This happened to me this past week. I realized something I'd taken for granted meant a lot to me.
No, not my husband. I already know how much he means to me.
I'm talking about a clothes basket.
The handle broke. And you know how that is. Once they've split like that, when you pick them up, they pinch your hand.
You can see where I put a little red mark where the basket handle has broken.
The thing is, this is no ordinary clothes basket.
This is the best clothes basket EVER. I bought it in 1983 - yep, the year I married. It was one of my first purchases as new wife.
My clothes basket has been with me for 29 years.
This thing was made by Rubbermaid. I have had other clothes baskets throughout the decades - of course you need more than one - but this one has held up and withstood all kinds of tossing about.
It was quite small, too. And I, being short of stature (though wide of butt) found it to be the perfect size.
Of course, you cannot find anything like it anymore.
 |
| The replacement basket is taller and wider. |
How ridiculous!
But I find I can't throw this old basket out. I put it out with the trash, really I did.
And then I fetched it back in the house.
I decided I would try to glue it back together.
I really don't think it will hold. But after all these years, I thought it deserved a second chance.
Silly, right? But what's a little glue among friends.
How about you? Anything in your house that you could easily replace, but would be unhappy to part with?
I can't think of anything off hand, but it's just always irritating when something so useful breaks. Hope this glue works for you!!
ReplyDeleteStill gluing, so I don't know. I keep adding layers of glue to the thing.
DeleteA few wraps of duct tape ought to reinforce that handle. (I love those square laundry baskets.)
ReplyDeleteI've done the duct tape route before. It works, but then it wears and gets sticky. I might resort to that, though, if I find I can't part with the basket.
DeleteThey make velcro wraps to put around luggage handles. It might work!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on being reluctant to give up a favorite laundry basket. I have five, all by Rubbermaid, but my two favorites (and oldest!) are rectangular ones that *just* fit inside the closet, side by side, so that I can easily sort lights from darks. I've never tried gluing them, but I did try both duct and electrical tape and, as you pointed out, that wears away and becomes ubber sticky.
ReplyDeleteThe other three baskets are their larger "sturdier" rectangular ones, which are quite a bit heavier, don't fit as well inside a standard closet, and are not as easy to tote. About the only thing they have going for them is that they don't break/crack as easily as the others. They also have sturdier, snap-in handles--the downside of which is, they constantly pop out, usually while you are trying to carry them.
Same thing happened to me with 2 favorite, but older, Rubbermaid laundry baskets! And, like yourself, I didn't want to part with them so 1 went to the attic where it's used to sort things for giveaway or to haul items down from the attic. I also tried the tape route, but it only worked for awhile. The 2 new replacement baskets are exactly like the ones shown in your post, shorter and with nice handles, but NOT the same as my favorite old ones. So, no it doesn't sound silly to lament about laundry baskets. I had my 2 favorite ones for nearly as long..sigh.
ReplyDeleteThey don't make 'em like they used to!
ReplyDeleteFor me, it's a spaghetti spoon. An orange plastic spaghetti spoon that I left in the old house. I bought another one but it's not the same. My original spaghetti spoon was sentimental to me because my nana gave it to me, right around the time you got your laundry basket, back when no one had a spaghetti spoon. I miss that spoon...