WNYMoms.com

I recently visited a relative and was shocked to find that the guest room in which I was sleeping was filled with old trophies. They were trophies that the homeowners received and their adult children had recieved when they were kids. Most were for things like participating in a little league or on a bowling team. They weren't medals for first place or some other high achievement. They were the typical trophy that everyone who participates on any level would recieve at the end of the season. Some had the year and the sport on them and some did not. Some of them went back to the 1960's. Many of them were plastic and they were all covered in dust. (As an asthma sufferer, I was not happy to being sleeping next to them.)

After this experience I began to ask friends about their old trophies and also notice where trophies are kept in other people's homes. It surprises me how many people have a hard time getting rid of them. They either put them in a little used room or they keep boxes of them in their basement or garage. Some of my adult friends still have their childhood trophies at their parents' house in which they grew up. They take up a lot of space.

What about you? Do you keep old trophies? For how long? What stops you from throwing them out?

I don't have any of my old trophies anymore. I'm sure at some point my mom threw them out once I moved out. I can see how some people would be attached to them, though.

I heard that The Special Olympics take donated old trophies and repurpose them into new trophies for their participants. That is what we will do with our children's, when they start rolling in. I think my father threw mine out.

I love both those suggestions, and the best part is that you can do both. Take pictures, then donate them!

I'm pretty sure mine are stored in a tote somewhere at my dad's house - perhaps in the closet in my old room. I think old trophies fall into the category of things you don't quite know what to do with. I have boxes and boxes of pictures and momentos from high school and college that I just don't know what to do with. I feel funny about simply throwing them out - as if someone would get their hands on my old pictures and somehow they end up on the internet somewhere in some inappropriate manner. Over paranoid I'm sure and oddly I'm probably far less careful about more important personal information than I am about pictures.

I figure I only have a few more years and they become my son's problem. We actually have them boxed up (along with certificates and other papers) because we don't have room for them plus the dust issue. I figure that it will be fun for them to dig through when they're older and then they can decide on what they want to keep and what to donate.

I think my only trophy (for participation or attendance) is in a closet; hubby's mementos are in his office. My sister has her old trophies, varsity letters, etc, at our parents'. My parents' have theirs either in their basement or bedroom closet.

Since we are about to move again this is a very timely subject. Besides trophies what about your old caps and gowns? High School jackets. Do you all still have them? Can I suggest my husband throw his out? I got rid of mine a long time ago because I moved from state to state a lot but he has always lived in Orange County, CA so it was never a big thing for him to move from one house to another.

My high school jacket is hanging in my closet at my dad's house - same closet my trophies are in. I have my sorority jacket from college in my closet and it will probably be one of those things I do not get rid of for a very long time. I've cleaned out most of the other stuff from my sorority days in college and my jacket is one of the very few things that remain - along with my paddle given to me from my little sister. I can't fathom throwing my jacket in the garbage and it definately can not be donated as I would not want some random person wearing my letters that they got from a thrift store.

I think about what my son might have to clean out when I am gone one day. We "purged" our last house when we moved. It was very liberating. I do not keep very much anymore. In fact, 2x a year we have closet/drawer clean out day and no one is safe on that day. My family just grumbles at me, but it gets the old out. For every new item we purchase, I purge an old item. Even my scrapbook is down to one drawer of materials to use. I buy what I need. You know my husband and I argued over his HS English papers, really????? I asked him when he looked at them last and when he was planning to use them in the future, well... they got tossed. Sorry HS was over 18 years ago!

...Even my scrapbook is down to one drawer of materials to use..

I have it down to one room.

This is amusing. I've been doing some deep sea diving in my basement and really clearing stuff out. I found all of my old report cards and certificates for things like this. I figured that since I didn't even know I had them, had never looked for them, and couldn't see a reason to use them, then it was time for us to part. I do have a bit of trouble tossing them, but I like the extra space it created and I haven't missed them yet. :)

I agree w/all this too...if you dont remember its there than you dont need it. As my youngest turns $ I am getting better w/purging things like artwork and toys. I always feel so guilty throwing that stuff out though!