One of my cozy life reset projects has been on-going the past several months. I’ve been slowly and methodically going through every part of our home. I have done it one drawer at a time, one shelf at a time, etc. My goal is to remove approximately 25% of what is in our home.
I saw someone else discuss the idea of curating your home and I thought that was an interesting perspective. A curator of a history museum or art museum makes sure that the institution has the best and most meaningful items in their possession. But he also rotates items so things that are held in storage are also made available. The curator knows what the museum owns, where it is stored, and when to bring it out to share.
I’m not a minimalist so I have things in my home that I rotate through. Sometimes they are seasonal changes. Other times a need will arise for a particular item that I have held back in storage. I make a point of hanging on to things that I truly like and want to use again even if I’m not certain when that will occur. Over the years I’ve learned the difference between hanging onto things because “it might come in handy someday” and “I know I will use this again someday.” Our home is full of things that have been used multiple ways over the years.
As homemakers, we are the curators of our home. We should know what it holds, where everything is, and how to make the most of what we have been blessed with. Everything else that doesn’t meet a specific need should either be thrown out, donated, or sold.
As we remove possessions that no longer meet a specific need, we can then purchase new items that will add to our home life just as a museum will acquire new pieces when appropriate. It’s not a sin to enjoy pretty things or spend money on household items, clothing, etc. in order to create a more beautiful life. Not everything must be practical and cheap. And surrounding our loved ones with ugliness is not a virtue.
Are there some aspects of your home and life that you need to curate more effectively and thoughtfully?
Oh how I love the thought of removing 25% of what’s in my home. Well, at least the small stuff. But, what really struck a chord is the idea of being a curator of my home. Wow Sallie! That is exactly the perspective I’ve needed. In our family of four, I am the only one that has “minimalist” tendencies, due to growing up in a tastefully done, minimalist Early American home in the ‘60s and ‘70s. It’s what my mom loved and I didn’t mind it because being the oldest, I cleaned most of the home while she worked. So it was easy! And thank you for telling me I am the curator of my home. I can work within that framework. Now to get creative and hopefully my family will catch on. Thanks again for the encouragement!
Hi Deb,
I’m so glad this post resonated with you. The idea of being a curator really stuck with me. I’ve been working on my home during our Christmas break and it’s a helpful way to frame things when making choices about where to put things, what to keep, etc.
Happy New Year!
Sallie