Catholics Guide To Decorating.

Maybe it's the change of season but all of a sudden I feel a tad burdened by all the "stuff" we have (or right b1...I have).
The world is made up of two groups - Group One can walk past a pretty, shiny thing and think, ''That's lovely!' and move on. Group Two walks past and thinks, 'that's lovely. I must have it now or my world is not and will never be complete''. I am the leader of Group Two.

I've always loved things. My mum loved things, so did her mother. I can only assume I've inherited the trait or it's some last-child-of-seven throw back thing. After spending a little time thinking about what I collect, I was a bit alarmed at the list:

Snuff Bottles...started after a holiday in Beijing/Shanghai.

Enamel Kitchenware

Bees - a life long interest
Books (in general) and on Bees...

Buffy - complete season.

Beautiful fabric, paper, ribbons, sewing baskets, pearly pins, pretty plates, cups and spoons, vintage table-clothes, aprons, pre-loved toys, buttons, bits and bobs.

Upshot is we're having a MONSTER garage sale in the next few weeks and I am determined to cast off a lot of stuff. I'll keep what I love but for some reason I've ended up with quite a bit of stuff that I feel very ambivalent about and that's the stuff that can go.

I'm also going to try a little experiment next time I come across something I "have to have''. I'm going to ask myself the following:

Do I REALLY want/need it?
Do I want it BECAUSE it's a bargain?

I won't have long before I can put myself to the test. This Sunday a Clearance Sale is happening at our local hall. Usually these sales are deceased estates, so great places for bargains.

More to the point ... why isn't one enough? Why four owls and not one? I'm beginning to wonder if my catholic upbringing doesn't have a part to play because when I look around our house, just like the book title, there are little alters everywhere. I mean I have clusters or corners dedicated to certain objects: feathers and stones, coffee table books about the sea, photographs - everything is kind of grouped.

I also have a lot of stuff from when I was a child - which is lovely, but do I really need to hang onto it all? I've given heaps away to my nieces and nephews, but I still have a lot.

On the whole, everything works well together but when I catch sight of rooms with space and order - usually Swedish and white...I can't help but think how nice it would be to let the eye rest upon a void, now and again.