Putting the Family to Work

two teenagers gigglingEdna reports that she really enjoyed the annual visit of her son and his family this year because, instead of trying to keep them entertained, she enlisted their help in her downsizing efforts. She hadn’t realized how much fun her twin, sixteen year old granddaughters could be until she turned them loose with boxes of family photos and albums that needed to be sorted. She kept hearing peals of laughter from them as they came across photos of their father and aunt as children. Edna admits she was a little chagrined when they brought her high school yearbook to her and asked, “Grandma, is this really  you?!”.  She was pleased by how she was able to tell them so many stories about their family. The girls’ enthusiasm led them to seek out ways to preserve and share some of the photos. They looked up the best ways to store photos to prevent deterioration. They found a local source that could restore damaged photos and old negatives. They took home with them a selection of the photos that they want to use to create an online photo album and share with other family members.

Edna says that even the attic has less stuff in it thanks to them. She allowed them to explore to their hearts’ content and they left with a trunk full of clothing from Edna’s youth which are now considered vintage. She suspects some of the outfits will be used for Halloween costumes or little theater productions, but she is happy that her stuff is going to just the ones she most hoped would want it.

Harriet Vaughan

About Harriet Vaughan

I am a Senior Move Manager, working with Senior Citizens and their families when it is time to downsize or just make the home safer and more comfortable for aging in place. I help these people make decisions about what to keep, throw out, donate, or sell. I also offer workshops on "Getting Things Done When You Are Over 60". I write about how to overcome memory lapses and how to use your physical energy well. I have a degree in Home Economics from the University of Maine. I live in Coopers Mills, about 14 miles east of Augusta. I have been married for almost 50 years to my husband, Chuck Vaughan. Our business is called Legacy Years Transition Services.