Ok, stupid question, I just need encouragement

[CathyA]

Some of you know what a puzzler I am. In the past couple of years I've done close to 50 puzzle. Some of them I have glued and framed. Some are waiting to be glued.
But I still have the boxes for all of them. The pictures on the boxes are beautiful and it gives some information about the company who made, who the artists was, the dimensions of the puzzle.
But dang....they are taking up so much space. But I look at all the boxes and cringe at the thought of throwing them out/burning them/sending the carboard to recycling.
Please give me a pep talk for getting rid of these. And let me know if you have any good reasons for keeping them.

Sorry.....I'm a wimp today. :(

[iris lilies]

There are two things here.


Thing one: relevant information about the art pieces such as the publisher and the artist. You could cut out those relevant pieces from the box and paste it to the back of the puzzle. Or, you could copy that information into a digital document, print out the document, and glue it to the back of the puzzle.


Thing two: the box. There are a bezillion beautiful items in the world and Cathy,you cannot keep them all. You already have the puzzle itself, and you do not need another copy of the image, that which appears on the box. It is just more crap around your house.

[Chicken lady]

I have a framed watercolor reproduction with an article about the artist attached to the back of the frame, so I second that option for information you want to keep.

i am also trying to imagine 50 framed puzzles, and wondering, if looking back at the puzzles you’ve done gives you joy if maybe you should get a binder and some sleeves and make an album of all the box cover art so that you can keep that if someday you need to reduce the number of framed pieces. It would take up less space than 50 boxes.

[Float On]

Good advice from both IL and CL. I'd probably lean towards the adding info to the back side so it's with the item.
For me once I've done a puzzle once I'm done with it and pass it along to someone else but I love to do puzzles and find great satisfaction in that last piece. Then I take about 30 seconds to look at it and take it apart.

[CathyA]

Thanks everyone. I hate my need to keep things. :(

Chicken lady......I've slowed down on framing them, for sure. I have only about 10 that are framed, and some that are just glued, and some that are stored flat that haven't been glued yet. Some I like to change out through the different seasons.
It's not easy being me. :( I think it will be as it has in the past for other things I've gotten rid of..........it's the moment of separation that is the hardest...then I move on. (except for the times I freak out and think
"OH MY GOD! WHAT HAVE I DONE??!) :~)
At least I keep trying to deal with my "save everything" problem.
I appreciate all your suggestions!

[Teacher Terry]

I used to be a saver but having to move 5 people across the country in a U-Haul cured me. We could only take so much. Then I started to think about all the money I wasted when I had to sell or give things away. Eventually I found that the more I got rid of the better I felt. It was hard at first. Then I realized less stuff made my life easier. But I get the struggle as DH has it but is getting better.

[CathyA]

I'm able to get into it (purging) occasionally and it does feel really good. Now, though, I can't seem to get my engine started. I'm having trouble getting my husband to get interested in anything, and I think it's dampened my spirit/energy. Then again, maybe I just need more caffeine? :D

[Float On]

The other side of that is that I purge or get rid of so much and then later go "...oh I wish I still had that." Currently I'm lamenting a few things I sold in my big purge year. I kept track of it here and my goal was over 100 items a month, there are some garden decor items I'm regretting having parted with like an Armillary, some stained glass windows and old farm house windows, and other rusty metal things.

[Tybee]

Personally, I would pick a number lower than 50 because I don't have that much wall space, to get total number lower. Then I would get those glued and framed and put the info from the box on back of puzzle, then recycle box. I would give the rest of the puzzles away in boxes for others to enjoy--the last several nursing homes we have toured have had wonderful puzzle set ups and they are very soothing and build a sense of community for all. They are also very evocative for the older folks with memory issues.

So I would try to pass on the beauty to where it will do much good.