Scaling Down, Part 1

So its time to scale down, and we’re not talking swimsuit season!  This is more than a few pounds.  We’re talking getting rid of years of accumulated treasures. 

This is not an easy project.  When we loose weight we don’t think “I love those 5 lbs.  I got them on that drive through the country when the kids were little.”  There is an emotional attachment to our possessions that is beyond our control.  Just stiffen your upper lip and remind yourself that your mind can hold lots more memories than your condo can hold souvenirs. 

Are you ready for that first step?

1. Decide what do you actually need.  Make a list of items you do need (IE: 4 dining room chairs, a desk, a tall side table for the bedroom).  Now fill the list with items you could never part with.
2. Decide what you actually like.  Fill in around your bare bones needs with items that give you joy.  Remember that you don’t want to over crowd so be very careful with this step.  Try keeping one item from Aunt Sue or from your first home with your spouse.  One item can trigger memories as well as twenty.  Decorator magazines suggest using collections of like items to accent your room.  Maybe you could select five teacups and let the other forty-seven go.
3. Edit.  After you’ve done steps 1 and 2 you may still be looking for an empty chair to sit in.  I suggest a team approach.  Invite a friend to help you edit.  Choose someone who has a home you find comfortable.  Never choose a friend with more stuff than you.  If this hurts your best friend’s feelings, explain your reason for choosing someone else then offer to help them after you’ve overcome your own addiction.  I get lots of calls at this point.  People often find determining the value of what they have helps them choose which items they keep.  Remember, you don’t have to keep something you don’t really like just because its valuable (or vice-versa).  I’m just suggesting that you keep the best five of the forty-seven teacups. 

Now you have a sleeker looking home that you can enjoy without tripping or spending three days dusting!  Wait, what’s that mountain of stuff in your garage?  Don’t worry, my next installment deals with getting rid of your leftovers before you can move them back into the living room.

What’s In Your Closet?

Shows such as The Antiques Roadshow and Treasures in the Attic have encouraged lots of people to start looking a little closer at the things in their own homes.  Americans have embraced the new sport of sorting through closets and drawers and exploring damp, dark attics and basements.  Untold riches have been made by authors and publishers of books to help you identify, evaluate and care for your newly found treasures.  New forms of furniture have been designed to help you display your collection.  A quick check on the Internet confirms that there are collector’s clubs for just about every type of item known.  I’m not even sure I knew about some of them.

Joking aside, we are looking back at our heritage and the items that represent it with new interest.  In our fast paced and changing world there is comfort to be found in surrounding ourselves with our Grandmother’s silver or toys from our childhood.  I have worked with collectors who are walking encyclopedias about their collecting field.  More commonly, I have talked to people who have started collections of items that they love but aren’t sure of the age or value.

Here are some tips from an appraiser, me, for starting your collection.  Think of it as rookie camp for collectors.

• Collect what you enjoy.  You’ll be surrounded by it for a long time.
• Be knowledgeable.  Invest in some of those books I mentioned before or look for seminars and museums.  The investment will help you avoid costly mistakes. 
• Buy the best you can afford.  Items with flaws (unless they are very rare) don’t have much value.
• Don’t be a fad collector.  Items promoted as “collectible” usually aren’t.
• Size matters.  Not everyone can house a collection of early American tall case clocks.  If you live in a small space consider a dynamic collection of smaller items.
• Be creative with display.  Imagine a case full of glass in a deep cobalt color as a background for your dining room.

Now that you’ve had some pointers…get ready, get set, go collecting!