Things I found in my closet

[cleolinda]

While my internet was out, I got so bored that I started cleaning. (If you know me, you know how dire a situation this must have been, and not just because I was getting over a stomach bug at the time.) And once I got going in my closet (it's a walk-in, so you can imagine how many years of crap were piled up in there), I started compiling a list of what I found there. This is what I was reduced to for entertainment, people.

Various small trinket and/or jewelry boxes: 18
Two round boxes of cheap and/or broken jewelry, beads, etc.
Various glass vases: 6*
. . . * One of which I broke while moving the box
Various decorative glass bottles: 14
Teapots, each with coordinating teacup: 3
A decorative jar of seashells, probably bought somewhere*
. . . * By a great-aunt
A Tupperware box of seashells, actually collected somewhere*
. . . * Either Dauphin Island or Playa Varadero
A packet of forget-me-not seeds, forgotten
A large red-and-white striped stovepipe hat, such as a Seuss character might wear, itself crammed full of junk
A thirty-year-old camera
A padlock to which I do not know the combination
Two Avon catalogs
Orphaned book jackets
A million unread magazines, some still wrapped in plastic
Nutcracker earrings
Boxes of tea: 4
Three beaded Easter eggs
An egg made up to look like a chicken, on a stick
Marie Antoinette (1939) on VHS
My sister’s copy (book) of The Virgin Suicides
A Golden Book about Rainbow Brite*
. . . * "Rainbow Brite and the Brook Meadow Deer"
A white wizard statue I had totally loved and wondered where it had gotten to
A hatbox full of American Girl clothes*
. . . * I have Josefina and my sister’s Samantha
A fringed black shawl I bought in Havana
Various carved wooden statuettes I bought in Havana
A box half-full of cigars I bought in Havana… nearly ten years ago
Five masks, Mardi Gras and otherwise
A number of small silk scarves
Lolita audiobook on cassette tape*
. . . * read by Jeremy Irons
A large box full of power cords, computer cords, etc.
Two large boxes full of candles, many half burned
A large drawer full of candles, some of which I never even liked the scent of*
. . . * Florals give me headaches
A bottle of lavender room/linen spray
. . . * Lavender gives me massive headaches
Expired ID or credit cards: 12
Half a box of AAA batteries
Blank books and journals: 5
A grey jersey Calvin Klein robe that never fit me
Boxes, from small to large, of dusty magazine clippings: 23*
. . . * Depression and OCD are not a pretty combination
A old pillow (no pillow case)
Purses and handbags: 8
Handbags given out by various companies as “free gifts”: 12
A gym bag with racquetball racquet and racquetball balls*
. . . * Blue balls
A messenger bag with grad school notebooks and papers
Straw platform sandals with large straw sunflower on toe
A drawer full of decorative printer paper, such as one might buy at Kinko’s*
. . . * And probably did
A drawer full of fifteen-year-old incense sticks
Incense burners/holders: 3
A drawer that will never, ever stop smelling like incense
A variety of fake "silk" flowers, mostly crumpled
A variety of ribbons in a variety of lengths, widths and colors
Wicker baskets: 4
A large paper "Chinese" parasol
Two pairs of bedroom slippers
One pair of ankle boots (black) that don’t fit
Two pairs of knee boots (black) that don’t fit
Twenty minutes of depression that my boots don’t fit
A large collection of HP Lovecraft stories printed from the internet (I assume they were in the public domain?), lovingly bound*
. . . * You know, like from one of those office machines for binding things
Computer keyboards: 4
Computer mice: 6
A can of spray shellac
A can of furniture polish
A hot glue gun with no glue, hot or otherwise
Coloring books of historical costumes: 4
A United Cutlery replica of Andúril, the sword that was broken*
. . . * But is now reforged
My Secret Life, seven volumes*
. . . * Victorian porn
A blue silk bridesmaid dress (2003)*
. . . * Valkyrie's wedding
A flower girl basket (1986)*
. . . * My aunt's wedding
A boxed Dungeons and Dragons starter set (1987)*
. . . * I just liked the monster manual
Jigsaw puzzles: 3
A box full of marbles
A lollipop* that the boy** I had a massive five-year crush on gave me, because he was handing out lollipops to everyone at the theater entrance at the school play
. . . * Chupa Chups brand, strawberries and cream flavor
. . . ** He had Legolas hair
A My Little Pony Fan Club membership patch*
. . . * I am the biggest loser ever
A small rubber dragon, orange, that came inside an egg of red soap (it "hatched" as you used up the soap)
An Egyptian hieroglyphics stamp kit with decorative stationery
A calligraphy pen set with ink cartridges, various colors
Bart Simpson valentines (not used)
Stationery/notecard sets: 5
Two lonesome curlers
A can of mousse
A toothbrush, brand new, still sealed in package
Earbud headphones*
. . . * I hate earbuds
Austin Powers luggage tag*
. . . * "That AIN'T Your Bag, Baby!"
Bottles or vials of perfume: 6*
. . . * I can't wear perfume
Ouija board planchette (no Ouija board)
Three used date planners from college
A packet of black and white photos from my toddlerhood
Checkbooks from a bank that doesn’t exist anymore
A bag of Norse rune stones
The two tiny keys to my childhood diary (no diary)
My graduation cap
School medals and Brownie pins
My gold Honors tassel from college*
. . . * I did not actually graduate Honors, due to flunking a class
My old Movie Gallery employee nametag*
. . . * Actually, rockgeisha, I think I have yours too**
. . . ** I have no idea why
An actual horseshoe with my initials on it from Tannehill
Another box of marbles
A mini bottle of Korbel brandy*
. . . * "Drinks all around!"

and a large quantity of itchy dust, distributed generously throughout.

Comments

[jedilora.livejournal.com]

Clearly, you need to give the MLP patch to TLE.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Well, I think that goes without saying.

[jaysta-11.livejournal.com]

You must have one hell of a closet to find all that stuff PLUS all the stuff you're keeping.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's the most wonderful thing ever, full of shelves and drawers and things (plus plastic storage drawers I bought myself). Note: for the first 14 years of my life, I did not have a closet of my own. Like, there was not even a closet in the ROOM. I consider this compensation from the universe.

[lilychick.livejournal.com]

Out of curiosity, did you get rid of most of these things? Or (as I am prone to do), did they go back where they were found with a "I'm sure I need this for something!"?

I just wonder how my cleaning habits compare to others', I suppose.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Most of this stuff I'm getting rid of, although I usually put it back--I find that I need at least five years to let go of something, no matter how stupid it is. So stuff I dragged out last time and kept, I'm ready to throw away now.

[lesaubergines.livejournal.com]

That's alotta stuff!

[lesaubergines.livejournal.com]

Chupa Chups!
I haven't had one of those in forever.

[imprintee718.livejournal.com]

IKR!!!!

i loooooveedd Chupa Chups :D

[le-brouillard.livejournal.com]

That's amazing. I can't even imagine. I almost want to stop cleaning my closet for years and years just to have the experience of finding forgotten things from my past.

How to pay for your next doll: epic garage sale.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

This isn't even the first time it's happened, either. One time I found chocolate truffles, perfume, a bottle of rum, a starfruit-scented candle, and Batman Begins on DVD.

[madripoor-rose.livejournal.com]

Keep going, you might find Narnia.

[bluebirdbones.livejournal.com]

Nice - I just spat water all over my computer screen.

[brightnovafaeri.livejournal.com]

Dauphin Island, like in Alabama? Cause I live like 45 minutes from there.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Yeah! I heard it took a beating during the last round of hurricanes, though.

[glenvorian.livejournal.com]

...Elizabeth, honey, you might want to stay away from the alcohol for a bit.

[insomniacafe547.livejournal.com]

Cleo, make sure she stays away from the perfumes. You might wake up one morning to find all the perfume bottles empty and Elizabeth drunk with perfume breath.

(Incidentally, that's what happened with a friend of mine's two-year-old.)

[thecolourclear.livejournal.com]

I hate earbuds too!

What are you doing to do with the camera? Old cameras are creepy cool- my parents have one from the 70s*, and I refuse to let them throw it out so I can restore it someday and use it like mad.

*and wow, that's ALSO a 30 year old camera.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I honestly have no idea.

[erinya.livejournal.com]

Lolita audiobook on cassette tape*
. . . * read by Jeremy Irons

Hotness.

[arden-ranger.livejournal.com]

agreed. My first thought was "Oh...god." in a Guh! sort of way.

[aka-paloma.livejournal.com]

A million unread magazines, some still wrapped in plastic

Oh, God. Me too.

My Secret Life, seven volumes*
. . . * Victorian porn

Victorian porn? Awesome!

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Secret_Life

A memoir, no less.

[thisiamdenied.livejournal.com]

Holy baby Jesus in a hand basket, woman.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I ain't even got warmed up yet. One of the hallmarks of the really bad episodes of depression I had in late high school and college was hoarding (NO KIDDING). Anything I thought was cool or pretty or might ever be useful at any time in the future, I kept.

[lunakitten.livejournal.com]

"A variety of ribbons in a variety of lengths, widths and colors"
*grabby hands* Want!
Ahem.

Now I want to see a list of all the odds and ends in our garage. Seeing as the man and I are both packrats, I'm a bit afraid of what I'd find.

And yes, TLE needs that patch!

[elbales]

Oh god, icon love.

[celestinenox]

Holy crap, woman!

(I hate earbuds, too. I look very funny at the gym with my tiny iPod and huge earphones.)

[shia-labeouf.livejournal.com]

Coloring books of historical costumes: 4

this is so fabulously random. not just one, but four, count them, four!

[shia-labeouf.livejournal.com]

PS. pictures of this closet of wonders would be nice to see.

[shlupquack.livejournal.com]

Holy mother of god. I don't think I even own that much stuff.

[labonnefille.livejournal.com]

lol @ your icon! I love it!

[kitrinlu.livejournal.com]

Wow, it's like a closet that goes to Narnia only better! So much cool stuff...

[wintersweet.livejournal.com]

We need to form a tiny but violently dedicated lavender-hating committee.

(Well-meaning people keep giving me lavender oils and whatnot to help me with my migraines. GAH NO)

[snowwhite2421.livejournal.com]

how is smelling like an old lady supposed to help migraines?

[fifi-bonsai.livejournal.com]

I vote for either a pyre or a time capsule to scare the aliens. 8D

[glass-radical.livejournal.com]

I shudder to think what's going to happen if/when I go through my American Doll collection. I was young in the prime of their dollness, so I have more than a few of them, including Josefina and Samantha. My poor parents.

[duosiceprincess.livejournal.com]

My sister bought Samantha and won Josefina when she was just being released. Her very young godfather asked for help regarding a Christmas gift one year, and I said he could get her a book and outfit for one of the girls. Instead he dropped hundreds at the American Girl store in Chicago buying her Samantha's bedroom set. Which now lives in a box, because my mother refuses to get rid of it because it was so expensive. Points to mom though, didn't Samantha just get discontinued?

[jharrison19.livejournal.com]

I have so many blank journals.

[celtic-meg.livejournal.com]

Sweet Jesus, that sounds like what I found when I packed up my condo to move a month ago.

However, I've not even touched my storage space yet. Considering I found the clothing my girls wore home from the hospital (7.5 years ago and 10 years ago) hiding on their closet shelves, and I've been piling stuff in that storage space for 7 years now, I'm scared. And excited.

Oh, and a highlight of my husband getting ticked at the squeaky drawers on my dresser set was:

A newspaper article from December 19, 1967 on how to fix up your vacation home (A-Frame, which he always wanted) that included ads for a 4-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom ranch house for $22,500, not including lot.

A cuff link and tie clip set with a rifle for the tie clip and pistols for the cuff link.

A tie clip with the Presidential Seal on on end and Gerald Ford's sig engraved on the bar.

Gramps' fraternity pin from Marquette University (this is circa 1934).

Various other tie pins, tie clips and single cuff links.

A 1924 Double Eagle $20 gold coin. Mom thinks Gramps got it as a graduation present (high school or college, we don't know), and a coin seller in Florida offered me $1200 for it, sight unseen.

After more research, we'll sell it to fund the girls' college fund, something my grandfather would love.

Even without the bounty from the coin, it felt really awesome to find a piece of my grandfather after moving into a new home. I wish he'd been here to see it. :)

[stephandra.livejournal.com]

That is an impressive stash, and I commend you for your ability to part with it. I don't clean out my closet...ever...just so I don't have to make myself throw things out. I don't know what I'm going to do when I have to move.

I vote the mousse goes to The Douchiest Edward.

[lilgoala.livejournal.com]

Haaa!