One of the characteristics I admire so much about previous generations is their resourcefulness. They lived by the mantras of, “waste not, want not” and “use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” In our fast-paced, 2-day-delivery world, this is not a skill at which we are adept.
Recently I was decluttering my craft supplies. Thanks to my sweet Mom, Aunts and Cousins, I’ve inherited many things (mostly quilting related) from my Grandmother and Great-Grandmother. It’s been hard to let some of these things go because of the sentimental attachment and the historical appeal. But, my clutter threshold is fairly low and I do better managing a smaller inventory of items, so I determined to let go of some things.
As I sorted through, I was in awe of the materials they used for pattern guides, storage bags, and quilting designs. They let nothing go to waste!
There were tissue box tops, panty hose packaging, old panty hose itself as bands, bread bags, holiday gift boxes, detergent boxes and more. They put our current attempts at “reduce, reuse, recycle” to shame!
Amazing, right?!
As an aside, I thought these old magazine cutouts and this pamphlet were so interesting! I’ve got loads more and I can’t quite part with any of them. If I do, I’ll try to find a historical society that would be interested.
What’s something you do, or remember someone from a previous generation doing, to be resourceful?
Liz
John 6:12
And when they had eaten their fill, [Jesus] told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.”
The Farm Paparazzi 