Thursday, December 8, 2011

Heirlooms, if you have small children, make some.   If you have small children, it goes without saying that you are drowning in paper, of which almost all should go forthwith and without guilt into the recycling bin as soon as those little angels are asleep.  That much paper lying around will cloud your judgment.  And its a fire hazard.  Heirlooms are not fire hazards.

If your heirlooms are made of fabric, store them in your linen closet.  Textiles like to live where we live, not in the basement or the attic and not in plastic tubs.  Which probably also goes for the rest of your heirlooms.  Really, the only thing in your attic should be a secret private studio space with natural lighting (once you throw back the spooky looking old hinged shutters on the belfry), a fan, an overstuffed chair (exactly one), a sturdy table, and a locked cabinet full of art supplies and good liqueur.  In the shadows you can stash that old rocker you've been coveting from the antique store the next town over.  Yeah, the one you know you shouldn't buy but can't help wanting.   Very occasionally you might want to share your attic with a friend. Mostly not, but maybe occasionally.  That's your friend's place to sit.

Basements are only for preserves, aging cheese, and scaring children.  Duh.

This morning my friend said to me, "When I'm unpacking decorations this season if I don't say 'Oh, I've missed you this past year' when I pick up the next thing, its going straight to the thrift shop."  How inspiring and awesome is she?  Very.  Thanks friend.  I've been ruthless with clutter in other areas.  How did I miss noticing the morass of holidailia?

I have two tin (wooden) soldiers.  I bought them raw for a dollar when we lived in Texas and I haunted Hobby Lobby because it was the most interesting place in town.  The kids painted them and by some miracle, I mostly resisted the urge to touch up their work.  Back then I couldn't imagine the wabi sabi of life with children and their relentlessly copious constant art work receding from the shore of my living room.   I was drowning in the stuff.  Now, its precious.  I wish I'd bought more raw wooden characters for them to paint and fewer rolls of newsprint.
This holiday season, make some heirlooms.

And get rid of the junk mucking up your space.

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