tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5484406258278583706.post2519006183467138372..comments2023-10-01T02:44:19.871-07:00Comments on Lace Age Girl: Home, Sweet Home - Collecting versus De-clutteringLace Age Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898779208090759814noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5484406258278583706.post-17864310438684580052018-07-23T17:03:38.840-07:002018-07-23T17:03:38.840-07:00Dear Wen, I didn't hit Reply on the blog, so j...Dear Wen, I didn't hit Reply on the blog, so just in case you missed this reply I'll fix it now!!!<br /><br />I'm glad you liked my family story and musings. Thanks for your wonderfully thoughtful comments and ideas. I guess I really do feel a bit guilty collecting too much though! I really find it hard to part with things, and I do fall into the trap of buying things because of their future potential to make something with, or just to enjoy - like lace for example. I have so much, and there's only so much room for displaying it properly! But I find it hard to walk away from a bargain, or an especially beautiful piece. My kids laugh at my lace obsession and think I am strange for collecting it and displaying it. There is something about treasure-hunting that feeds my soul emotionally, and I find myself wondering where do you draw the line between enjoying stuff, laughing at myself, and worrying that maybe I have too much stuff already and I'd better do something else! I recently read "Never Stop to Think... Do I have a Place For This?" by Mary Randolph Carter - it's about collectors of junk who love it unashamedly. Much of the stuff collected is not to my taste, but what a fun book to browse and read. I would love to be able to justify my collecting and make it pay in some way. Mary's chapter is called "Once Upon a Time There was a Girl Who Loved Too Many Things" Ha Ha, that's me, too! She has produced several books on collecting junk - I'd love to do something like that to legitimise my collecting!!!! Any way, I am trying very hard to prune and pass on some things so my displays will look better and I will have clear space to work in!<br />Sending love and thanks, this topic is a challenge but enjoyable too.<br />Hugs, Jesse XXLace Age Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17898779208090759814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5484406258278583706.post-58581422362376757042018-04-14T02:24:01.285-07:002018-04-14T02:24:01.285-07:00Oh sweetie, this is such a beautiful, touching and...Oh sweetie, this is such a beautiful, touching and heartwarming story about you and your dear family! I have to come back many times more to reread it again and again, because I could not take in everything at once now. Thank you so much for sharing your honesty, your personal story, your reflective thoughts and your challenges with us, I really appreciate it and think it is so brave to do so! You have gone through so much heartache that I totally understand what you share here with us.<br />Now please let me share with you some first thoughts about what you say here. First and foremost: no one should ever feel obliged to "declutter". What I see you sharing here are treasures, not clutter. Things with personal meaning and story of your loved ones. I very much applaud you for treating them with respect and love. Please never let anyone tell you that you should get rid of them!<br />What I am talking about in my own story does not deal with these precious treasures. I am only talking about the clutter of things unnecessary, things that come from the fast-stuff industry (like fast food but then with stuff). Things that shout to us from the shops and tv/computer screens that they will make us happy, only to break and be worthless after a very short time. A whole lot of us drown ourselves in a huge piles of these things. But what you are talking about is from before the fast-stuff time. It's the things that were made with good care, meant to last a lifetime or even a lot longer. I so long to go back to that mindset! And that's why I "declutter" the shit that I bought out of easiness, laziness, emotional buying (like emotional eating), or longing to the happiness they said was attached to these products. It's the stuff that is being pushed upon us by the fierce advertising industry. I fell in their trap way too many times. And I no longer want to, nor do I want to hold on to that crap.<br />A second remark I would like to add about your story is about the KonMari method. I used that method in my second round of decluttering and will share my story about that next week in part two of my series. But here are two things that I would like to share with you at this moment: 1) Marie Kondo doesn't encourage us to live in a house that is that impersonal and pristine house you are talking about. She might live in a house like that herself may be, but the tidying method she is teaching has nothing to do with that. That sounds more like the so called minimalism lifestyle. What Marie does encourage is to only keep what you really love (and that is a very personal thing and can me three things or a thousand) plus the things you really need. 2) What really helped me in her method is that she encourages tidying up by category. This really helped me seeing how much stuff I had in these categories, and also seeing how much of it was of no use to me, nor was it something that had any worth to me (non like the treasures you are talking about here in your post!). I find that since I decluttered so thoroughly the crap I was talking about, there is actually more room now for the treasures and heritage keepsakes that I do wish to hold on to, because they are so dear to me. Only mine fit in a couple of boxes. I do not own much of these and never did.<br />Sweetie, thank you again so much for sharing your story and thoughts, it means so much to me! I will come back many times more to read it and probably also to share my thoughts on it.<br />For now, big hugs and love, take care, and wishing you a beautiful, peaceful, and love filled weekend.<br />xx WenAppleApricot Wenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07948921746710818301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5484406258278583706.post-69296631190127314452018-04-13T03:19:15.631-07:002018-04-13T03:19:15.631-07:00Wise words, Suzy. What an interesting topic this i...Wise words, Suzy. What an interesting topic this is, and it's so good to hear everyone's wisdom and experiences, including yours. Thank you! I think belongingness is an important theme in our 'clutter'. Clutter is such a negative index word, it makes us feel guilty if we enjoy our stuff, whatever it is!<br />Sending you a big hug,<br />Jesse XX<br />Much love,<br />Jesse XXLace Age Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17898779208090759814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5484406258278583706.post-15300080179748313192018-04-12T17:02:33.670-07:002018-04-12T17:02:33.670-07:00WOW Jesse, my little Clutter Queen, that was a lon...WOW Jesse, my little Clutter Queen, that was a long and moving story about your years of growing up, moving home, teaming up with your hubby, raising children, escaping the Canberra fires and all the items, memories that you have gathered up and along the way adding to your collections which identify you as you. <br />Everyone is on a different journey and whether peoples collections are large or small are totally relevant to them.<br />I personally gave up so much when we moved into town from our beautiful garden property but I am quite at peace with that as I have so many precious smaller items gathered and gifted surrounding me especially in my studio which bring me so much joy and happiness as well as connections to dear friends and memories from where they came. These are where we feel we belong and and where we are at home!<br />The main thing is that we can love and appreciate our clutter today knowing and realizing that in an instant it could all go. <br />I feel blessed with my clutter but am learning daily that letting it go is an even greater blessing!<br />Thank you for sharing these personal musings with us!<br />Big hugs and love,<br />Suzy suziqu's thread workshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01778561122767076015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5484406258278583706.post-22879406051850069792018-04-11T16:40:49.968-07:002018-04-11T16:40:49.968-07:00Thank you so much, Susi. I'm glad you enjoyed ...Thank you so much, Susi. I'm glad you enjoyed my musings. I like to write -it's like talking - a way to process the events of our lives.<br />Hope your week is happy,<br />Love,<br />Jesse Thank you, Linda, that's very kind of you. I'm looking forward to seeing what you will share with us on Simply Neutrals Tuesdays. <br />Love,<br />Jesse XX Lace Age Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17898779208090759814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5484406258278583706.post-13571964758019311032018-04-11T16:38:27.714-07:002018-04-11T16:38:27.714-07:00Thank you, Linda, that's very kind of you. I&#...Thank you, Linda, that's very kind of you. I'm looking forward to seeing what you will share with us on Simply Neutrals Tuesdays. <br />Love,<br />Jesse XX Lace Age Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17898779208090759814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5484406258278583706.post-85599158055185381572018-04-11T16:28:28.947-07:002018-04-11T16:28:28.947-07:00Oh, Dorthe, more tears! You are so right about the...Oh, Dorthe, more tears! You are so right about the feeling of belonging. Another essential ingredient to happiness, and a reason some people like their 'clutter'. Your poor friend, I really feel for her. I would feel like I had lost a part of my very self if a fire were to take my stuff. Your friend will need lots of emotional support. Often the emotions don't get processed for many years - that's what happened to me. I was so busy getting on with life, mothering and working that it wasn't until about 2 years ago when it all erupted for me again. I always knew I carried the scars, but hadn't really talked and thought it all through. I hope your friends were insured, at least they would get some money to start again. What a tough time for them.<br />Thank you for your uplifting comments, my friend.<br />Love and hugs,<br />Jesse XXX<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Lace Age Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17898779208090759814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5484406258278583706.post-40750596598138347382018-04-11T14:25:57.731-07:002018-04-11T14:25:57.731-07:00Thank you Karen! I 'm so glad! You've brou...Thank you Karen! I 'm so glad! You've brought a tear to my eye to be validated in such a way. Thank YOU!<br />Love and hugs,<br />Jesse XXLace Age Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17898779208090759814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5484406258278583706.post-43481428871655906042018-04-11T13:00:33.540-07:002018-04-11T13:00:33.540-07:00here from Simply Neutrals. What a touching and tho...here from Simply Neutrals. What a touching and thoughtful post- and full of memories and love. Love the vintage laces, and your photos- precious memories to treasure. Linda Kunsmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00569703961551672145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5484406258278583706.post-66302770037594311262018-04-11T09:57:52.714-07:002018-04-11T09:57:52.714-07:00What a wonderful post and I love to read your stor...What a wonderful post and I love to read your story and I just can say: You do the exact right thing Jesse! Collect what is worth to be collected! <br />♥♥♥<br />Love<br />Susifroebelsternchenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06501600240752195171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5484406258278583706.post-40126320530915988362018-04-11T08:13:00.869-07:002018-04-11T08:13:00.869-07:00Oh Jesse,
Such a long and touching story of some o...Oh Jesse,<br />Such a long and touching story of some of your life. <br />The hard life your mother lived as a child, and your own moving around, not finding peace and home, anywhere- until your grown up life.<br />I have no such story to tell, of so much hardship , Jesse, and I feel with you, and your family for going through years of difficulty. and also the terrible bush fire, you experienced . But all the same we have something in common , the beauty of clutter, the feeling of home, from all we collects , and did over the years , the feeling of belonging in just all that. One of my dear friends, experienced only 3 days ago, that her home burned down to the ground....nothing saved not anything !!! A tragic and terrible thing for her and her husband. She had a wonderful clottered home, like you , and I , I can`t imagine how she carry on, with loosing it all. <br />Thank you for your story, dear friend.-<br />Hugs Dorthe Dorthehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13685326242045661724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5484406258278583706.post-1823709629552275572018-04-11T08:11:19.951-07:002018-04-11T08:11:19.951-07:00Oh my Jesse, I enjoyed your 'honest musings...Oh my Jesse, I enjoyed your 'honest musings' and 'meandering story' So Very Much! I will come back and read it again. It was great and you are a wonderful story teller. <3<br />I can concur with Marie (I've read her book 2 or 3 times) but I can also<br />concur with those that happily desire to be surrounded by, shall we say, So Much Stuff! : ) I'm guessing I'm some where in the middle there. But happiness can mean a lot of things, so . . . <br />let me just conclude with a big 'thank you' for sharing your heart! I appreciate you and your blog and your lovely treasures. Hugs to you, karen o <br />Roosterhead Designshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00085120740728639979noreply@blogger.com