Welcome to Volume 7 of Clutter Tales, a series where we tell the stories of our lives through our clutter. Today, I have another guest post. This tale comes from Bonnie from Beautiful Minimal Millennial who shares a story of precious gems and the even more precious memories sparked by jewellery that used to belong to her grandmothers.
This post was originally published in July 2021 and updated in July 2024.
About today’s guest blogger
You first saw Bonnie on my blog last fall in my Eco-Friendly Blog Takeover. Although she’s no longer actively blogging, I always enjoyed her stories about her journey as an accidental minimalist, the benefits of minimalism and zero waste, and her progress on paying off student debt and working towards financial independence.
Bonnie’s Clutter Tale – Decluttering and Found Some Gems
I’m a huge fan of decluttering things that are broken or you don’t use or find to be un-joy sparking things. I decluttered countless garbage bags, filled Mr. BMM’s truck bed multiple times, and sent many free to a good home things curbside. I even completed my KonMari tidying event before Netflix made it cool. Funny how I can’t remember any of the things that I decluttered during my KonMari tidying event or afterwards. I have tried many times but failed each time. Yet there were a couple items that I found that sparked so much joy and flooded me with beautiful memories I sat down to reminisce.
My Nanny and Mammy are my two grandmothers. Nanny was a frugal, quirky, homemade this and that, let’s do science experiments grandmother growing up. Mammy had a giggle that could light up the room and she was also ready to set up camp at any of her grandkids’ games, plays, or events. These two ladies were born a little bit after the Great Depression, married my awesome Air Force grandfathers, raised kids with grace, patience, and fun, and left a huge impression on me. My Nanny, upon marrying my grandfather, moved to Germany then Italy with him, learned the languages, and did this all without any of our current modern day amenities and raised two kids. My Mammy started to go to college which was practically unheard of during her generation, raised five kids, and likely smiled, giggled, and ate a scoop of ice cream each day.
When I came across a couple of their most beloved pieces of jewelry, I smiled one of the biggest smiles ever. From my Nanny, I have her engagement ring. My Poppy gave it to me as a wedding gift. She loved her engagement ring. I don’t ever remember a time where she didn’t have it on. From my Mammy, I have her birthstone, aquamarine, earrings that were a gift from my Poppy. Both pieces of jewelry were lovingly selected by my grandfathers for my grandmothers. I wear both of these pieces when I need some extra love, inspiration, or a cheering section.
Let’s keep in touch! Join my mailing list and I’ll email you when I add a new post.
Thanks again to Bonnie for sharing this story with us. It’s always amazing how seeing and holding a sentimental object can spark so many precious memories.
I hope you enjoyed this installment of Clutter Tales. If you’d like to write a guest post for Clutter Tales, please get in touch. I’d love to give you the opportunity to properly thank your clutter by sharing its story too!
Do you have sentimental items that bring back precious memories of loved ones? Tell us about it below.
Discover more from Boomer Eco Crusader
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
What a lovely story and such precious gifts. Bonnie is very fortunate.
We have several pieces of furniture, artwork and glassware from our parents’ homes. But my most precious is the fishing pole my grandfather made and used. It is a stick with a string and hook. I took it from my Mom’s house when we cleaned that out and sold the contents
A fishing pole. I love that. It’s interesting how the simplest of things can bring back the best memories. As I was cleaning up a few weeks ago, I found a deck of playing cards that used to belong to my grandfather – who I never met. They were from the ship he sailed from England to Australia on in 1924! That find inspired so much conversation at our house about our family history. It’s one of the reasons I’m not a fan of just getting rid of everything.
It is pretty amazing those playing cards are even around. How many miles they must have traveled. It’s nice to reminisce.
My daughters and I laughed about how different that journey must have been compared to the cruises we’ve been on where there was entertainment on offer constantly. 6 weeks on a ship with nothing but a deck of cards to keep you occuped!
Yikes! 🙃😃
I love that Bonnie wears the jewelry from her grandma’s. I have a wingback chair that belonged to my grandma, and I love sitting in it to read or enjoy a cup of vanilla chai.😁
We also have a chair from my husband’s grandparents house. I didn’t want it, but my mother-in-law insisted we have it. I reluctantly agreed and my mother-in-law had it reupholstered for us. When we brought it home and put it in our living room, I said to my husband “I like it. I kind of wish we had another one.” LOL
What a lovely story, Bonnie! Your memories are definitely like precious gems, aren’t they? Thank you so much for sharing with us! Cher xoxoxo
I just love these Clutter Tales! It’s so fun to reminisce with people as they share their stories.
I have two beautiful coloured glassed vases that were my Grandma’s. She had a collection of them and are so quintessentially her. Each of us grandkids got to keep a couple of the collection when my grandma passed away and I love mine so much.
It has been a really fun series! I love everyone’s stories and how they are so different, yet there are some common themes, too!
We have some cranberry glass pieces that belonged to my husband’s grandmother, too. Apparently she had a large collection. She died a few weeks after we got married so I didn’t know her for long, but I always think of her when I see them in our china cabinet.
I don’t think my grandmothers were jewelry people, but I have been able to keep a few furniture pieces and knick knacks from them. My favorites are the rocking chair my grandma rocked my dad in, and a set of dachshund figurines. My mom’s mom and I were both wiener dog lovers!
Oh. I love the dachshunds! I’ve only ever had one dog in my life. We had a dachshund when I was a little girl. 💖
Thank you so much for sharing this story. My grandmothers were two of the most amazing ladies in my life.
Thank you for being part of the series, Bonnie. Your grandmothers sound awesome!