The E-bay “value” is about $295.00, but my mom’s old typewriter is priceless to me.

Last week I started a 40-day declutter challenge focused on clearing out the file cabinet of papers, old electronics, and office supplies in my father’s home.

In the closet, on the very top shelf, was my mom’s old Smith Corona Super Sterling (Seafoam Green!); it had been neglected for a few decades.

 I pulled the Smith-Corona down from the top shelf; I loved this typewriter and so many memories!

My mother was a stay-at-home mom but also did all the bookkeeping for my father’s business (she was an early adapter of “work-from-home,”) but I digress.

Each night after tucking my brothers and me into bed, she would sit down at her Smith-Corona typewriter and start typing up contracts, invoices, and other correspondence for my dad’s business.

I remember the clacking sound of the keys as they hit each other over and over again, the sound of the lever as it moved the carriage back to its starting point, as well as the distinct sound of paper being pulled from its roller bars, followed by another piece of paper being rolled in by those same rollers; my children have never experienced that sound.

 My mom was like a machine: typing; levering; rolling out a contract; then rolling in another one...and never missing a beat!

The sound of the typewriter put me to sleep many a night.

As a kid, I remember sitting at her desk, playing "office," and writing my first “book” in 3rd grade on that typewriter. It was like an old friend to me.

When I entered my first year of high school, I looked at the Smith-Corona Super Sterling with disdain: my typing class (Yes: an entire class devoted to typing!) used a Royal electric typewriter, allowing me to type 75+ words per minute!

At some point, my mom stopped using the typewriter, moving on to an electric typewriter and, eventually, a computer, yet she held on to her beloved Smith-Corona.

I’m sure there’s a reason or a story behind it; Although; however, I will likely never know how the typewriter came into her life; I do know that it brings me joy, makes me happy, and will be a wonderful piece to display on my bookcase (perhaps to inspire me to finish writing my book). 

I help professional women with ADHD reduce overwhelm so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives with confidence.

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