DEAR ABBY: My father recently moved to an apartment with no storage and I was left with 10 large boxes of memorabilia. Going through these boxes brought many tears of remembrance and new insights into the lives of my parents and grandparents.
My problem now is what to do with these things; I can scan photos and letters, but what about Great-Grandma's wedding dress (stained and moth-eaten), Mother's christening gown (too frail to use again) and the dear soft curl of hair from my uncle who died in childhood?
I don't have much storage room, and I'm not certain my children would even care about these things. Yet it doesn't seem right to throw them in the garbage. I wonder what other people do with treasured items that have no value beyond sentiment. -- SOFT HEART/PRACTICAL HEAD IN TACOMA
DEAR SOFT HEART: Do not automatically assume that your children would have no interest in the contents of those 10 boxes. Ask them. However, if they say no, then contact the state historical society or a local theater troupe and inquire if they would have any interest. You may be pleasantly surprised to find some of the items would be welcomed.