Packrats will inherit the earth

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Am in the middle of packing and moving and actually forced myself to look at everything I own.

I am a packrat. I save everything. String, wire, 1/2 used notebooks, rubberbands, pencil nubs. Everything.

I try to be organized about it but it has always been a source of shame in the past that I couldn't throw anything remotely useful out.

However, post Y2k we packrats WILL rule the earth.

My current landlord is a packrat. All over the property are piles of lumber, antique farm equipment. Some amazing things. Yesterday I cleared some brush off of an old fashioned crank washing machine. I think I might have drooled at the sight of it.

I was so happy when I saw how much stuff I have that I DON'T have to run out and buy! Coloring books for the kids. Staples, ledger paper, my pre-autocad drafting tools!

It is time for the packrats of the world to rejoice!!! Our shining hour is upon us!!!

-- R (riversoma@aol.com), August 12, 1999

Answers

When I look at something that I think I should throw away, I first say to myself, "Can I make this?"

My latest thing has been to organize all that "stuff" so I know where it is if I should need it.

Penda

-- Penda Zone (PendaZ@excite.com), August 12, 1999.


Not too many years ago the mantra among thrifty Americans was

USE IT UP

WEAR IT OUT

MAKE IT DO.

I have a feeling this philosophy is about due for a comeback...

-- Lee (lplapin@hotmail.com), August 12, 1999.


I come from an age where everything came hard and it was treasured. I still polish and do minor repairs on my own shoes, glue and fix and repair household items, squeeze the toothpaste tube til it squeals, use the nubbins of soap for other purposes when they are too small for the shower, etc., etc. I think of today's spoiled generation(s) who whimper if they don't get the newest Power Ranger, or the umpteenth pair of "in" shoes or the latest designer jeans, or the hottest model of new car. I think of the way my heart sinks every time I see trees stripped away for the newest strip mall (good name for them!) so that a degenerating society can glut itself with paraphenalia they don't really need, and often decide they really don't want after all. And I think...those of us who've been saving those rubber bands, that paper clip we didn't toss, the pencils that aren't still long and slim, and so forth, MAY just inherit what's left of the earth! Gung ho, fellow packrats. We're a dying breed!!!

-- Elaine Seavey (Gods1sheep@aol.com), August 12, 1999.

LOL Lee! It has been my husband's mantra since day one, only with this end phrase... Use it up Wear it out Make it do Or do without!

-- Mumsie (Shezdremn@aol.com), August 12, 1999.

My hubby still drives the 1962 Valiant we bought new. A little rust here and there, seatcovers a bit warn, but it still runs good and it is easy to make repairs on.

-- Homeschooling Grandma (mlaymon@glenn-co.k12.ca.us), August 12, 1999.


Hooray for us packrats! My husband and I both share that trait, and having two packrats in the same house sure fills up your closets in a hurry. However, it gave us a headstart on Y2K preps.

-- Pearlie Sweetcake (storestuff@home.now), August 13, 1999.

Uh, hi, my name is Mac, and I'm a packrat! 8-]}

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), August 14, 1999.

I just can't throw away a twisty tie, let alone an empty peanut butter jar...

I drive by a home construction site every day, and finally this morning had the courage to stop and ask about that "pile of trash". They said, of course, help yourself...and I told them I would leave some tomatoes for them tomarrow morning...great trade, lots of fair sized pieces of plywood. Isn't it amazing what some folks throw away?

Our combined rabbit, chicken, tool shed building, about 20 x 12, is coming along. Thus far only thing we have purchased for it is 6 p.t. 4x4's, nails and part of the rabbit cage wire. We did pay $100 for a huge amount of lumber, plywood, 4 x 4's, 2 x 2's, 4's and 6's, some up to 14 ft., garden trailer, about 50 ft of 1 x 2 wire, 24 pcs or 14 ft. roof tin, etc. from a yard/moving sale.

With some "creative framing", since alot of the framing lumber in not a full 8 ft., hopefully the plywood can be assembled together, and some furrowing strips and a coat of paint should join it all together (if no one looks too close).

Although those temporary blue tarp walls are not the most attractive...but the building will not only house the critters, but also, with recycled/free gutters and barrels, hopefully provide the water for them and part of the garden as well. The end cost of it should come in under $150.00, or about $.63 a square ft.

-- Lilly (homesteader145@yahoo.com), August 17, 1999.


Welcome Mac

LOL!!!!!

-- R (riversoma@aol.com), August 17, 1999.


"Hello, my name is Lilly, and I have have lots of small pieces of 2 x 4's, grocery bags, string and twisty ties."

Mac, have a seat.

Mumsie, we need to get Mac a name tag.

Helen, we need to get cracking on the discussion we had before about our 12 step program for horders...I mean packra...I mean preparers.

So just how much duct tape do I REALLY need Bear?

:-)

-- Lilly (homesteader145@yahoo.com), August 18, 1999.



I just.. I just really wanna thank all of you for making me feel welcome. It's been... it's been so hard, hiding the stacks of paper bags from the neighbors... worrying that someone will find the big ball of used aluminum foil... closing the garage door quickly so that no one spots the parts from the washing machine, the tubing from the 'frig, and that wall lamp that we took down years ago...

Th-th-thanks, everyone. [Breaks down, sobbing]

8-}]

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), August 18, 1999.


Please don't flame me, but...

-- yerfdog (yerfdog@qwestinternet.net), August 19, 1999.

Please don't flame me, but...

-- yerfdog (yerfdog@qwestinternet.net), August 19, 1999.

Please don't flame me, but...

I gave up a month's vacation this winter to help my husband empty his parents' home of 40 years. They lived 400 miles from us, and were the presidents of Packrats Anonymous. Please, please, please don't put your children through what we went through. If you have stuff you KNOW you'll never use (and there's more than you think), donate it now. Let someone get the use of it. If you don't, it will just end up in a dumpster later.

-- yerfdog (yerfdog@qwestinternet.net), August 19, 1999.


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