My mom saves everything. and I mean EVERYTHING. I'm not just talking about sentimental nick knacks or baby cloths, but this is a woman who washes out the plastic bags from a loaf of bread and uses it later to bring her lunch to work, and who saves the Styrofoam cups from Dunkin Donuts to reuse as travel mugs. I think for her It's not a kind of pack-rat hoarding, or a fervent environmental stance, but just common sense. Why throw something away if you can use it again?
I inherited this trait in the way that I carefully unwrap all of my gifts, tenderly folding the wrapping paper and storing it with the other second hand ribbons and gift bags. I realized a few years ago that she too inherited this from her mother, who will keep a not-so-wet paper towel on the counter to use a second time. I think it has become more diluted through the generations, as I find myself not quite living up to the standard of thriftiness that my mother still abides by. Still, I have a "bag of bags" a huge collection of plastic bags from various stores that works much like Mary Poppins' hand bag where there never seems to be a bottom.
Now, I think the paper towel thing is a bit much, but it is definitely environmentally, and economically friendly. Perhaps it was more a necessity in my grandmother's time that just turned into a habit that she passed down to her children and grandchildren. There are certainly worse habits to acquire from your family.
I just came back from a few days in Pennsylvania visiting my parents in the house I grew up in. This time, my Mom's waste-not-want-not spirit meant that my son had tons of new toys to play with...well, new for him. Most of them were at least 20 years old, the toys that my sister and I grew up with as kids. It was amazing to see all of these toys that I remembered from my childhood, and to see my own son enjoying them, bringing them back to life. It makes me feel like I'm already passing things onto my son. So thanks mom for saving all of those toys...and for the Styrofoam cup full of coffee I left with too.
You're a great writer, Laurel!
ReplyDeleteLOL! Laurel, I do the papertowel thing! Well, I don't leave it on the counter to use later, but if I use a papertowel to dry my hands after doing the dishes, I will wipe down the kitchen table, counters, stove, etc. with that same damp papertowel. I thought I was odd, its nice to know I'm not the only papertowel reuser :)
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