Items you own that have followed you through life

[d_brennen]

The only item I really treasure is my granddad's watch which he gave me after a stroke. He died shortly after, must be 20 years or so ago. Generally declutter often, if something no longer brings me joy it gets moved on

 

[jsmoke]

I have a Siamese cat made of china bought in Holland around 1987, I must have liked the look of it as a kid and I've managed to keep it ever since.

 

[PlacidCasual]

I have one pair of knackered old Converse Skate Star Pro trainers. I used to go clubbing to indie nights in them in teh 90's I think I owned about 4 pairs before they stopped making them. I've kept them through every move even though I can't wear them anymore for fear of breaking them.

I also have a a hand saw my dad borrowed and never returned from the art department of a college of FE he was working at in the 70's it still says Art on the side in Tippex. I remember it in our garage when I was a kid and now it hangs in mine. Nice saw if I ever bothered to clean it up and sharpen. But that wouldn't be the point.

 

[Illuminist]

A book my parent got for me when I was 5 that has my name and my relatives written into the story, and the street where I lived, I am a detective solving a little crime in the book, I believe they are called "all about me" books that you could have customised back then, still have it almost 40 years later

 

[OspreyO]

I've never had the space to hold on to stuff. So I've not kept anything. A few favourite books maybe.

Probably the oldest stuff I have is my dads tools, that I would have used a long time ago when in the building trade. Never had space for them in my own house.
When I clear out the parents house most of that will go too. Unless I build a workshop, or put it into storage.

 

[Pawnless Endgame]

I have a Christmas decoration for the table which I made aged 7 in the Brownies. It comes out every year. It's my Trigger's Broom. Had the tinsel replaced about 4 times and the candle (never lit) 7 times.

Still use my Mickey Mouse egg spoon when I have a boiled egg and that's a year younger than me.

That's pretty sweet! I haven't kept many childhood items, except for a couple of things maybe. One was a Care Bear plush (Love-a-lot Bear with the 2 hearts), and an A5 glow-in-the-dark hard plastic sheet which had black templates such as a light bulb. You placed the template over the A5 glow sheet, so that when you turn the lights off, you see the template's shape e.g. the bulb shape light up from the glow sheet. Of course until it fades out after a few minutes. I lost the templates years ago but still got the glow sheet.

Other than that, I still got a few ceramic items that I made in art class but that was in my secondary (teenage) years. Pretty impressive that you held onto something from the age of 7.

 

[Digital X]

I was given a soft toy bear that I've had for 32 years, still in very very good condition. Can't remember the make of it now.

 

[HangTime]

-Teddy bear from when I was a kid, complete with the replacement label my mother had to resew on several times and I liked playing with the smooth texture of it.
-A sealed Mars bar that's over 30 years old.
-A small keyring knife with a fish pattern on it. Pretty blunt.
-Arsenal football shirt from around 1995 (JVC), doesn't fit me but I've said my son can have it when he's a bit older

We're in the process of getting rid of stuff collected over the last few decades. It can be painful but we had the 'what the **** would our son do with all this stuff if something happened to us?' and the answer is that he would probably just have a house clearance company in so we might as well make a start now.

I think that's a good attitude. We tend to hoard a lot of stuff, I don't really like throwing stuff out, but if I were to think my family would have to trawl through it all, it would be too overwhelming and they'd probably either end up just sticking it all away somewhere or throwing it out, meaning they'd never find the few things that might be genuinely of interest.

Then there's stuff which is more obvious what it is but just clutters up the place like DVDs and CDs. We tend to stream media these days, there's box sets that have just say on a bookcase unopened for over 10 years.

 

[Rroff]

I was given a soft toy bear that I've had for 32 years, still in very very good condition. Can't remember the make of it now.

Reminds me I've still got a toy bear that is absolutely ancient - no idea how old (likely close to 100) but been through several generations of the family - never really been played with but often posed in the background of pictures doing silly things or dressed up in silly stuff, etc. somehow came into my possession so I've kept it.

 

[almoststew1990]

The PC game Driver seems to make it to my new house every time I move, packed in my 'computer crap' box. I got that when I was 8 or 9 for Christmas. It's just a jewel CD case and CD.

 

[Yaayuh!]

I have the piston from my TS50X 70cc bore kit. It went pop between home and 6th form, many years ago now. Kept it as a reminder of the motorcyclist’s walk of shame.

 

[supafly]

Celestion A3 speakers. 3x8 inch woofers, a 7 inch mid range and 1 inch tweeter in each speaker. They are a proper piece of furniture, solid wood, weighing ~50kg each. Just effortless musicality.

 

[bainbridge]

I have a set of cycle tyre levers my mum bought me when I was about 10 and started doing punctures because I kept bending her teaspoons! I still take them out riding and use them where needed.

 

[GreatAuk]

I have various folders with little mementos of things like cards from certain people, tickets to certain events etc. I guess the only proper sentimental items which I imagine I'll never get rid are a painting my grandad did (and used to hang on the wall when I was a kid) and an old teddy.

 

[bayo000]

A bottle opener on my keys I got from my sister when I was 15/16, I'm 42 now.
A coffee mug that I use almost daily, got it from one of my brothers for my 20th when I served in the army. It moved countries with me 3 times, few scratches along the bottom edges but otherwise is fine.
A Levi's t-shirt I 'stole' from my oldest brother when I first moved abroad at 20. Unfortunately it's quite worn but I still wear it from time to time around the house, especially when decorating.

 

[sniperone]

Set of technics 1210’ saved up hard to buy them doing Saturday jobs and a Paper round . 35 years later i still have them and use them ,never been serviced and would never part with them .