What to do with old family snapshots and negatives?
An older sibling, suffering from dementia, has moved to a nursing home, and her friends have been sorting through stuff and sending me old photographs and such. I'm keeping the good ones, or those of sentimental value, but most are pretty poor and date back to the '60s and '70s. What can I do with them? As I understand it, they are not recyclable, and I doubt many, if any, are of historical/social value. (And, sadly, I don't do craft projects.) Fortunately, they only fill up about half a shoe box. Any ideas?
Jun 24, 2019
Parent Replies
If it is only half a shoe box, I would just sit with this for a while. You will get some clarity over time. It's painful to have to cull family photos ("this is good enough - this isn't good enough" - ugh) and you shouldn't feel bad about not being willing/able to just dump it all in the trash at this moment, even if you are the kind of person who can usually be pretty ruthless about these things (I am too). I kept a bunch of crap from my dad for a while, but gradually was able to let things go and winnow them down, and I don't have any regrets (over that part at least). It's a little like the aging process itself, I guess. I don't think you have to go full Marie Kondo in this particular situation. Anyway, for what it's worth, I'm feeling for you.
if you’re comfortable with it, the center for creative reuse would probably accept this as a donation!