This is the story of two magazines found when attempting some serious decluttering. It is past time to turn my attention to my home. To briefly explain my situation, my home has been on the receiving end of absorbing family treasures since 2010 when the older generations began leaving this world. The most recent was, of course, when my father passed away last month.
My first plan of action is always to keep the main rooms clear of debris. It's not working so well...my home has the decor style of Grandma's Attic meets Night in the Museum.
Anyway, I am having a dickens of a time because I like old stuff...all old stuff. Let's get back to those magazines shall we?
I ran smack dab into a stash of magazines. Many of which were Country Livings (I had forgotten when they went to that very large format style) and many Victorias like this one...
Not bad...only six years old! Shall I keep it?
Then there was this old National Geographic, which I chucked into the recyling bin before I realized the year.
1931!
And marked "read."
The price was right.
Some math and my maternal grandfather's name and address on the cover: Salisbury, NB. This would have been two months before my grandparents married. Maybe that was the honeymoon budget. I do enjoy sleuthing.
I was totally charmed by this issue because it is mostly about New England. Let me show you what I found inside...
Beach Scenes Don't Change Much (especially since we can't really see the swimsuits).
A Charming Rhode Island cottage...love those greenhouse windows!
Cottage by the sea...
Be still my heart...the largest Elm tree in New England growing in New Hampshire. (Elms were decimated by a virus years ago now.)
A beauty of a barn
Old Man of the Mountain who is no more...
Pretty lady in her yellow dress and white brimmed hat.
This magazine was good right to the end...love old ads and old graphics.
Get him a pen!
It's going to be pricey!
Don't forget the Quink. It's "heaven-sent."
I will be keeping one of these magazines. Bet you know exactly which one.
A wonderful Tuesday to you!
Victoria magazine is one of my hoarding weaknesses. Always pure eye candy. I am in the process of de-hoarding in the basement, where I keep all the goodies I have thrifted. I suddenly feel the need to divest, not only because the collection is out of hand, but also so I can start over. Don't judge. Lol
ReplyDeleteNational Geographic is a keeper, just saying, lol. Have a lovely day friend.
ReplyDeleteSo glad that you plucked that treasure from the recycling bin. Hard to believe all that goodness in one magazine and I think it will just get better and better as the years go by. Looks like it belongs with your Quink bottle.
ReplyDeleteThe pretty lady in yellow reminds me of you, Kim! I know. I'm whacked. 🤦🏻♀️
DeleteSomething led me back here this evening, Vee. I'm so glad because I don't think you're whacked at all. Instead I find this to be a very nice compliment and I thank you for it.
DeleteWhat a wonderful old National Geographic. I love the New England series and have another blog friend that would enjoy seeing these photos. I'll tell her about your post. Love your banner...looks like notecards! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteWOW...what a treasure you have uncovered! Did that word on the front mean that you already "read" it or that you intended to "read" it? Either way, it is an absolute keeper...fabulous pictures and ads!
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DeleteMy grandparents way of noting things they had already read. This looks like my grandfather's writing, both the "Read" and his name and town plus the math. Just fun to see...
You do have a talent for description! "Grandma's Attic meets Night in the Museum". I was laughing out loud for a bit. I have a few old magazines myself. I love the covers and contents. Treasures. And you grandfather's name and address from before he married your grandmother. That's doubly a treasure. Be well!
ReplyDeleteWhat great finds, it was a joy to see the little seaside cottage.
ReplyDeleteVee, You'll have to go thru magazines...as you never know what your relatives may have placed in them. I was sad when I read about your father's passing. He was an interesting man in your blog posts. When our parents pass, we are no longer anyone's little girl....and that is sad. I have moments of longing for my parents and they have been gone years. That sharp pain of loss can ease, but th longing never goes away. Blessings to you honey, xoxo, Susie
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful old National Geographic! Of course I enjoy Victoria also -- and have a stash of old issues. There are loads of old NGs at my dad's place, but probably nothing quite that old. Plans are to pitch most of them. If I come across that issue, though, I will save it. Love that old ad and the "heaven-sent" Quink!
ReplyDeleteI love the NG one. I have a terrible time getting rid of old magazines. Actually, I have been in your shoes and getting rid of any of it is a process for me.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness...what a find! LOVE the National Geographic one...and your grand parents writing on the front moves it right up to priceless!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful old National Geographic. We used to get those when I was growing up. I did a lot of book reports from them!
ReplyDeleteYou and I sound quite similar. What to do with all the family archives which have landed at my house. Forget trying to declutter our own things--that will come later I hope. I haven't even organized all my family things. But I find that it takes so much time --- because-- I get stalled like you obviously did and before long I'm lost in something historic--reading, gazing at photos, etc. Now I'm going to enlarge your last photo and read about Parker fountain pens.
ReplyDeleteWhen I see very old magazines, I always figure there was something special about them to make the person hold onto them for so long. I can definitely see why that one was a keeper!
ReplyDeleteI have favorite old magazines (mostly old Victoria issues) in two vintage suitcases that are stacked on each other in the Family Room. I figure the old suitcases look nice where they are located and I know I don't want to get rid of the magazines. I have a few more magazines I want to keep for perusal in a vintage picnic basket. Ditto for looking nice. I look at it this way, if my kids decide to throw away the old magazines when I'm gone, at least they are all in one place!
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ReplyDeleteI love things with a history, especially a family history. I keep my Victoria magazines. I love to put them out seasonally, and love to be inspired by some of the old issues!
ReplyDeleteThat magazine on New England is amazing! What a treasure!
Well that was fun to see. Somewhere out there in the attic or the garage loft I kept a National Geographic from my birth month and year. I guess there's still a lot of decluttering I have to do. I get so absorbed when I finally tackle a box. Hope you have a great Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteLol Vee, I love your description of your house! I too, love all old things and I am acquiring them too...I started a decluttering process earlier in the year because we had some unseasonably warm weather but it's been so nasty and cold (25 degrees below normal I heard today) that I lost my enthusiasm. Warm weather makes me so much more inspired to clean, clear, declutter....I often get sidetracked too when going through old things, especially when I come across old photos and mementos from family excursions from years ago....Boy I loved the old New England photos you posted...I'd hang on to that if I were you, LOL! ;) Have a good day!
ReplyDeleteWow - that National Geographic is definitely keep worthy! Decluttering is hard to do.
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about that addition and whether it could be a honeymoon budget....$6.71 seems very little, but you could buy a Sears house for $2,000....What different times!
ReplyDeleteWithout decimal points, it is difficult to know. They did travel by train to the West Coast on the Canadian side for their honeymoon, but not sure what that might have cost. Two grand sounds about right for the cost of their home, though it was not a Sears Kit home. My great-grandparents did have a Sears kit home built in 1918, though.
DeleteYou're right. It's difficult to know....I was thinking if it were $6.71 the question would be, "Should we buy a pen or go on a honeymoon?"
Delete😊
DeleteSigh.. you and I are so much alike. I too have a good deal of family "treasures" that are hard to part with. My mother treasured her NG's and I really struggled with getting rid of them. She also had over 50 years worth of Readers Digests. Decluttering is not easy when there is an emotional attachment. I totally understand...
ReplyDeleteOh Vee, the old National Geo is a treasure! Notes from the past would not allow me to get rid of it. We get National Geo and saved it for many years. When we finished our basement off, we sold them by the boxes to an antique shop in town. Not any that old, though. I think they gave us $5 per box. The library didn't want them nor the schools, and we just couldn't toss them in the trash. We've been quite ruthless in our efforts to declutter, but it is hard. A little at a time makes a big difference. ♥
ReplyDeleteMaking choices when decluttering is oh-so-hard. When we moved, I was pretty ruthless. (Ron was not as ruthless, although he did part with some things.) I only regret a couple of choices I made to discard. I suppose that's not too bad.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd keep that particular National Geographic because of the personal notes and because it is about New England. (See, I wouldn't be much help to you in getting rid of things.) :)
Oh my goodness Vee, what a treasure the National Geographic is!! Now it makes me wish that I didn't get rid of a box of them. Mine weren't that old, though, so I do feel a bit better. I wonder what else you'll find in your decluttering mode?
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing these pictures. Oh, how I enjoyed seeing the photos/ads, etc. Charming!
ReplyDeleteI love the old National Geographic. I always enjoyed that magazine but it was never found in our house (TIME and McLean's news magazines were popular along with Chatelaine, Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle etc.). I'd look at the NG at friends homes or maybe relatives. The old magazines are wonderful with their photos and graphics. They sure tell a lot about the era they represented. Have fun decluttering Vee. It's an endless chore at my house too. :-/
ReplyDelete$5, $7, or $10? Pretty steep for a pen, even by today's standards, must have been a good one. What a fun treasure. Thanks for sharing. Hard to declutter when these interesting things keep coming up.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun looking through the old magazine.
ReplyDeleteLove all the old ads.
Oh my goodness ! I loved looking through the magazine wirh you Vee . I hope you are doing okay . I know you've been through so much lately it seems . Praying for your sweet spirit and thank you for sharing your treasures with us . Hugs and blessings , Cindy
ReplyDeleteI know how difficult it is to part with old family treasures like this as I am also sentimental and like the most unusual things. I really have a weakness for old books and magazines too, and can get lost in them. I saved some old LIFE magazines from my mother's house--my dad loved getting that magazine while I was growing up and they saved some good ones. My mother had a zillion Readers Digest condensed books. A friend took them to use as decorations for her daughter's wedding. They carved the books into alphabet letters. This National Geographic issues was so interesting! I wonder if any of those houses still survive? I was happy to have seen the "Old Man of the Mountain" two years before he fell down on a wonderful trip we took to New Hampshire. That was the trip we drove up to the summit of Mt Washington. My husband still says that s the scariest drive he ever took--even though we've driven up 14,000 mountains and mountain passes here!
ReplyDeleteWhen my son graduated high School he asked us for a "Mt Blanc" pen :) I wonder if he still has it? Perhaps making a photo scrapbook of certain objects before donating them is a good idea? It preserves your memories and yet reduces clutter.
The National Geographic magazine is a keeper, for sure! I enjoyed seeing the sweet cottage and gardens. When did we get so greedy and think we need huge houses? I have a LOT of Victoria magazines and this summer, when school's out (just two and a half more weeks) and I have some time and energy, I'm going to get rid of them, along with a lot of other clutter, but not the family treasures.
ReplyDeleteHugs to you.
I can understand about our lovable persons leaving from us.Enjoyed all the thing in your blog:)
ReplyDelete1931, I would definitely keep that one! I love it and oh my the ad is awesome.
ReplyDeleteThese are keepsakes...I'd have a hard time discarding them!
ReplyDeleteThat girl should either tell him to keep his cotton pickin' hands off her pen or get a job babysitting and buy one herself. Sorry, I was a bit distracted. :-) Love the old magazines. Of course I have old magazines too, and have you noticed how the hands on the clock spin around when you're looking through them?? I think it's a good thing we're not next door neighbors. We'd never get anything done, looking at each other's old stuff. LOL xo
ReplyDeleteWow. That National Geographic is a treasure! That is the problem with my attempts at decluttering over here...I keep getting side-tacked by treasures and find too many things that I can't possibly part with. :)
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of olden magazines that I am gathering up to take to my doctor's office...others might like seeing them.
ReplyDeletehoping this day is brighter for you...
Excellent idea!
DeleteHi Vee~
ReplyDeleteI loved this post, mostly because I love old magazines, and you certainly and for sure hit the jack-pot! I have some really old magazines that I treasure, although I don't look at them very often, I still love them.
I'm a little late, but I would like to tell you how sorry I was to hear of your father's passing. It's so hard to lose those we treasure and love dearly, but we know that their treasure is in heaven, and we will share it one day with them. Bless you sweet friend.
Hugs,
Barb
Keep all of the magazine covers in a nice binder for a coffee table book and toss the magazines. Put them in protective sleeves and any "articles" from that magazine that you just can't part with can go in the same sleeve.
ReplyDeleteOh I've done better than that...all the magazines are gone except for ONE. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Sandy.
DeleteI'm so proud of you, Vee!
DeleteVee,
ReplyDeleteYou are just such a fun friend to have.. I love old things too and have a really hard time keeping clutter at bay...sigh..
Love,
Mona
Dear Vee. I'm rather late in commenting, but just dropped by to say I hope you are well. I think it must be hard to do this necessary decluttering, but see that you've got rid of the magazines except one. With my love of history I would get engrossed in reading such old magazines and then find it difficult to throw any away! The adverts and fashion styles from this era are fascinating.
ReplyDeleteI have the same problem! Things from both my deceased parent's home and my deceased in-laws home. Old letters, magazines, photos, old records - yikes! Loved the National Geographic photos!
ReplyDeleteI truly enjoyed this visit of years past.
ReplyDeleteI loved this post! How did it get past me?
ReplyDeleteIt's HARD to get rid of stuff! I think I would be guilty of building new barns to store my stuff in if I had enough $$ to do it!
What a fun post... love all the vintage!
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