Worthless Treasures

By Mary L. Hamilton

Description:

Professional organizer Diamond Lange helps clients declutter their homes and let go of what no longer serves them. But when her mother, Eva, suddenly passes away, Diamond is left with a house overflowing with junk and a promise she regrets making.

Although Diamond considers everything in her mother's house trash, Eva left behind a very specific list of five seemingly worthless objects—a piano, a rag doll, a ceramic vase, a vintage necklace, and a star painting. Eva requested these items be passed on to others who will cherish them as much as she did.

At a time when Diamond questions her own self-worth, she sees little value in the items on the list. Who in the world would accept--much less appreciate--a piano that will always be out of tune, a doll that’s lost half its hair, or any of the other worthless items on Eva’s list? But to assuage her guilt, and Eva's perceived disappointment in her, Diamond determines to honor her mother’s last wishes, commencing an emotional journey through dusty memories and buried regrets.

The unexpected arrival of an old flame, the threat of her childhood home being demolished, and a child’s urgent health problem force Diamond to consider what truly matters. Worth isn’t always calculated in dollars and cents. Sometimes it's measured with the heart.

Book Takeaway:

True worth is found not in financial value but in the people and memories we associate with our possessions.

Why the author wrote this book:

Cleaning out our parents' homes and watching others go through the same ordeal, I realized that the things important to one generation are rarely seen as important to the next generation. I wondered what few things I'd want my kids to keep after I passed away.