i love my stuff

there is often quite a bit of writing in blog world about stuff... the premise is something like this... live with less, live lighter, stuff is overrated, stuff causes stress, own less stuff and be happier, the joy of less, etc.

i just want to shout out, please stop.  since when is owning stuff wrong?
 
don't get me wrong - i can spend countless hours reorganizing and de-cluttering the trinkets around the house.   i find those quiet moments puttering about my home very satisfying.  but i also love stuff - especially having my favourite things in their place - the things i have gathered over time, mementos, gifts from friends and family.  they tell stories, conjure memories, and inspire.  they breathe personality into a home.  i love being home surrounded by my stuff...

  

 

       

...the way in which stefan acquired the sculpture of an african man reminds me of his kindness; the trio of miniature tagines make me smile because i remember the hospitality of the moroccan man that sold them to me; i see kai's proud face whenever i happen a glance at the paper mache jar that he made for me; the sculpture of the jamaican woman reminds me of our time in jamaica and how much kai loved the water; the yellow and red lamp, a gift from the lovely melanie, warms my heart so much to know that she travelled with it from hong kong to vancouver one christmas long ago; and the toronto print reminds me of home and my family and friends who live there.  my stuff instantly picks me up. 
 

i love it when new friends come over and ask questions about my stuff - it allows me to tell my stories and i think they get to know me and my family a little bit better too.  they, those trinkets we surround ourselves with, are an extension of us.  the same holds true when i visit friends.  i do love being a voyeur in other peoples' homes, seeing their things, how they display them, but especially the stories they tell.

so when i came across nate berkus' new book, the things that matter, it was a breath of fresh air.  i remember sitting in the bookstore devouring his book; this is why:

 

"the things that matter convincingly lays out nate berkus' philosophy that things do matter.  our homes tell our stories, they reflect the places we have been and the people we loved along the way - and there can be no more beautiful design for living than that."

 
and here is another lovely quote about stuff,

 

"decoration is really about creating a quality of life, and a beauty in that life that nourishes the soul, that makes life beautiful.  that's what all this is about, not just what's in and what's out."  albert hadley

stuff has a place in our lives; there is nothing wrong with that.