Putting away my Christmas decorations and finding new homes for my gifts put me in mind of my mother’s sewing-service customer, Jean. She made her home décor anew each season of the year.
Jean loved to collect beautiful, colorful items for her house. She had many vases, figurines, throw pillows, and drapes in every color of the rainbow. How did Jean keep her home from looking like a technicolored mess? She didn’t display all of her treasures at once.
Jean decorated seasonally. In the summertime, she displayed items that were colored in cool shades. Blue drapes, green throw pillows, and white figurines were her hot-weather decorations. When summer ended, she stored the cool-colored items for next summer. In fall and winter, her house felt warm and cozy decorated with amber and russet colors.
I think that the idea of seasonal decorating is brilliant for someone who doesn’t want to be minimalist or get rid of all their stuff. A few exquisite figurines from a collection can be displayed while the rest can be stored away if you can’t bear to part with them. Storing items is a great way to think about whether you want to keep them or not. Just don’t forget about them! Unpacking them can be a seasonal ritual. You shift into the new season with a fresh combination of the treasured items you use to decorate your home.
Most of us wouldn’t display our holiday decorations all year round, so maybe all of our other stuff doesn’t always need to be on display either. You can still have a light, neat feeling to your home without giving up all your favorite things. Enjoy your stuff and enjoy less clutter!