We just moved 3 days ago. I feel so overwhelmed. I purged so much before the move but in the end as we were running out of time family came and just put things in boxes. No labeling, no bubble wrap, no putting cords with what they belong with. Here I am in a brand new house opening boxes finding treasures with random crap! This getting rid of stuff, deciding what to keep and constant decision making in order to declutter is mentally exhausting. I have also realized I can’t discuss getting rid of anything, especially furniture with my family. They want me to keep it all! Your videos help keep me motivated.
Search for acid free storage boxes - they come in various sizes. And acid free tissue. Wrap the bibles in the tissue and then put in the acid free box. Ditch the plastic. Store in even temp area with no little moisture or put a moisture collection tub or hanger near by. You can also search archival library supplies. I worked in college library helping restore books from 1500’s. Dont use any tape for torn pages. There are ways to completely rebind the books but that will take away original spines and covers. There are ways to restore torn pages (rice paper and special archival glues) but best to let reatoration person do that. Check university libraries near by to see if they have an archival collection and reaources to help. Neat finds! I went thru my mom’s stuff recently and found a signed copy of walt whitman poems. Very exciting find. Note inside said an elderly neighbor gave it to her.
So proud of Andy. Setting a great example for guys on how to downsize. This is so important. ❤️ I think the statement he made about how he is getting rid of stuff that wasn’t even important in the first place expresses what happens to so many of us. We don’t really think about what we keep, we just keep it. That perimeter about if it was something he wants to show his kids when they grow up was a great one.
Gymnastics Coach here - the blisters (rips) will come with bars work regardless so if that is the only reason to change the bar no need :) as the skin heals, it’ll be stronger and will get less rips.
Right on Erica... more shelves or less stuff. Keep it going, especially if you know you will move from this house. It is a great space to get all of these boxes decluttered.
I finally finished decluttering my house and found some seashells and crystals that i kept from a long time ago and they were too pretty to keep in a box. I made a beautiful suncatcher/windchime with them and im soo happy that i can look at them everyday 🥰
I think the little owl cross stitch picture is from a tiny kit for those wanting to learn cross stitch. It came with the pattern, thread, and fabric. I bought this same kit pattern about 30 years ago and taught my aunt how to cross stitch
Those Bibles are real treasures. I have a collection of family Bibles, including my childhood Bible and the one I received when I was baptized. I literally wore the cover off of the 2nd one....not just carrying it to church, but actually reading it. It was like my best friend all through my teenage years. I hope you find the perfect solution for restoring yours. BTW, y'all are doing such a good job of reorganizing, decluttering and repurposing all of your things. 🙂👍
Very satisfying to be getting through these last boxes - and to see your hubby enjoying the process of lightening up the load he's carrying about and becoming mindful of what he wants to create - you can see as he peels away the stuff he's seeing possibilities for the area that used to be crammed with boxes - it's lovely! Thank you for sharing your journey.
Look for Book Binders. In my area, there is a Book Binder that will restore old books. It includes rebinding (the *string* that holds the pages together), restore the leather covers, re-glue, etc. Ask around for someone who restores old/antique books. A true book binder will be able to help you in keeping them safe, too. Your books are worth saving and preserving.
Don't forget Oragami shelves!😇🤗🥰 The Container Store has them. To pass things down to kids is also what I would do with some items that have value. I definitely would hold on to that valuable Bible.📖 Some sort of protective box would be appropriate, I think. Take care!💖
Book restorers are the best option - I happen to be friends with a woman who was involved in the creation of Bilbo's book on The Lord of the Rings (we're New Zealanders) and she made a magical job on a book of my husband's ancestors from the 1880's explaining what they would find in New Zealand (and Australia and the main South Pacific Islands) - and she did not replace the cover.
I have my mum’s bible (with hymn book) from 1960 that she got in Scotland before she emigrated to Australia. I also have one of my dad’s books from the catholic society dated 1958. I keep them in my nightstand.
I appreciate your stamina through your decluttering journey. I am feeling like I am in a decluttering rut. I just had a baby and I don't have the energy to keep going. I'm trying to give myself grace. But it's motivating to see you being persistent.
Do give yourself grace! Enjoy your little one and if you achieve keeping yourself and the little one fed each day, with a new task added per week (perhaps a shower), then you are doing very well!
Beautiful that you want to pass along the religious items to the children. I am a fellow Catholic and I know how sentimental the prayer cards and books are to the heart, especially from grandma 💗🙏🏼💗
@Erica Lucas You could find a Bookibinding Book Restoration place in your area and have a consultation with them, see what they can do and how much would it cost, then decide. They can certainly help (ex. they can reattache the loose board, condition the leather)... maybe they can also make a protective removable binder that could go over the original one.
I did this with my mom's First Communion prayer book. It's about 65 years old and the cover was damaged beyond repair. The restorer did a wonderful job adding a new cover. It is beautiful and, even though brand new, goes well with the old prayer book.
I think I understand a bit what Andy was on about. I feel like for so long there have been this idea that you have to save "sentimental" stuff just because you have to. Like pictures, good or bad, or that first price in that contest in second grade that you would not even remember were it not for that piece of paper. ..so is it really needed to be remembered?? I feel like, maybe more so before internet and digital stuff, this idea of saving everything... That said, I really enjoy saving a handful of the pretty mother's day cards that probably were given by my dad and siblings to their mum and hence from the.. 1950s? But only a handful of a box full..
Oh no! We’ve been doing so many I forgot!!! I will do that on the next one. We started with 25 sentimental bins and are down to about 8. We started with 100s and 100s a year and a half ago. Thanks for the reminder to do that!!
You guys are getting so much closer to making Andy’s basement into a reality! Keep up the good work! Your keep bin isn’t even full yet, is it? I recall the letterman’s jacket, love letters, a clock that needs repairs, and now an old bible and an old payer book. Not bad at all.
This is a great video. I really like to hear Andys thoughts about sentimental items. We try to have one box per person, but my husband has like 5 and that’s ok too. My kids are getting ready for summer holiday and are emptying everything from their schools, this year none of them want to bring anything home because they had to declutter their stuff last summer and they really don’t like to keep anything from school… Their teachers really incourage the kids to bring everything home, but since we don’t keep it the stuff only gets recycled anyway.
My uncle had my great-grandmothers bible rebound (it was from 1700's and in German) at a place in Batesville Indiana. I'll try to find out what the name of the place is - they did a beautiful job. Thank you for sharing today. I didn't know you were Catholic!
I found my great grandmother’s bible but it completely disintegrated upon lifting it from the box. Always nice to meet another Catholic, even across the world! 🙋🏼♀️
You might check to see if there is a special collection department at a college near you. They might have the names of some restoration professionals they can give you.
The only thing I can add to the preservation is: Do not under any circumstances have rubber bands around ANYTHING you want to keep for a decade or more. When we cleaned out my grandparents' house, so many things were destroyed by rubberbands that through the years had dried out and left stains on the stuff they were around. Even the baby stuff my mum packed away after my sister had outgrown it (she is only turning 25 so it was "only" two decades) was ruined by some of the rubber bands :/ Same goes for tape. It ruined books, clothes, even plastic containers and such. The only thing where it was fine were things you cound give a thorow wash like cutlery etc. So please, no rubber band around books :D
It's a pleasant revelation that you are Catholic like me too. God Bless. I think men in general do not like to spend a lot of time in such decison-making. When my husband decides to declutter & downsize his clothing, he's done in 10 minutes max without overthinking
My mom named us after saints. She was expecting my brother and had picked "Kevin Gerard" for his name. Late in the pregnancy she was x-rayed and found out she was having twins. She scrambled to decide a girl's name and made one up. "Teresa Gerardette". The twins are now 70 👍🥳😊
I am also named after St. Gerard because my sister was born with Down syndrome and a hole in her heart needing open heart surgery as an infant. So all throughout my mum’s pregnancy with me she prayed to St. Gerard for a healthy baby and then named me Gerardine after him.
Aktually there are still some people who still do bookbinding as a job and can restore books like this to an certain extend. I would always let a professinell handle those books so they don't get worse over time. They are so beautyful books! 😍
Ask at your local library or museum/historical society about the old Bible and books. Plastic is not good for storage of these items. They may even need to be temperature controlled. These places may even be grateful to accept your donation of loan of these items and acknowledge your family in the display. Great to see some more containers get emptied!
Im trying to get my dad to declutter his garage. Id like for him to declutter his house too but Ill start small with him. Inleft a lot of my old school notes and booms in boxes in there as well as journals. Some of my old school and college stuff that I found still with me I already decluttered. He got angry when he found I threw my own stuff away. I asked him why he felt compelled to keep stuff that wasnt his. He has his own hiard he has accumulated over the years. He likes going to yard sales and thrift stores and flea markets. He hasnt even gotten his mind around the concept of decluttering his personal trove yet he also feels compelled to store away other people's possessions they no longer want. Again, I aksed him for his reasoning why he kept boxes of yes, essentially junk from decades ago. He said "because its normal. Its what people do." That was literally his answer. Ive tried gently explaining that it would be best to declutter what he doesnt need right now, and that Id help him, starting with my own things, because Im not planning on keeping any of his collection of things whenever he passes. I phrased it as best as I could. Im still working on his mindset. Hes not there yet. Hes always complain ing about no space in the garage and he has three cars yet he refuses to get rid of all the boxes and I know he doesnt know whats in most of them. All because "thats what people do". Keep everything they come in contact with during their life.
One of the reasons your dad can't understand your way of thinking is because it sounds like he has strong hoarding tendencies. My mum is a full hoarder, and I'm the opposite. Some people throw around the term hoarder but just because you have heaps of stuff and/or your place is messy doesn't make you a hoarder. They think VERY DIFFERENTLY ABOUT STUFF to the rest of us, and find it very difficult to part with things because they are worried they will feel so bad that it will be crippling. She doesn't like it when I declutter my own things also. Do a bit of research into hoarding, I found a great book called 'Buried in Treasures'. I read it to make sure it was a good resource before giving it to my mum. It's written by psychologists who have researched and spent a lot of time working with people with hoarding disorder. I think it's wonderful that you want to help your dad, just keep in mind, he has to decide he wants to do something, he needs to want to change his way of living, he needs to start super small eg. With discarding what we would call trash, he has to decide what it is he will discard and do it with emotion and not logic, he has to see that he doesn't feel bad/regret after discarding something, start small and build his decluttering muscles and decluttering mindset. Check out a hoarders heart on RUclips, she's great at explaining what its like from a hoarders point of view and she's doing great healing in her hoarding disorder. All the best to you both! 💖💖
I love my Bibles to be seen than hidden or misplaced. I used to take my other Bibles to Christian Bookstore to have it repair and they do excellent job. Keep in mind, it takes few weeks when it ready to pick up. Then I would donate to people or Thrift Store where people need it.
I would wrap the Bibles in cloth and then put the plastic around them and keep them in a dark and humidity free as possible place until you can restore them. What beautiful treasures!
There is such a huge difference between parenting style in US and Europe. No European parent would keep gymnastics equipment in the house. Maybe I am wrong, but my general feeling is that American parents are so supportive when it comes to sports.. my parents would take me to the gym, but that's it, first school, then maybe sport but preferably as a mere hobby and not interfering with family activities and possibly pay for it yourself ahahah
It was the same for me in Canada. My parents never supported my sporty-self. However, when my kids were interested in gymnastics, I supported them by being a part of the gym crew (cleaning, marketing, etc.), sitting through long competitions, and driving them around to meets. I helped them whenever they asked. However, some parents were crazy “pushers” trying to see world champions in tiny, young bodies (now, I’m not suggesting Erica is this way) and, for too many kids, it took the fun out of the hobby and left many unhappy children feeling like they didn’t push hard enough to make it to a provincial or national level. Some of my kid’s friends ruined their bodies (girls and guys) pushing too hard. Although none of the kids went on to national levels, we continue to share together our love of gymnastic and other sports. I think that our “gym time” of our life, as parents and children together, made for good connections in all other areas of our life (talking about goals, being self-motivated, perseverance, being healthy members of community, etc.). Now we share good memories and values that extended far beyond the bars and vaults.
@@annarchydeclutteranddesign413 wow, that is wild. Personally, as a former gymnast and coach myself, I would find that scary. There is so much safety gear that really should be used with gymn gear, and a house just can’t house that much, but a gym with a lot of room certainly can. And, who spots a child that practices with gymn gear at home (let alone, who knows the proper technique)? I just know that I wouldn’t do it nor suggest anyone else do it. Keep the fun, equipment, and practise at the gym. Take a break with family and play at home. IMO Who is that RUclips channel? I’d be curious to check them out.
@@myxochi (it was, of course, just one bar, like Erica's one. The RUclipsr is 'emily Norris' and she certainly had a gymnastics bar in her previous house - you could find it under her older videos.
I don't think is a good idea, it will not isolate the bathroom (smell and sound easily come through those doors). They could change the way it opens, from inside out instead of outside in or make a sliding door that goes into the wall...but since they are moving again I don't think it makes sense to spend on it.
The only thing I could think of then would be to take the door off and have it swing out towards the wall (not towards the stairs). That way the door is no long swinging into the bathroom and potentially blocking space or damaging the sink when it bumps it. I just thought Erica would get a kick out of the barn door idea, lol.
That mass book reminds me of my youth. Full of holy pictures etc. Have one big bible my mothers . must see if any religious person left in my family who would appreciate it. There are names going back births deaths
Good job Andy! I've been watching you, Erica, since your first declutter video and this is the first time I've learned your religious denomination... Which seems surprising, because you've gone through so much stuff, and most Catholics I know tend to have a lot of crosses and Mary's for decoration. Are you less religious? A "jack catholic"? (Honest question, not meant to be offensive). I do vaguely think maybe religion was a homeschool topic you had, but maybe that was darci Isabella I'm thinking of.
Don’t store old fragile books in plastic. Talk with someone at a large university library or church library who can guide you in an acid-free storage set up. They can probably even help put the covers and spines back on the books. Main thing right now is don’t store in plastic bags!
@@EricaLucasLoves I'm an archivist and you've had some pretty good suggestions really. Can I just say that if you want these to be handled by your kids, then get them restored with proper rebinding and gluing if it's in your budget. Don't get too hung up on the"correct" way these "should" be preserved. At the end of the day, they're still just stuff, so make them useful and enjoyable! Until you do anything further, at least remove them from the plastic so they can breathe and pop them into any clean, non-plastic coated cardboard box that's not smelly or been used for food. And putting that somewhere dry and fairly stable temperature wise is ideal. Wardrobe looks like a great option. :)
@@dawngoodman5428 thank you! Do you have suggestions for how to display/use them on our household? I would like to preserve them but still feature them.
@@EricaLucasLoves Ha ha... you asked so here it is... 😉 If you want to contain the books, then I think someone else suggested a shadow box as an idea. Could be quite nice. Or you can buy suitably sized general purpose or archival (acid free) boxes. You'll find plenty of online places who'll make a custom sized solution if you want. Some book restoration services will be able to offer you options too. Some will even make something simple or something beautifully lined and covered... depending on the budget! If you decide to have the binding fixed, then you may want to display the books without a container. Either way (contained or not), here's some ideas that help to care for, and preserve the books over time. A lot of it is common sense so just adapt it to your situation and how you want to enjoy these wee treasures: # Lay them flat and closed. This puts less stress on the spines over time. # Keep them out of direct sunlight. UV light is super hard on organic materials like leather and paper. # If you have a cabinet with a glass fronted cupboard, this is a great spot. That way you can visually enjoy them, access them, and still give them a bit of dust protection. Equally, the box / container idea would achieve the dust protection you're after too. # Steer clear of any plastic or metal fastenings or wraps... over time, these materials will damage the books. # As I mentioned earlier, pop them in a spot that doesn't have crazy fluctuations in extreme temperatures, and definitely make sure you select a dry location. This is one of the most important considerations really. # Just dust with a clean, dry cloth. Be sure not to use any sprays or water. If you end up connecting with a professional book restoration person, they'll be able to recommend a suitable leather conditioner you can apply to the leather from time to time. This will clean and protect the surface. A little will go a long way so you don't need to purchase a big container. I have an old leather bound Bible which I had restored (the result was amazing!) and simply have it displayed on a shelf under our TV. The reality is that I just dust it when I dust and apply some conditioner once in a blue moon. It's lovely to see and touch every day. For us, its location represents (to us) the centrality of our Christian faith both in our physical home space and in our lives - spanning across the generations of time. Kinda cool. Whatever you decide to do, I hope they're enjoyable for you at the end of the day. Cheers!
@@dawngoodman5428 this was the best answer I could have asked you for!!! I am excited for this project and will share how I end up displaying it. THANK YOU!
I found a massive family bible - 14" x 10" x 6" with births and deaths going back to the mid 1700's, including someone named "Alexander Hamilton Hunt" b 1805 and his sister "Eliza Maria Hunt" (Eliza was Alexander Hamilton's wife's name and Maria was his mistress's name...coincidence?) Makes me want to pick up my Ancestry.com project again.
This is helpful because it's practical not theoretical talking: "It's all just stuff" is not helpful. I watch y'all and think, "Hey I have junk like that. I can get rid it it too."
We just moved 3 days ago. I feel so overwhelmed. I purged so much before the move but in the end as we were running out of time family came and just put things in boxes. No labeling, no bubble wrap, no putting cords with what they belong with. Here I am in a brand new house opening boxes finding treasures with random crap! This getting rid of stuff, deciding what to keep and constant decision making in order to declutter is mentally exhausting. I have also realized I can’t discuss getting rid of anything, especially furniture with my family. They want me to keep it all! Your videos help keep me motivated.
"Sentimental doesn't belong in a box, it belongs featured in your life" what a great quote!
Search for acid free storage boxes - they come in various sizes. And acid free tissue. Wrap the bibles in the tissue and then put in the acid free box. Ditch the plastic. Store in even temp area with no little moisture or put a moisture collection tub or hanger near by. You can also search archival library supplies. I worked in college library helping restore books from 1500’s. Dont use any tape for torn pages. There are ways to completely rebind the books but that will take away original spines and covers. There are ways to restore torn pages (rice paper and special archival glues) but best to let reatoration person do that. Check university libraries near by to see if they have an archival collection and reaources to help. Neat finds! I went thru my mom’s stuff recently and found a signed copy of walt whitman poems. Very exciting find. Note inside said an elderly neighbor gave it to her.
Woah! That’s really cool!
I love seeing Andy join the channel. I’m sure it’s a huge blessing to have him home. 💜
So proud of Andy. Setting a great example for guys on how to downsize. This is so important. ❤️ I think the statement he made about how he is getting rid of stuff that wasn’t even important in the first place expresses what happens to so many of us. We don’t really think about what we keep, we just keep it. That perimeter about if it was something he wants to show his kids when they grow up was a great one.
Gymnastics Coach here - the blisters (rips) will come with bars work regardless so if that is the only reason to change the bar no need :) as the skin heals, it’ll be stronger and will get less rips.
Thank you!!
Ya all gymnast have to build up Calisis
I stitched that little owl when I was a beginner. I was probably about seven or eight. It’s so cute!!
Right on Erica... more shelves or less stuff. Keep it going, especially if you know you will move from this house. It is a great space to get all of these boxes decluttered.
Mindset!
Exactly. It's lime field of dreams, but for stuff,... "if you build it they will come"
I would turn the owl cross-stitch into a Christmas ornament! Then you can enjoy it each Christmas season.
I finally finished decluttering my house and found some seashells and crystals that i kept from a long time ago and they were too pretty to keep in a box. I made a beautiful suncatcher/windchime with them and im soo happy that i can look at them everyday 🥰
That sounds very nice :D
Don't you just love it when you find forgotten treasures while decluttering?
I think the little owl cross stitch picture is from a tiny kit for those wanting to learn cross stitch. It came with the pattern, thread, and fabric. I bought this same kit pattern about 30 years ago and taught my aunt how to cross stitch
I love Andy's vision, sounds like a wonderful motivation to keep going with the declutter! :)
Those Bibles are real treasures. I have a collection of family Bibles, including my childhood Bible and the one I received when I was baptized. I literally wore the cover off of the 2nd one....not just carrying it to church, but actually reading it. It was like my best friend all through my teenage years. I hope you find the perfect solution for restoring yours. BTW, y'all are doing such a good job of reorganizing, decluttering and repurposing all of your things. 🙂👍
Very satisfying to be getting through these last boxes - and to see your hubby enjoying the process of lightening up the load he's carrying about and becoming mindful of what he wants to create - you can see as he peels away the stuff he's seeing possibilities for the area that used to be crammed with boxes - it's lovely! Thank you for sharing your journey.
I really enjoy seeing you and Andy working together towards your goals xxxxxxxxxxxx
Look for Book Binders. In my area, there is a Book Binder that will restore old books. It includes rebinding (the *string* that holds the pages together), restore the leather covers, re-glue, etc. Ask around for someone who restores old/antique books. A true book binder will be able to help you in keeping them safe, too. Your books are worth saving and preserving.
I recognize that Anchors Away photo frame. Boot Camp photo package
It's great to see your husband on the video. I think it's hard to get any husband to go through their sentimental stuff. Glad to see it happen!
Don't forget Oragami shelves!😇🤗🥰 The Container Store has them. To pass things down to kids is also what I would do with some items that have value. I definitely would hold on to that valuable Bible.📖 Some sort of protective box would be appropriate, I think. Take care!💖
I’m so excited that you’re a fellow Catholic, I had no idea. ❤️
Yes indeed!
Same!
Same ❤️
I had wondered as well. Same
I was also pleasantly surprised. ☺️
Andy is in the ZONE!
Ya lol
Book restorers are the best option - I happen to be friends with a woman who was involved in the creation of Bilbo's book on The Lord of the Rings (we're New Zealanders) and she made a magical job on a book of my husband's ancestors from the 1880's explaining what they would find in New Zealand (and Australia and the main South Pacific Islands) - and she did not replace the cover.
Old books and papers should be stored in special acid free archival storage boxes. Plastic bags and rubber bands easily ruin old paper.
I will search for that!!
I have my mum’s bible (with hymn book) from 1960 that she got in Scotland before she emigrated to Australia. I also have one of my dad’s books from the catholic society dated 1958. I keep them in my nightstand.
How many more moves do you think The Lucas Family will have? The next one will be so much easier!
You guys are making such great strides
Way to go Andy! I like your quick decision making on your sentimental "stuff"
I love seeing your antique Bibles/missals. I love collecting antique Bibles and hymnals!! It's one of my favorite things to collect!!!
I love how you said sentimental doesn’t belong in a box it belongs featured or used in your life
I feel like I can see SUCH a huge difference in this basement from where you started! 👏
I can’t wait until it’s done!
I appreciate your stamina through your decluttering journey. I am feeling like I am in a decluttering rut. I just had a baby and I don't have the energy to keep going. I'm trying to give myself grace. But it's motivating to see you being persistent.
Do give yourself grace! Enjoy your little one and if you achieve keeping yourself and the little one fed each day, with a new task added per week (perhaps a shower), then you are doing very well!
I always wondered how such little babies come with so much stuff. I was gifted nearly 20 baby blankets 🥴
Beautiful that you want to pass along the religious items to the children. I am a fellow Catholic and I know how sentimental the prayer cards and books are to the heart, especially from grandma 💗🙏🏼💗
I'm reading all my books in my house one last time. If i love them they otherwise they go. So far a lot of books are gone!
@Erica Lucas You could find a Bookibinding Book Restoration place in your area and have a consultation with them, see what they can do and how much would it cost, then decide. They can certainly help (ex. they can reattache the loose board, condition the leather)... maybe they can also make a protective removable binder that could go over the original one.
I did this with my mom's First Communion prayer book. It's about 65 years old and the cover was damaged beyond repair. The restorer did a wonderful job adding a new cover. It is beautiful and, even though brand new, goes well with the old prayer book.
I think I understand a bit what Andy was on about. I feel like for so long there have been this idea that you have to save "sentimental" stuff just because you have to.
Like pictures, good or bad, or that first price in that contest in second grade that you would not even remember were it not for that piece of paper. ..so is it really needed to be remembered??
I feel like, maybe more so before internet and digital stuff, this idea of saving everything...
That said, I really enjoy saving a handful of the pretty mother's day cards that probably were given by my dad and siblings to their mum and hence from the.. 1950s?
But only a handful of a box full..
Erica I filled big box hood clothes for charity today. Each time I watch one of your videos I fill a bag💐
I thought you were moving again soon. Love these decluttering videos!
No before and after shots of progress? Thats one of the best parts! Or box counts of how many got knocked out? How many boxes left?
Oh no! We’ve been doing so many I forgot!!! I will do that on the next one. We started with 25 sentimental bins and are down to about 8. We started with 100s and 100s a year and a half ago. Thanks for the reminder to do that!!
Lovely! You are finding your real treasures!
You guys are getting so much closer to making Andy’s basement into a reality! Keep up the good work! Your keep bin isn’t even full yet, is it? I recall the letterman’s jacket, love letters, a clock that needs repairs, and now an old bible and an old payer book. Not bad at all.
This is a great video. I really like to hear Andys thoughts about sentimental items. We try to have one box per person, but my husband has like 5 and that’s ok too. My kids are getting ready for summer holiday and are emptying everything from their schools, this year none of them want to bring anything home because they had to declutter their stuff last summer and they really don’t like to keep anything from school… Their teachers really incourage the kids to bring everything home, but since we don’t keep it the stuff only gets recycled anyway.
My uncle had my great-grandmothers bible rebound (it was from 1700's and in German) at a place in Batesville Indiana. I'll try to find out what the name of the place is - they did a beautiful job. Thank you for sharing today. I didn't know you were Catholic!
I want more!! Lol I’m hooked.
More coming!
Congratulations it's a chipmunk!!
I found my great grandmother’s bible but it completely disintegrated upon lifting it from the box. Always nice to meet another Catholic, even across the world! 🙋🏼♀️
I've enjoyed your decluterring videos so much I'll almost be disappointed when you get completely decluttered!
I wonder if I will reach that point.
Ask the library about restoring books
It will be so nice for you to have so much more usable space!
You might check to see if there is a special collection department at a college near you. They might have the names of some restoration professionals they can give you.
The only thing I can add to the preservation is: Do not under any circumstances have rubber bands around ANYTHING you want to keep for a decade or more. When we cleaned out my grandparents' house, so many things were destroyed by rubberbands that through the years had dried out and left stains on the stuff they were around. Even the baby stuff my mum packed away after my sister had outgrown it (she is only turning 25 so it was "only" two decades) was ruined by some of the rubber bands :/
Same goes for tape. It ruined books, clothes, even plastic containers and such. The only thing where it was fine were things you cound give a thorow wash like cutlery etc.
So please, no rubber band around books :D
Hey! A fellow Catholic! Awesome! Love the decluttering vids! 💓
Hi!!
It's a pleasant revelation that you are Catholic like me too. God Bless.
I think men in general do not like to spend a lot of time in such decison-making. When my husband decides to declutter & downsize his clothing, he's done in 10 minutes max without overthinking
My mom named us after saints. She was expecting my brother and had picked "Kevin Gerard" for his name. Late in the pregnancy she was x-rayed and found out she was having twins. She scrambled to decide a girl's name and made one up. "Teresa Gerardette". The twins are now 70 👍🥳😊
I am also named after St. Gerard because my sister was born with Down syndrome and a hole in her heart needing open heart surgery as an infant. So all throughout my mum’s pregnancy with me she prayed to St. Gerard for a healthy baby and then named me Gerardine after him.
You can always check with your local library - they could look up the reputable locations for you. :)
More shelves or less stuff lol!
Please consider leafing through that bible you are donating. There might be some mass cards of or memorial cards that you want to keep
Good to see hubby in video.
Andy has a lot , but ur on a roll💐
Aktually there are still some people who still do bookbinding as a job and can restore books like this to an certain extend. I would always let a professinell handle those books so they don't get worse over time.
They are so beautyful books! 😍
If you have a university near you, try contacting their library. They might be able to refer you to someone locally who does restoration book binding.
100 walks.... How's it going Erica? Thank you for the insperation. I'm on 4/96 to go! 🚶Gwenllian in 🏴
Go Andy 🥰
Ask at your local library or museum/historical society about the old Bible and books. Plastic is not good for storage of these items. They may even need to be temperature controlled. These places may even be grateful to accept your donation of loan of these items and acknowledge your family in the display. Great to see some more containers get emptied!
If you are not keeping pictures in frames make sure you get albums that are photo safe!
Oh my goodness
I absulove that Owl!
If y’all decide to declutter it I can offer it a home where it will be cherished.
Wow amazing finding those bibles - great that you declutter together ✅💖
Im trying to get my dad to declutter his garage. Id like for him to declutter his house too but Ill start small with him. Inleft a lot of my old school notes and booms in boxes in there as well as journals. Some of my old school and college stuff that I found still with me I already decluttered. He got angry when he found I threw my own stuff away.
I asked him why he felt compelled to keep stuff that wasnt his. He has his own hiard he has accumulated over the years. He likes going to yard sales and thrift stores and flea markets. He hasnt even gotten his mind around the concept of decluttering his personal trove yet he also feels compelled to store away other people's possessions they no longer want. Again, I aksed him for his reasoning why he kept boxes of yes, essentially junk from decades ago. He said "because its normal. Its what people do." That was literally his answer.
Ive tried gently explaining that it would be best to declutter what he doesnt need right now, and that Id help him, starting with my own things, because Im not planning on keeping any of his collection of things whenever he passes. I phrased it as best as I could. Im still working on his mindset. Hes not there yet. Hes always complain ing about no space in the garage and he has three cars yet he refuses to get rid of all the boxes and I know he doesnt know whats in most of them. All because "thats what people do". Keep everything they come in contact with during their life.
One of the reasons your dad can't understand your way of thinking is because it sounds like he has strong hoarding tendencies. My mum is a full hoarder, and I'm the opposite. Some people throw around the term hoarder but just because you have heaps of stuff and/or your place is messy doesn't make you a hoarder. They think VERY DIFFERENTLY ABOUT STUFF to the rest of us, and find it very difficult to part with things because they are worried they will feel so bad that it will be crippling. She doesn't like it when I declutter my own things also. Do a bit of research into hoarding, I found a great book called 'Buried in Treasures'. I read it to make sure it was a good resource before giving it to my mum. It's written by psychologists who have researched and spent a lot of time working with people with hoarding disorder.
I think it's wonderful that you want to help your dad, just keep in mind, he has to decide he wants to do something, he needs to want to change his way of living, he needs to start super small eg. With discarding what we would call trash, he has to decide what it is he will discard and do it with emotion and not logic, he has to see that he doesn't feel bad/regret after discarding something, start small and build his decluttering muscles and decluttering mindset. Check out a hoarders heart on RUclips, she's great at explaining what its like from a hoarders point of view and she's doing great healing in her hoarding disorder. All the best to you both! 💖💖
I love my Bibles to be seen than hidden or misplaced. I used to take my other Bibles to Christian Bookstore to have it repair and they do excellent job. Keep in mind, it takes few weeks when it ready to pick up. Then I would donate to people or Thrift Store where people need it.
Yes, it is best to put in Zip lock to preserve in case 😊👍🏼
Have you guys had family members get upset for “sentimental” things you’ve decluttered on your channel? 💜
I would wrap the Bibles in cloth and then put the plastic around them and keep them in a dark and humidity free as possible place until you can restore them. What beautiful treasures!
You guys are Goals!! 🌠🌠🌠🌠
There is such a huge difference between parenting style in US and Europe. No European parent would keep gymnastics equipment in the house. Maybe I am wrong, but my general feeling is that American parents are so supportive when it comes to sports.. my parents would take me to the gym, but that's it, first school, then maybe sport but preferably as a mere hobby and not interfering with family activities and possibly pay for it yourself ahahah
It was the same for me in Canada. My parents never supported my sporty-self.
However, when my kids were interested in gymnastics, I supported them by being a part of the gym crew (cleaning, marketing, etc.), sitting through long competitions, and driving them around to meets. I helped them whenever they asked. However, some parents were crazy “pushers” trying to see world champions in tiny, young bodies (now, I’m not suggesting Erica is this way) and, for too many kids, it took the fun out of the hobby and left many unhappy children feeling like they didn’t push hard enough to make it to a provincial or national level. Some of my kid’s friends ruined their bodies (girls and guys) pushing too hard. Although none of the kids went on to national levels, we continue to share together our love of gymnastic and other sports. I think that our “gym time” of our life, as parents and children together, made for good connections in all other areas of our life (talking about goals, being self-motivated, perseverance, being healthy members of community, etc.). Now we share good memories and values that extended far beyond the bars and vaults.
Actually, another RUclipsr I watch in England allows gymnastic equipment in the house - but then, she was Canadian raised.
@@annarchydeclutteranddesign413 yes, I guess it's a prejudice, I am from Italy and, unless it's soccer, parents don't seem THAT supprtive
@@annarchydeclutteranddesign413 wow, that is wild. Personally, as a former gymnast and coach myself, I would find that scary. There is so much safety gear that really should be used with gymn gear, and a house just can’t house that much, but a gym with a lot of room certainly can. And, who spots a child that practices with gymn gear at home (let alone, who knows the proper technique)? I just know that I wouldn’t do it nor suggest anyone else do it. Keep the fun, equipment, and practise at the gym. Take a break with family and play at home. IMO
Who is that RUclips channel? I’d be curious to check them out.
@@myxochi (it was, of course, just one bar, like Erica's one. The RUclipsr is 'emily Norris' and she certainly had a gymnastics bar in her previous house - you could find it under her older videos.
You might want to get some acid free tissue paper to wrap them in until you find a book restoration company. Just a thought b
Pearl Jam 😁
make the bathroom door a barn door! Yes!
I don't think is a good idea, it will not isolate the bathroom (smell and sound easily come through those doors). They could change the way it opens, from inside out instead of outside in or make a sliding door that goes into the wall...but since they are moving again I don't think it makes sense to spend on it.
The only thing I could think of then would be to take the door off and have it swing out towards the wall (not towards the stairs). That way the door is no long swinging into the bathroom and potentially blocking space or damaging the sink when it bumps it.
I just thought Erica would get a kick out of the barn door idea, lol.
Andy is the kinda guy i'd like to have a beer with 😄 So easy going 🍻
I like this shirt on you, Erica.
Thank you!
Ha! You're so cute at the end! I love it!
Contact your local library. They will have information on how they fix and protect books.
Can Andy give my hubby advice on being a RUclips husband host with the most??? 😙
Erica you look so good. Very pretty. And your husband is a handsome fella.
You gave the squirrel photo the full Vanna White treatment 🤣🤣
That mass book reminds me of my youth. Full of holy pictures etc. Have one big bible my mothers .
must see if any religious person left in my family who would appreciate it. There are names going back births deaths
Squirrel 😜
I attended St Gerard’s primary school many, many,decades ago. Fitting that I should have become a birth attendant…..who could turn babies btw.
Love the old bibles. Way to go Andy getting rid of stuff.
Bibles in Shadow Boxes?
Contact your local library they might know who to get in touch with to get the bible and prayer book restored
And the navy probably has older books they have had restored - though I suppose they have inhouse librarians who ensure the books are maintained.
Good job Andy!
I've been watching you, Erica, since your first declutter video and this is the first time I've learned your religious denomination... Which seems surprising, because you've gone through so much stuff, and most Catholics I know tend to have a lot of crosses and Mary's for decoration. Are you less religious? A "jack catholic"? (Honest question, not meant to be offensive). I do vaguely think maybe religion was a homeschool topic you had, but maybe that was darci Isabella I'm thinking of.
Andy is sooo cool. 😍😭✌️🤪 I like Tom too. They should do a video together!!!!!!
Don’t store old fragile books in plastic. Talk with someone at a large university library or church library who can guide you in an acid-free storage set up. They can probably even help put the covers and spines back on the books. Main thing right now is don’t store in plastic bags!
Google Ace Bookbinders, Oklahoma City, OK.
Ok!
@@EricaLucasLoves I'm an archivist and you've had some pretty good suggestions really. Can I just say that if you want these to be handled by your kids, then get them restored with proper rebinding and gluing if it's in your budget. Don't get too hung up on the"correct" way these "should" be preserved. At the end of the day, they're still just stuff, so make them useful and enjoyable! Until you do anything further, at least remove them from the plastic so they can breathe and pop them into any clean, non-plastic coated cardboard box that's not smelly or been used for food. And putting that somewhere dry and fairly stable temperature wise is ideal. Wardrobe looks like a great option. :)
@@dawngoodman5428 thank you! Do you have suggestions for how to display/use them on our household? I would like to preserve them but still feature them.
@@EricaLucasLoves Ha ha... you asked so here it is... 😉
If you want to contain the books, then I think someone else suggested a shadow box as an idea. Could be quite nice. Or you can buy suitably sized general purpose or archival (acid free) boxes. You'll find plenty of online places who'll make a custom sized solution if you want. Some book restoration services will be able to offer you options too. Some will even make something simple or something beautifully lined and covered... depending on the budget!
If you decide to have the binding fixed, then you may want to display the books without a container. Either way (contained or not), here's some ideas that help to care for, and preserve the books over time. A lot of it is common sense so just adapt it to your situation and how you want to enjoy these wee treasures:
# Lay them flat and closed. This puts less stress on the spines over time.
# Keep them out of direct sunlight. UV light is super hard on organic materials like leather and paper.
# If you have a cabinet with a glass fronted cupboard, this is a great spot. That way you can visually enjoy them, access them, and still give them a bit of dust protection. Equally, the box / container idea would achieve the dust protection you're after too.
# Steer clear of any plastic or metal fastenings or wraps... over time, these materials will damage the books.
# As I mentioned earlier, pop them in a spot that doesn't have crazy fluctuations in extreme temperatures, and definitely make sure you select a dry location. This is one of the most important considerations really.
# Just dust with a clean, dry cloth. Be sure not to use any sprays or water. If you end up connecting with a professional book restoration person, they'll be able to recommend a suitable leather conditioner you can apply to the leather from time to time. This will clean and protect the surface. A little will go a long way so you don't need to purchase a big container.
I have an old leather bound Bible which I had restored (the result was amazing!) and simply have it displayed on a shelf under our TV. The reality is that I just dust it when I dust and apply some conditioner once in a blue moon. It's lovely to see and touch every day. For us, its location represents (to us) the centrality of our Christian faith both in our physical home space and in our lives - spanning across the generations of time. Kinda cool. Whatever you decide to do, I hope they're enjoyable for you at the end of the day. Cheers!
@@dawngoodman5428 this was the best answer I could have asked you for!!! I am excited for this project and will share how I end up displaying it. THANK YOU!
❤️❤️
Are you guys still planning on moving?
Someday. Maybe staying in this house another year? Depends on the Navy.
I found a massive family bible - 14" x 10" x 6" with births and deaths going back to the mid 1700's, including someone named "Alexander Hamilton Hunt" b 1805 and his sister "Eliza Maria Hunt" (Eliza was Alexander Hamilton's wife's name and Maria was his mistress's name...coincidence?) Makes me want to pick up my Ancestry.com project again.
Ya I want to see you display feature and use a Bible from the 1800s..... some things belong in a box or shadowbox safe.....
i display my grandpas bible in a acrylic display container.
Way too short...miss the longer videos
This is helpful because it's practical not theoretical talking: "It's all just stuff" is not helpful. I watch y'all and think, "Hey I have junk like that. I can get rid it it too."