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I think you're right about older folks saving things that may have some use left in them. The depression probably made a lot of folks more resourceful than we are now. Dad and mom both grew up during the depression, mom in the country and dad in the city (DC and Philly). Dad remembers putting newspapers in the toes of somebody elses wornout shoes so they'd fit him and help keep his feet warm. He drove a delivery truck in Philly when he was 11 to help feed the family. Mom's small town memories were of growing their food and making their clothes. Both remembered their mothers saying that they "weren't hungry" at suppertime, so their kids would have food on their plates.

I learned a lot from both of them, and I miss them.

Yes --- I think some people never got with the "throw it away even if it's still good" approach. I know houses used to have basements and attics --- baby furniture and clothes were handed down for generations --- in the past generations, probably few people ever threw anything away unless it was completely useless --- landfills were probably unheard of.

Even us who can get rid of things kind of have to force ourselves --- maybe it's kind of natural to save.