I came across a crotched piano runner my Grandmother made for me when I was sorting through my linen closet a few weeks ago. I don't love the piano runner now and never did.  But yet I kept it in my special linens bin because I love my Grandma, and she handmade this for me.

What a tripe whammy:  gift, homemade, Grandma.  Guilt from three angles.  Any one of these can make getting rid of something difficult.  But three of them? What’s a girl to do?

One of my favorite methods is to try to find a good home for the item. I think many of us wish that what we have a hard time parting with will be enjoyed by someone else.

Some things are just too hard to donate. Maybe it’s because we never really know what happens to them.  I donate many things, most of the time without  a second thought, probably because they don’t have any feelings associated with them.

So each month that I go to my book club I bring a bag of things that I want to find a good home.  Many times I have great success with this and feel a bit like the matchmaker.  My friends take home something they love, and I get the satisfaction of seeing my things appreciated again or maybe for the first time.

I just sent a note out to the family to see if anyone wants the piano runner. If not, to book club it goes next month.  And if no one wants it, I feel better for at least trying to find it a good home, and that makes the guilt go away, triple whammy or not.