“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be beautiful or believe to be useful.”
— William Morris
‘Tis the season to bring a lot of new “stuff” into your home.
I absolutely LOVE stuff. I pose as a decluttered, simplified living type of person, but in reality, that has been determined to be a lie. I love stuff. I love decor. I love soft things and fluffy things and I really love textural things. Wood, metal, woven fabrics? All perfection. Shiny objects? Count me in!
My saving grace is that I also absolutely ADORE getting rid of things. One of the greatest feelings is to fill bags and boxes with items and send them on their way to be enjoyed by someone else. I love to declutter. I adore donating.
As we move into the season of getting more stuff I like to remind myself — and anyone else who cares to listen — that this is also a wonderful time to donate.
Make this the week you finally load up that bag of gently used items and insure that they actually make it out of the trunk of your car. I can’t be alone in driving donations around for a week or more before I stop and drop them off. Once I do so, I feel so light and happy.
Thrift
My last piece of advice is controversial: consider thrifted and hand-me-down gifts. Some of my favorite gifts over the years have been antiques either purchased or handed down from family members.
I am the proud recipient of beautiful furniture — our kitchen island was passed down by my mother-in-law and I adore it.
I have a complete set of vintage silver — a lovely gift from my grandmother many years ago. She found it in an antique store and knew it would be perfect for me. It truly is. I also use that real silver every day.
This year, the Wonderkids, their partners and I all agreed that it would be fun to exchange some thrifted gifts. We are having a great time finding the “perfect” gifts second-hand.
There is really nothing more “green” than recycled gifts. They are also unique. I know everyone isn’t getting them the same exact thing I found on the back top shelf of a vintage shop.
Regifting
It is the thought that counts but you are also not required to keep every gift you receive. You can appreciate the thought and the gesture but that does not mean you have to keep it in perpetuity.
I don’t know who needs to hear this but you can return or regift that. Yes, this includes anything I may have given you. It may be due to gifts not really being my “love language,” but I don’t take it personally. I just want folks to be happy, and if they aren’t, they can pass on it or pass it on!
Less stuff can mean less stress. Ask yourself as you go into the coming year what you really want? For me it became more space and time, less to clean, and a little peace in having only those things we love around us.
Keep what you love
If you love a piece, keep it and proudly display it. If you do not love it or it does not serve a purpose for you, let it go. Consider it an act of service. Let someone else enjoy it.
Don’t save the good stuff for special occasions. If you are getting out the good dishes, the best decorations, etc. for the holidays, consider using them more often throughout the year. I don’t want my legacy to be containers full of stuff.
I have said it before and I will say it again: things in storage do not help us build memories and traditions. Your children and grandchildren will not have fond memories of things they never used or saw.
The best way to enjoy your “favorite things” is to consider, as much as possible, only surrounding yourself every day with your absolute “favorite” things.
