It’s coming up on the anniversary of my grandmother passing away which has made me think of some of the things we cleaned out of her home before selling it. One thing that at the time seemed so silly and useless that no one even considered saving it was a file cabinet with every piece of literature that came with every appliance her and my grandfather ever bought. Everything from large appliances such as washers down to the itty bitty such as hair dryers, toasters, and window fans. Every piece of paper that came with the item was rubber banded together and then the date of purchase was written on the front. She filed everything chronologically and when the item stopped working or was replaced or sold, she went back and wrote that date down as well and what happened to the item. She also documented every single service call and the reason for it. We laughed at the time about how ridiculous this was and remarked about how very ‘German’ it was of her but threw out the entire cabinet. Now how I wish I had kept it. She began this in 1948 when she got married and carried on right until her death. What a treasure trove of information that would have been.
Things you regret throwing away
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fan-of-fans
Well-known member
When my grandmother sold her house in 2007 to move in with my aunt, we were having a garage sale at her house and found she did the same as your grandmother. She had a whole box full of her small appliance manuals, weed eater manual, etc.
Unfortunately we had sold a lot of the items at the sale before we found the manuals. She had one of those vintage fans with clear blue blades and I wish I had kept it, but I was afraid my mom wouldn't let me. She had the manual to it too. I used to play with it as a kid.
My mom also has a box with all of her appliance and other house stuff manuals and receipts. Since then whenever they'd have a yard sale, I would go in there and find the manuals to whatever they were selling and when I'd see people buying it, I'd run out and take them the manual. They were so surprised to get it.
Heck, I've even gotten out manuals for things we were putting out with the trash, and put them with the item, in case somebody happened to pick it up. LOL
Since I collect vintage fans I really enjoy getting ones with the manual as well. I've gotten lucky in a few instances to even get the original receipt with the owners name and where they purchased it which is super cool to me to have the history.
As for things I wish I hadn't thrown away, a few months ago I was cleaning house, and I threw out many of my house drawings I did as a kid 15-20 years ago. I used to make houses out of shoeboxes too and I had them all on top of my computer hutch, and I threw those away too. I figured I'd need to get rid of them someday, but after I really regretted it for weeks. Because you can't get stuff like that back.
Unfortunately we had sold a lot of the items at the sale before we found the manuals. She had one of those vintage fans with clear blue blades and I wish I had kept it, but I was afraid my mom wouldn't let me. She had the manual to it too. I used to play with it as a kid.
My mom also has a box with all of her appliance and other house stuff manuals and receipts. Since then whenever they'd have a yard sale, I would go in there and find the manuals to whatever they were selling and when I'd see people buying it, I'd run out and take them the manual. They were so surprised to get it.
Heck, I've even gotten out manuals for things we were putting out with the trash, and put them with the item, in case somebody happened to pick it up. LOL
Since I collect vintage fans I really enjoy getting ones with the manual as well. I've gotten lucky in a few instances to even get the original receipt with the owners name and where they purchased it which is super cool to me to have the history.
As for things I wish I hadn't thrown away, a few months ago I was cleaning house, and I threw out many of my house drawings I did as a kid 15-20 years ago. I used to make houses out of shoeboxes too and I had them all on top of my computer hutch, and I threw those away too. I figured I'd need to get rid of them someday, but after I really regretted it for weeks. Because you can't get stuff like that back.
My grandmother did it too. She still had the receipt from when they first turned the electricity to the house on. I keep all manuals and receipts with dates myself in my desk but I've never thought about putting the death date of an appliance down too.
My mother's recipe box. 
File Under: Foolish Things Done In One's Early Twenties.
File Under: Foolish Things Done In One's Early Twenties.
My folks did much the same thing. They had a file cabinet plus other shelves in a closet and kept all major receipts, every tax return, every utility bill. Mom also kept every piece of personal correspondence she received since she moved to Canada in 1948 which has been very enlightening for me working on the ancestry family tree. I've passed some of the appliance receipts and manuals onwards to others here. As for the contents of moms house most of it went to Habitat for Humanity. My sister kept a few small accent tables and a corner cabinet and I kept two antique chairs and a small crystal clock.. Now we're both wondering what to do with them as neither of us are into antiquey stuff.. the paperwork photo's,were more important to me. None of the grandkids were interested in furnishings either even though it was pretty good quality stuff.. nobody seems to want that sort of stuff anymore.
blackstone
Well-known member
65 Years of Family Business Records
No, I did not throw them away. I saved all the papers (checks, repair and sales receipts, etc.). Someday, I may have to throw out everything, but I have not done it yet. I just don't know who else in the world would be interested in handwritten scribbles from the 1940s about the price of a tube, written by my father, after riding his bicycle from a customer's house.
If I did shred everything, yes, I would regret it.
No, I did not throw them away. I saved all the papers (checks, repair and sales receipts, etc.). Someday, I may have to throw out everything, but I have not done it yet. I just don't know who else in the world would be interested in handwritten scribbles from the 1940s about the price of a tube, written by my father, after riding his bicycle from a customer's house.
If I did shred everything, yes, I would regret it.
Here's one:
Daughter wasn't interested, mom's el-cheapo is seldom used and who knows how old the needle in her's is...
So, well, it's the needle in this, that is no longer made, but it didn't occur to me, a new cartridge would make a difference, and shocking how even Needle Doctor didn't recommend me doing that or offering that as an alternative, introducing me to that being how I would save a still-working phono...
No matter, I graduated to a better all-manual model like my Audio Technica:
But still, old Technichs even with the broken dust cover might have still been sellable, for a much-needed sum, chump change it may be...
-- Dave
Daughter wasn't interested, mom's el-cheapo is seldom used and who knows how old the needle in her's is...
So, well, it's the needle in this, that is no longer made, but it didn't occur to me, a new cartridge would make a difference, and shocking how even Needle Doctor didn't recommend me doing that or offering that as an alternative, introducing me to that being how I would save a still-working phono...
No matter, I graduated to a better all-manual model like my Audio Technica:
But still, old Technichs even with the broken dust cover might have still been sellable, for a much-needed sum, chump change it may be...
-- Dave
iheartmaytag
Well-known member
The entiere decade of 1980s
Looking back it wasn't so bad, now with new knowledge and wisdom, I want to go try again and fix my mistakes.
Looking back it wasn't so bad, now with new knowledge and wisdom, I want to go try again and fix my mistakes.
Given Away or Maybe....
.....thrown away in one of the MANY moves we made when I was growing up;
Baseball card collection (1960's)
Matchbook collection (more 1960's)
Bottlecap collection (same)
Pioneer SX980 receiver (gave away when I had to downsize)
Pioneer PL-630 turntable (gave to my Dad as it sometimes went "off speed")
Probably a lot more that I've forgotten.....
.....thrown away in one of the MANY moves we made when I was growing up;
Baseball card collection (1960's)
Matchbook collection (more 1960's)
Bottlecap collection (same)
Pioneer SX980 receiver (gave away when I had to downsize)
Pioneer PL-630 turntable (gave to my Dad as it sometimes went "off speed")
Probably a lot more that I've forgotten.....
justjunque
Well-known member
Re: manuals from everything
My mom kept all the manuals from their appliances in a big plastic shopping bag.
She was ready to part with them several years ago.
Being the hoarder that I am, I volunteered to take them off her hands.
So, I still have them, although I have no idea where they are.
When I eventually come across them, I'm going to put them somewhere sensible, so I'll know where they are when I feel like perusing them.
Barry
My mom kept all the manuals from their appliances in a big plastic shopping bag.
She was ready to part with them several years ago.
Being the hoarder that I am, I volunteered to take them off her hands.
So, I still have them, although I have no idea where they are.
When I eventually come across them, I'm going to put them somewhere sensible, so I'll know where they are when I feel like perusing them.
Barry
polkanut
Well-known member
No regrets here.
I took all of the recipe boxes and books from both of my grandmother's when their homes were downsized. I consider a lot of those recipes as being more precious than photos because of the great memories associated with them.
I took all of the recipe boxes and books from both of my grandmother's when their homes were downsized. I consider a lot of those recipes as being more precious than photos because of the great memories associated with them.
30” cooktop
I had a stainless 30” cooktop with 4 standard eyes plus one tiny one. It was missing a few indicator lenses and I caved in to pressure from Bruce and got rid of it.
Sarah
I had a stainless 30” cooktop with 4 standard eyes plus one tiny one. It was missing a few indicator lenses and I caved in to pressure from Bruce and got rid of it.
Sarah
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