Not quite ready to cash in … yet

Published 5:51 pm Thursday, August 8, 2019

While I am not a minimalist, I do know how to clean out closets and organize.

As long as I can find a home for something, it can stay.

But “nar” it fit, out it goes.

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For a person who appreciates antiques and old things, this can be a challenge, but reluctantly I have had to let some things go.

And as karma would have it, when I finally do decide to get rid of the item, either by putting it in the garbage or donating it, I typically find a use for it a week later.

Letting go of my keepsakes is challenging. However, cleaning out closets of others in the house … well it’s quite funny I don’t seem to struggle as much.

Take, for instance, the hundreds of T-shirts hubby has collected through the years. Although I have refrained from tossing many of them, there have been a few that did not make the cut.

Letting go of certain possessions can be hard, and after perusing Facebook the other day, I might be glad I made a home in the closet for some.

While I was looking at photos of my grandchildren and vacation pictures of a high school friend, interspersed between the two was an advertisement about collectible toys and games that could fetch a fortune.

And what really caught my eye was the American Girl doll that was displayed along with the article.

As a doll lover myself, at Christmases and birthdays I found it easy to order these beauties with many of their accessories for my three girls.

My older two daughters were even recipients of the original dolls made by Pleasant Company.

I figured I might have a fortune.

I am not sure how many of the American Girl dolls we have in all, easily 15. Cha-Ching!

Also tucked away are some of my Barbie dolls.

As a little girl who grew up in the 60’s, I have some of the earliest ones made. However, while their bodies are in good condition, I did play beauty shop with a few, and I don’t think they are worth as much with a cropped hairdo.

Nonetheless, my Ken doll might look good enough to garner a few bucks.

Also included on the list of valuable toys and games were early model video games and G.I. Joes.

I am pretty sure I might have one of my brother’s action figures in my old Barbie case. Ken needed a friend!

If you think you might have some of these treasures tucked away in your house, you might want to consider cashing in.

I have seriously thought about it, but for some reason, I am just not ready to let go.

My best friend Janet Jackson and I spent hours playing Barbies. And who’s to say I should get to make a profit off of my daughter’s memories?

There might come a day when I am ready to make some dough, but for now I will just continue to provide a home for the dolls.

Terri Cowart Frazier is a staff writer with the Vicksburg Post. She can be reached at terri.frazier@vicksburgpost.com.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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