Collecting years worth of stuff
By David Girod, Winona

Several weeks ago, a letter to the editor appeared in the paper, concerning one’s ability to collect stuff by Katie Buck; things some might consider useless. An example she cited were rubber bands. As I read her letter further; I could really relate.

You see, last year, I had to deal with a lot of possessions that belonged to my father and 101-year-old stepmother whose combined assets covered 30 some years and two homes.
I believe in some cases, people who went through the Depression tend to do this.

With the death last August of my stepmother, I began the process of sorting, cleaning and organizing the items for an estate sale.

I enlisted the help of Ages Estate Sales and Joyce Tlougan. I recycled as much as possible, items not salable, or part of the house cleaning process.

Along the way, I found outdated home canned and store bought canned goods, sour homemade wine, old mail and magazines, tons of clothing. The biggest surprise find was forgotten cash. $67 in 40-year-old sympathy cards, a dollar bill in a 20-year-old get well card and a $50 savings bond from 1971.

I recycled 37 boxes/bags of paper curbside.

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