When we moved from our fairly good sized home in Hemet to our little cabin getaway in Idyllwild we had to downsize dramatically. Where did we get all that stuff! It really was just stuff with some treasures tucked in. It was surprising what you can accumulate over the years. Did I really need to keep a lock of hair from the girl's first haircuts...yes...but there was plenty of other stuff that could go!
When it came to downsizing the kitchen this was a bit of a challenge. Our new home had 1/4 the cupboard space. So was I really going to need that apple coring machine? Nope! I have a perfectly good paring knife that will do the trick. I tried to view all my gadgets with a critical eye. Looking at my dishes I decided it was time to say goodbye to most things and start using my good china, that was my mother's. Use it everyday! Really enjoy those pretty dishes that usually were only set out for holidays. If a piece broke, oh well. Though they are nice dishes they are still just 'things' and who enjoys them when they're tucked away? My grandmother once said "there are no U-Hauls on the back of a hearse". Yup, no one takes 'stuff' with you and it is ALL JUST STUFF! My treasures should be in heaven alone. It was time to enjoy these special things everday so into the garage sale pile the other dishes went. It was a very cleansing thing to do.
My sister Marcia shared that her Bible study group had a discussion along that subject and here's a quote from one of her friend's mothers,"if you don't ever use it, then you never really owned it". Isn't that a cool saying?!?
Every once in awhile it is time to re-think the inventory because it is easy to start re-accumulating things you just don't have room for. (Just ask my husband who could be nicknamed Mr. Toss-It-Out. In fact I better have a death grip on the arms of my chairs or I could end up in his next garage sale marked 'for sale CHEAP') Over the years, I have learned to tell my friends and family that if they are going to give me a gift, my favorite things are things that can be used up. Soaps, note cards, a gift certificate for a pedicure...those kinds of gifts are just the best, especially when you have a little house.
So please stop by sometime and we'll have a cup of tea and share some cookies on one of my now favorite/everyday china dessert plates. If something breaks - no worries - I have a setting for 12 so I should be good for awhile! :-)
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven...for where your treasure is there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:18-21
I couldn't agree more. From one small home owner to another. I have my great aunt's best dishes and I love using them every day with the family. They seem to make meal time that much more special and like you said, if we can't enjoy them, what's the point?
ReplyDeleteI'm famous! I'm in the blog! I will calm down now......excellent....love it...glad to see you pecking away at the keyboard again sweetie. You have so much to share (don't keep it inside) Hugs, Marsh
ReplyDeleteOh Janette..I couldn't agree with you more! I started doing that years ago with my treasure of china and crystal. So, I may have only a few crystal glasses left....the joy of using them was wonderful and it isn't so bad to NOT have so much crystal glasses. Oh, and it wasn't a person that broke them, it was Mathew's cat Cuddles...long story but at the time, I thought we should have renamed him Waterford lol. I will get back in the habit of using my china once again.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I had a wonderful, wonderful visit with you this past weekend,using your Mom's beautiful china for our coffee and danish; I look forward to our next visit :)