The stuff you find when you clean up

Two closets in our house have been crammed full of stuff since we moved here. And, come to think about it, I think those same boxes filled up a closet or two at the old house. So today we opened all the boxes.

First, wow, it's like a time capsule. Some was way cool: Tons of photos, including my own darkroom work from high school and college. A bunch of band fliers. Car paperwork, like the invoice from my Sentra SE-R. Letters from friends--like, back when you had to use a pen and paper to communicate. Just a ton of Lego--like a metric ton. Writing clips from high school and college. Baseball cards. Acceptance letters from colleges I forgot I even applied to. And my Darth Vadar Star Wars action figure case. And my first AFX set, circa 1973, plus all the extra track and stuff. And unbuilt plastic models. And some assorted Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars. And some car magazines. And ALF.

Some stuff is going to friends and family, a bunch of stuff went into the recycling bin, and I filled a lawn and leaf bag with trash. Plus the shredder was busy. More than a few boxes weren't efficiently packed, either, so basically we were storing air.

In the end, it all condensed into a couple of banker boxes. Feels good.

And my scanner will be busy. Some of this stuff needs to be shared with friends and family.

dibs on the star wars stuff ;-)

Want to come to my house and take care of all the boxes in the garage?

It always amazes me how much stuff is forgotten when it's stored for long periods of time. The trip down memory lane is almost worth storing the stuff for years.

My wife moved back from Mississippi in '04 and was renting a house from her grandmother. We started dating and she moved in with me about 6-months later. 18-months ago we moved into our new place, and there are still boxes she hasn't opened.

But that's ok, I still have a couple boxes I haven't touched since '97.

It's the indoors equivalent of mowing the lawn and finding that swaybar you forgot you had.

I buddy of mine referred to this as "aging": "No... can't throw that away... it needs to "age" first... then in 10 years it'll be ready to toss."

My attic and basement are full of crap that is "aging"... Every now and then I'll find something I'd forgotten about and decide, "this has aged long enough..."

yeah … my house is totally full of stuff that, not only IS aging, but has BEEN aging …

Dad built the house in '63. he didn't throw much away, Mom doesn't throw much away, I don't throw much away ….

in the last 4 yrs we've had 2 dumpsters filled …and you still can't tell anything is gone

You want to sell the A/FX stuff, Legos, and/or models?

Peter Egan wrote a column years ago about storage boxes, dating them and throwing them away if you have not opened them in a year. I'll see if I can find it anywhere...Much truthiness in it.

I went in my parents attic a few months ago and came out with an SUV-full of my old toys and my dads toys. I found model cars from the 60's, more pieces to his late 40's Lionel train set and a 1 gallon ziploc bag full of MicroMachines. I also found unopened off-brand Hot-Wheels cars from the mid 70's. My dad never had interest in them and I wasnt born until '83, so I was wondering if I had an older brother that I never met, ( ) or if they thought my older sister was going to be a boy.

I found an original set of black frame Ray-Ban Wayfarers in a box at the back of my closet while looking for a spare key to my gun safe on Christmas eve (that is a whole other story...).

I've been wearing them everywhere but they really need a Fedora to go with.

I found a binder full of Magic:The Gathering cards I bought in high school. Sold them for quite a bit of money on ebay

Sorry, the Lego and Star Wars stuff are all going to family. My wife wants us to keep ALF.

One other neat thing I found, and it's not even mine. I grew up in New York, and whenever a big news event occurred, my dad saved the local papers. I now have that box, meaning I have the New York papers covering the moon landing, Kennedy assassination, Nixon resignation, etc. They're packed up nicely, so we'll unpack and go through them at a later date.

calteg wrote: I found a binder full of Magic:The Gathering cards I bought in high school. Sold them for quite a bit of money on ebay

Wait, what? Like how much? I have a few stacks floating around w/ my old baseball cards.

David S. Wallens wrote: ... I have the New York papers covering the moon landing, Kennedy assassination, Nixon resignation, etc. They're packed up nicely, so we'll unpack and go through them at a later date.

I love old newspapers. My father worked for the local paper for 40 years. He has that box too - and some he found dating back to WWI. They get really brittle but I love to read them - not just the big headlines but the local news, sports and advertisements. They even smell right.

Streetwiseguy wrote: Peter Egan wrote a column years ago about storage boxes, dating them and throwing them away if you have not opened them in a year. I'll see if I can find it anywhere...Much truthiness in it.

This is the one time- ONE TIME Egan is wrong.

Pack rat fo life, yo!

bluej wrote:

calteg wrote: I found a binder full of Magic:The Gathering cards I bought in high school. Sold them for quite a bit of money on ebay

Wait, what? Like how much? I have a few stacks floating around w/ my old baseball cards.

It really depends on when they're from. Some Revised edition cars are worth something, but the serious money is in Beta and Unlimited edition "Rare" cards. Some of the cards that were discontinued after Unlimited can be worth hundreds of dollars in good, playable condition. $1000 or more in mint condition. Mainly the four "Mox" cards and the Black Lotus card.

Oddly enough, Alpha (first sets printed) are worth a bit less mainly because they have more rounded corners than every set afterwards so they can't be used when playing.

(in a past life, I managed a comic book store and we bought/sold a lot of Magic the Gathering cards. I still have my sets, but they aren't worth much)

edit: found a link to a price guide - http://magic.tcgplayer.com/magic_price_guides.asp

The most valuable cards I have are the various "dual lands" which seem to average around $100 ea (I have a complete set: 4 of ea type).

Appleseed wrote:

Streetwiseguy wrote: Peter Egan wrote a column years ago about storage boxes, dating them and throwing them away if you have not opened them in a year. I'll see if I can find it anywhere...Much truthiness in it.

This is the one time- ONE TIME Egan is wrong. Pack rat fo life, yo!

The end of the column is him asking the person with the dated boxes whether the system works. Reply, "Are you nuts? You can't throw a box out without looking in it!"

I cleaned out a closet the other day and found a $60 gift certificate for Tunnel BBQ in Windsor and a $25 gift card for Lowe's. :D

In reply to David S. Wallens:

So the models and slot cars are fair game then? (Seriously!)

This was how I discovered that I have the hoarder gene! Cleaning out the shop I was constantly finding boxes of stuff that could be dated somehow. Glassware that my Grandma packed in in newspaper dated 1910. A small fabric covered box that has a small handmade book that my Mom made with the 2 cents she won playing cards next to the ticket stub for that scary new movie "Frankenstein". Footlocker with WW1 uniforms and art deco geegaws. My favorite was when I found the box that my Mom had where she put the toys that my Dad brought home from his trips to Oklahoma City. If I was good I got the gifts...if not she put them in a box for later. It had 11 Mint in package 1968 Hotwheels!

Sometimes you get wildly surprised! I found Moms diary where she keeps track of her running away from home at age 17 and riding her Harley from Oklahoma to Arizona to meet up with her guitar player boyfriend...in 1936!

I have made a few boxes that will surprise and thrill whoever opens them however many years from now.

Bruce

Don't forget to play with the slotcars! Fun stuff...

Javelin wrote: In reply to David S. Wallens: So the models and slot cars are fair game then? (Seriously!)

My friend Steve is getting the models, and I'm keeping the slot cars. (Seriously!)

AngryCorvair wrote: I cleaned out a closet the other day and found a $60 gift certificate for Tunnel BBQ in Windsor and a $25 gift card for Lowe's. :D

I found a 50 cent piece and a dollar bill that's been folded up for 20+ years.