Psychologist & author Gabor Mate explains the difference between a passion and an addiction: “A passion creates, an addiction consumes.”
As a trained Home & Office Organizer, many people are surprised to learn that I have a very large collection of seasonal home décor bins – 48 bins to be exact. Many clients think when they hire my services that I’m going to make them “get rid of all their stuff” and they are very relieved to learn that I don’t push for this at all. Most of us have collections of one kind or another. Some collections are large and pricey like antique cars some are small and inexpensive like vintage comic books – whatever they are, they’re ours and they speak to our hearts. When I meet an avid collector, I ask the following questions: Can you afford it? Do you have space for it? What are you doing with it?
The first two questions are fairly clear, although we may need a trusted friend or family member to help us be very honest about answering them.
It’s the third question that’s the tricky one. What are we doing with our collection? This may take a little longer to answer.
If you have vintage items that are catalogued and preserved in protective wrapping, then you might consider this a financial investment. If you haven’t already done so, perhaps you could get an estimate of the value of your collection to help you determine if you should have it insured.
Maybe your collection is not of a great monetary value, but more of a memorabilia nature. It might be a thimble collection from all the sewers in your family, or a rock collection from all the countries you’ve visited. Perhaps you collect crafting supplies, wool for knitting or material for quilting. I know a woman who has a very high-pressure job and no time to cook, but dreams of the days when she can make homemade meals. For now, she buys cookbooks – many, many cookbooks – to leaf through now & then when the pressures of work become too much to bear, dreaming of the future when she can shop & chop, mix and make all the delicious recipes in her beloved cookbooks. Another friend collects National Geographic magazines. They have no great financial value and many of the countries have been renamed over the past 40 years, so one might ask why? Why would anyone keep old magazines when you can easily google the question for up-to-date information in seconds flat? If you have to ask the question, you’ll never understand the answer.
To each collector the reason for their collection is – Because. That’s it; just because. The dictionary definition of the word because is “for the reason that”. And for the passionate collector, we don’t need to supply any more reason why. “Because” is a complete sentence for us!
As a Home & Office Organizer it is never my objective to push my clients to give up their “stuff”. I will however ask my three questions: Can you afford it? Do you have room to store it? What are you doing with it? My job is to help you clarify the answers to those three questions. How you answer the questions will determine what follow up decisions need to be made. If you can’t afford it or you don’t have room for it, you will need to consider selling it. This is the difficult part of the task, and one that is not made lightly. If on the other hand, you can afford it, you do have room for it, but you don’t really know what you’re doing with it – for example, you have 1000 crocheted doilies stashed in a drawer and you’re making another one tonight – then at least let your loved ones know what you’d like them do with your collection when you pass from this world. I know of a woman who kept her beloved Aunt’s crocheted doilies for 10 years in a box under the stairwell, occasionally moving the box to clean the area. This eventually became a heavy burden for her – she couldn’t let it go but she had no use for 1000 doilies. I asked her to tell me about her Aunt. Oh, the stories she told; some were funny, some were sweet – all of them were loving. I asked if her Aunt would require her to keep all of the doilies when she had no use for them. She said her Aunt would probably be annoyed that she had kept them for so long. So, we selected one special doily, one crochet hook and a photo of her beloved Aunt to put in a Shadow Box to be displayed on the hallway wall where she would be remembered every day with love. We said a prayer asking for a blessing on the remaining doilies that were donated to a charity that they might find a place of belonging to fill another person’s heart. This is the answer to one woman’s question – “What am I doing with my collection?”
I hope this story helps you make your decision about your own collection. Don’t make your decision with shame, or guilt or external pressure from others. Make your decision with love. If you keep it, then love it. If you donate it, then ask for a blessing on it and let it go with your love. Let love be your guide; it will never take you down the wrong pathway.
GRATITUDE SUNDAY – “May love be your guide in every moment of your life.” Inspirational quote from Paulo Coelho, a Brazilian lyricist and novelist and a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters since 2002. Whenever we get into a fix, sometimes we need to take a “time out” to calm down and sort out our feelings. Some of us do this through journaling, some may wish to talk about it with a trusted friend or family member, some will find their way through spiritual guidance. Whatever way you choose, invoke the power of love to help guide you – it will always serve you well!
TUESDAY, next week – Meet me here next Tuesday to continue our journey.
H.O.P.E. is on the horizon my fellow Pathways Traveller – one step, one decision, one action at a time!
Coming Soon! Watch for my weekly radio show on The Rogue, CFTR, to hear my guest panel share their own home management challenges, tips and tricks.
