were my mom's, but i wouldn't necessarily love ten!

Line said...

you like to keep memories why not, I just love the photo of scott's grandmother wonderful souvenir, happy week!

erin said...

weeding definitely helps! i love the last card--so cute!

blue moss said...

i so need to do the same thing...
i love your cards
the last one is so fabulous
happy week to you too

s.i. michaels said...

I think of moving as one of the (while sometimes frustrating) ideal opportunity to do this kind of re-organizing and purging.

cindy* said...

i need to go through my photo box too...daunting! sean has kept every note and doodle i've written/drawn, i can't say the same ;) you and scott are too cute !

please sir said...

I think it's good to look back every once in awhile and remember all those paper moments. Glad to hear you got re-organized too!

Pascale said...

I actually like it, going through all those boxes with memories and pictures and so do my girls. We usually get completely carried away even if we initially intended to get everything reorganized.
However, I'm more concerned about the loads of pictures I keep on my computer. Not only should I do some major clean-up there but a back-up is way overdue. So, in a way this post has been a great reminder! Thanks, Cindy!

Cindy said...

once you get involved in these type of things, you do get carried away remembering. it's nice and also nice to clean up the mess you've managed to create ;).

pascale, you must back up your computer asap!!!

Candi said...

I love this post, as it reminds me of digging through my grandmothers collection of greeting cards when I was little. I actually thought about it this weekend too. I wondered why on earth they would leave little busy body me alone in a room to rumble through old mementos. This is actually one of my fondest memories as a kid, I enjoyed learning more about my family. It was neat to see the card I supposedly picked out when I was born! I love greeting cards, I say keep them ;)

I'm not much help am I?

PS Lucy's getting a new brother! Luckily she doesn't know this, I hate to see how she's going to act out with her new Weimaraner!

dee said...

I have saved almost every card Paul has given me! I love stumbling across them and re-reading them. That "From my heart to yours" is precious.

Dawn said...

i wonder how many more letters we would all have stuffed into a box or attic if email and texting had not taken over our lives? you know, i tried to print out all of my emails back when internet came about to save them in my big box of letters... that did not last very long, haha!

Joyce said...

I don't feel so bad I'm not the only one that saves cards. I save cards, pc and letters that I have gotten over the years. In plastic totes and all that Gary has given me tied with a satin ribbon, but after reading your post I should go through these totes. A great project for the winter months ahead. Thanks for the great idea. xoox

aimee said...

the burden of the paper addict and memory keeper is drowning in stuff, but it also means great times sifting through all of those keepsakes - that's a wonderful experience in itself! i love the photo of we-think-it's-scott's-grandmother!

We Blog Artists said...

OH...I am a complete paper hoard...it's really hard for me to rid anything actually...and NEED more cupboards so I can store it all.
I love the old photograph you posted...their dresses were SO well made.
I really want to see that movie, so I'm pleased you gave it a good review.
Have a lovely evening.
Char

Krissy | Paper Schmaper said...

I go through our card box periodically, but should do it much more often. It is always a great time- I'm sure you had tons of fun:) glad the pre-married box has immunity!!!
xo

Maria | Vintage Simple said...

I can purge almost anything, but I do have a hard time letting go of photographs and notes...I mean, I still have a box somewhere with letters my classmates wrote to me when I moved to the Dominican Republic in fourth grade. Fourth grade! Have I looked at them since fourth grade. Maybe once... But how can I throw them out? Now that I've been carrying them around, and moving them with every new house, for...geez. 25 years?? Sigh. the funny thing is, I do like to purge - I will give stuff away and never look back (I guess a product of moving around a lot as a kid). It's funny about letters and photos, though... Hmmm. I'll have to go and think about that for a little while... Thank you.
-maria

Bella Sinclair said...

That vintage photo is priceless!

Awwww, that is so sweet that Scott gives you heartfelt cards. So very romantic. Even sweeter that he's chosen the same card over (and over). He knows what he likes.

Having had all my sentimental things in storage for over two years, I will admit that I don't really miss them. It's nice to know they still exist somewhere, but I know that the mementos I keep in my mind and heart are the most important to me.

meg said...

Wow Cindy, that old photo is gorgeous!

I always have mixed feelings about keeping too much of anything because my mother was a hoarder and that was awful... But having said that, I have a hard time tossing photos and hand-written cards away. Especially in this day and age when everything seems to have gone digital/e-mail. I do think it's important to weed things out occasionally, but there's still something special about holding a heartfelt note in your hand. And I definitely keep all my boys' sweet little creative things - there's not a chance I could bear to part with those :)

Love,
Megan xoxo

Anonymous said...

Hi Cindy, you managed to make paper photos look like a piece of art. :) Enjoy your day!

julie king said...

i often feel the need to purge as well cindy so you are in good company. in addition to everything i collect, my parents gave me several large boxes of family photos, scrapbooks and genealogy information. having them brings joy and also a burden of uncertainty about what to eventually do with them. i truly believe we are less burdened when we have fewer things but i'm not very successful at getting rid of them.